Airbnb host check out demands - AIBU to ignore

But you've also paid for heat that you're not getting.

@BigMandyHarris there are lots of airbnb owners on this thread saying if you do not like having to strip beds, clean before you go, etc etc, then go and pay more for a hotel. My point is that air bnbs are rarely cheaper than a hotel. Especially since hotels offer lots of deals so that most people do not pay the rack rate for a hotel room.

I don’t think most people do Airbnb because of price do they? I certainly don’t. I just loathe hotels

Aren’t those just basic etiquette? I’d always do those.

And airbnb is no longer cheaper than alternatives.

I think the whole attitude of we’ve paid enough… they mortgage, insurance, utilities will be costing a fortune,

Then why have a rental property? If you can't provide a full cleaning service without needing to have guests strip beds, etc. because the mortgage and other accosted costs are too much - then you can't afford to have a holiday rental, or your rate is too low.

Taking rubbish to an outside bin - fine.
Leaving the place tidy - fine
Leaving used towels in the bathroom - fine

But charging a cleaning fee and then expecting the place to be spotless and beds stripped, etc - usually all with an early check out time - just isn't fine.

And it's one of the reasons why I won't use sites like AirBnB.
We've used it twice so far - booked by friends travelling with us. Both times there were additional costs which were, imo, excessive for what was asked. And checkout was so early - 10am.

I stick to hotels mostly these days as I get a full service and I'm not expected to do some of the cleaning, check out is later and other services often come as standard. I still keep the room(s) quite tidy, used towels in the bath/shower, bed made (as in duvet out back in place) but the rest if the expectations aren't there and you get to relax more, esp on the final day.

This doesn't match any of the research and studies done in bedroom temperatures though.

16-20c is normally deemed the best bedroom temperatures for good sleep and better health, with around 18c being the ideal.

12c is deemed too cold for ideal sleeping environments, meaning poorer quality sleep. It can also lead to damp and an unhealthy bedroom environment.

12c for me would be way too cold and I would struggle to sleep for a few reasons.

Well it’s 11 degrees here today and I’m in a t shirt 🤷🏻‍♀️ in the north yes, but I don’t get many opportunities to go out in short skirts and crop tops anymore whether it’s snowy or otherwise. The peri-menopausal hot flashes probably help with not needing the heating on.
Seriously though, do people not hate how stuffy it feels having the heating on for longer than half an hour or so? I’d much rather just put an extra layer on.

I strip the bed because I holiday on my own and in a place with more than one bedroom, it then becomes obvious which bed I have used.

Christ alive, this is what we have to deal with...

Of course it's not because people want to reuse the linen, it's to check for stains so you can treat the stain. Some stains are tiny but you cannot use that linen again because it must be pristine and totally stain free. A hot wash will set a stain and make it impossible to remove which means you have lost the bedding. I had it recently with a beautiful duvet cover on only its 3rd outing. £75 down the drain.

I think it’s a bit of cheek to ask people to strip the beds on a holiday rental but I always do it (I used to do a change over in a holiday cottage as a student and would have appreciated it) and i think it’s standard now thanks to Air BnB. Emptying the bins is also standard and that one is pretty reasonable in my opinion. I’d follow the instructions to keep your deposit safe and protect your guest rating.

It’s not clear whether you alerted the owner to the fact that the instructions didn’t work re sorting the heating out. Things break, it’s annoying, but the owner should be updated and allowed time to put right. If this impacted the holiday then make a request for a partial refund. As others say it’s separate to the check out requests.

'Instructions' should be given on the website page - before booking - that it's expected guests will strip the beds, etc. I don't want to be told at book-in. I'd like to know that before forking out my hard-earned cash tbh - and have the option to give it a wide berth.

A fair number here think it is beneath them to even take the bins out

As a guest, yes. I am quite capable of putting the right rubbish in the right bin INSIDE the house though as long as the recycling rules are clearly stated.

Why does someone have to be the better person when they are paying for the service.

Do you also sweep the floor in the hairdresser after they've cut your hair?

If not, why not? iI would make you the "better person".

I just appreciate it when they do leave the place reasonable but if they don't, my cleaners will deal with it

I think a lot of owners' definition of reasonable and mine are different.

Mine means that I don't leave any mess, rubbish is in bins and not left around the house (eg crisp packets on the floor) and nothing horrible to find in the loo(s).

Owners' definition appears to mean that I have to go round emptying bins and stripping beds and doing a load of cleaning myself. Why do I have to do that when I've paid a lot of rent and a cleaning fee? For me that is taking the mickey. I am paying for the service, the owner is making the profit on it. So they (or their cleaners) do the cleaning. Not me.

I totally agree. Accommodation is not cheap in Britain, no way am I doing housework.
Years ago I used to stay in YHA where you had to do a chore. The point was to keep the stay dirt cheap, and it was dirt cheap.

Whether I'm traveling for work or leisure I'm not going to strip beds or empty rubbish in paid accommodation.

I always leave it tidy however I'm paying for the service and I won't spend my time doing house keeping.

This thread has been so enlightening. I’ve always been a bed stripper, in the belief that I was helping the host. I will stop doing that going forwards!

I would always strip beds and empty bins regardless of the experience. Be the better person. You can still leave a review commenting on the heating issue.

You are always in a t shirt when it is 10 degrees! Are you one of those northern lasses who go out on a snowy evening wearing a short skirt and a crop top?

I would normally do that anyway, just to help. But in the circumstances you describe I would not wish to be helpful and would object to being given orders in this way.

I have never used Airbnb and would be reluctant to do so if they can arbitrarily take money from an account because there has been some sort of dispute.

Oh come on
there’s always so much competitive under-heating on mumsnet
I’m in the south east and its 5 degrees right now.

I’ve stayed in several airbnbs here in New Zealand and in England. Some ask for tasks like strip beds and some don’t but expectations are clearly communicated at check in time. If not asked we don’t strip beds, we do leave kitchens and bathrooms clean and leave no dirty dishes. Do take rubbish out. It’s not good hosting to give instructions at the end. The heating is another thing and given that you reported it and they didn’t sort it I would reflect that in my review.

I guess we must not feel the cold as much. Anything over about 10 degrees and I’m in a t shirt outside. I haven’t had the heating on since January, and even then sporadically.

As an airbnb host myself, I would never ask this of you.

I'd have radiators delivered and try to help with the heating.

My check out asks are to just take the kitchen bins out and put the dishwasher on. That's all.