Airbnb host check out demands - AIBU to ignore

It’s not in Somerset is is by any chance? 🤣

I do. £200 gets me 2 nights lodgings, full cleaning service, housekeeping and breakfasts.

I look on Airbnb and that just covers the nominal "cleaning fee" that I pay £200 extra for the privilege of doing myself.

I've had an Airbnb account for 6 years now, and up to last year I've checked it for a better alternative every time I've booked a hotel. I've never used it and have given up even looking about a year ago.

@NigellaAwesome because I think so many air bnbs owners are taking the piss.
You do know any cleaners who clean houses routinely empty bins?. It is not an unusual part of the job.

Fair enough if it doesn't bother you, although if it isn't a big deal, then I don't understand why that would be a barrier to booking somewhere which may otherwise be an ideal place for you to stay on holiday.

AFAIK Airbnb now have any check-out instructions available for people to see before they book.

I've stayed in tons of self catering places and have never stripped bedding. I will always empty bins though, and make sure it's tidy. The no heating would be a big issue for me, so I would flag that up.

@NigellaAwesome I have worked as a cleaner, Emptying bins really is no big deal. The issue is people who leave used condoms in the bed or used sanitary towels on the floor.
I would not book anywhere I needed to empty the bins.

Long since stopped staying in any Airbnb. The list of demands was kind of fine when the price wasn't more than I'd pay for a hotel, but now just feel like it's a waste of my time faffing with the checkout and having to hope the owner isn't a fruit loop.

Surely though, as an air b n b host, if you're expected to actually clean the property on departure (!) if you plan to re-let the property the same/next day and want to save on using cleaners, you'd have to be satisfied with the standard of cleaning left by the previous people staying there. If you weren't, then what would you do

As a PP just said, you'd leave longer between the hires (many already leave about 6 hours anyway) and not rely on guests to do the cleaning

And yes of course the cost of this should be included in the price - it is after all a business - but doubtless it appeals to some to then load on another charge, especially if they hope to pass the actual work onto the renter and enjoy the tantalising possibility of keeping some of the deposit too

I think the original point of having a separate cleaning fee on AirBnB is so that it benefits those staying for longer, rather than building it into the nightly price. Generally, there is a similar amount of cleaning if someone has been staying 2 or 5 or 7 days. Same number of beds need changed and laundered, same usage of towels, all floors will still be hoovered and mopped etc, so it seems unfair for those staying longer to have to pay a higher nightly price.

However, I think it riles people - we don't charge a separate cleaning fee anymore, and have just put up our prices across the board and don't accept shorter bookings.

A lot of people perhaps don't realise what is involved in cleaning a holiday let to a high standard. Most professional laundries will charge at least £15 per bed, and it takes me & my cleaner 6 hours to clean our holiday let between us. It costs minimum £135 per changeover.

I think being asked to dispose of rubbish to an outside bin is reasonable - not even cleaners relish the idea of coming across used nappies, sanitary pads, ear buds or condoms, or the remains of last nights dinner when emptying rubbish - especially if it has been languishing in the bin for up to a week in the summer . When our cleaners arrive to our own house I would never expect them to empty bins and always do it before they arrive.

I find there is a 50/50 split of bed strippers - we don't ask people to do it, but appreciate when it has been done. Towels in the bath is miles better than damp towels left on beds or floors.

The heating situation is dreadful and you should complain about that.

How is it rubbish? There are plenty of lazy hosts who don't use outside cleaners. Not all change the bedding between guests. Especially after short stays. The ones who ask you to strip the beds are not going to be the ones reusing the sheets.

I own holiday cottages and don't make those requests of guests. Most guests leave the properties in a dishevelled state. I've got used to it and don't expect any different. I don't think guests should have to concern themselves with emptying bins and stripping beds though.

Have never used Air bnb and am amazed at how you have to pay a cleaning fee AND are supposed to strip beds and empty bins etc! Nothing to do with manners, when the owners are charging substantial fees plus cleaning fees, it's a business, and no doubt a very lucrative one. I'd leave tidy but that's all, I don't go on holiday to clean someone else's house. Different if you're a guest or in a house swap etc.

@HollyKnight rubbish. We are in a cottage at the moment that asks us to do nothing. It is the cleanest place I have ever stayed.

I wouldn't mind doing the two things you've mentioned, but perhaps there are other, less reasonable requests. I'd be pissed off about the heating. I'd certainly message the host privately about this afterwards, and obviously wouldn't stay there again.

If you expect guests to do housekeeping, put it in the listings.

Yes I don't understand this.
Sometimes we end up not using a bed - only DC - so I signpost this by making sure nothing has been touched on it and either stripping the other beds if in a holiday rental, or leaving unmade if a hotel.

I usually strip the bed if I've been there for a week even if not asked. I feel the sheets are probably a bit smelly by that stage so I'd rather they were wash ready than making someone else have to strip them off.

I own a holiday cottage, we don’t ask anyone to do anything specifically and when I first started I used to say, ‘don’t worry at all, you’re on your holidays!’ If anyone mentioned that they would put bins out, put dishwasher on etc. One day a guest replied, ‘I do have my pride you know’, that really made me stop and think and I now say, ‘whatever you feel comfortable with’ instead.

With regards to stripping beds, it really doesn’t make any difference time wise to the housekeeping team but what I have learned is that if you strip your bed you will find things that you would otherwise have missed. Not only things like socks and underwear; I have couriered a much loved teddy that got left behind in the bedding.

Now I do strip my bed if I stay anywhere, I also put the bins out and clean down the kitchen worktops, in the words of my wise guest, I have my pride.

You are unreasonable. I would strip beds and empty dustbins. I'd complain about the heating, though, and ask for a refund.

If you want all he housekeeping done for you, stay in a hotel.

The places that don't ask you to strip the beds are probably the places that don't change the beds between guests.

I’ve only stayed at 2 Air Bnb places so don’t have a lot to go on - one place asked me to strip beds & put towels and bedding in separately labelled containers that would be collected. The other place asked for the bin to be taken out ‘if full’. I didn’t have an issue with either request. Both owners were lovely & left presents on arrival too though so I might have felt different if I was cold at night.

It takes one second to straighten a few duvets - another entirely striping 3/4 beds!!
The cleaner should be changing all of the beds full stop, that is what the customer has paid for - both the ones previously and the future bookings!

Drives me nuts that rentals insist you leave by 10am but can't get in until 4pm. It leaves more than enough time to clean etc between clients.

Stripping beds is no harder than making the bed & why would you make the bed knowing no one else would sleep in used sheets.

agree. Its part if renting your premises out to clean them. Paying customers should not be asked to do it