New Airbnb rules

I have stayed in AIRB&Bs all over the world amd never encountered these silly rules. Its not like a hotel as you have a kitchen and more space to relax and put children to bed and still stay up as adults. More privacy, gardens etc.

I own and operate 2 Airbnbs and never ask for chores from guests so I welcome the new rules. As a guest I absolutely hate when a host asks for a whole list of chores to be done at check out. They want to save money by paying less time for a cleaner. Luckily I have had mostly great guests who clean up after themselves without being asked to do so. If they don't then it's fine by me as that's what they're paying a cleaning fee for (so long as they don't destroy the place!).

Before AirBnb we would rent self catering properties both in the uk and the USA. There were always checkout rules - emptying the fridge, putting rubbish in outside bins, wiping down worktops. Most requested beds being stripped and towels left in the bath. Years ago we had to provide our own bed linen and towels - I remember helping my mum make up beds when we rented a place in Scotland over 50 years ago. So I don’t have an issue with these ‘chores’ at all. We still prefer renting a house to a hotel for a longer holiday as we like the freedom. I would not like being expected to do a full clean - to me that’s what the cleaning fee is for. The other one I don’t like is being required to ensure all dishes are dried and put away as that means running the dishwasher the night before and hand washing the breakfast dishes on leaving day - I would prefer to be able to load the dishwasher and put it on before leaving. But leaving the place tidy, putting rubbish out, making sure dishes are at least put in the dishwasher and it switched on I have no objection to and don’t understand what people get upset by that. Renting a single occupancy multi roomed property is not the same as booking a hotel room.

The things I have encountered as a cleaner for any holiday let's not including/excluding Airbnb. Cocaine on a highchair, poo next to the toilet, wanked in socks, worms ( not of the garden variety) used condom's, pregnancy tests, lots of blood in various places, vomit again in various places, towels used for more than drying people! I luckily have a strong stomach and do bizarrely enjoy my job! Most people are lovely and understand we have to make it perfect for the next guests. But a small percentage are awful.

What isn’t cool is the rule where the dishwasher must be completely empty, all crockery and silverware must be put away (no leaving anything on the drying rack), everywhere must be hoovered and the bin contents must be taken away with you.

This combined with saying you must be out by 9am.... When are you supposed to do all this cleaning, bed stripping & laundry, 6am? And are you supposed to skip breakfast because you dare not leave so much as washed up plates drying in a dash to be gone by 9?

We've had this. Insane lists of required cleaning, threatening fines if it isnt done, plus "cleaning charges" on top. I think most do not in fact pay a cleaner at all.

This. A lot of airbnb owners piss me off. They rake it in and do absolutely nothing to earn the money, and leave passive aggressive notes telling you to only run the shower for 2 mins, bring your own towels & empty all 6 bins & take to the tip 5 miles away. Complete piss take.

I stayed in an air bnb once. Once was enough. The owner appeared the first night, unannounced and unexpected, just after we got our toddler to sleep, which woke her up. We tidied as we went, doing dishes etc and putting rubbish out but I didn't go looking for a hoover as we weren't in much. I did however strip the beds and stick them in the washing machine. We were driving home and she called my husband screaming down the phone at him because we hadn't hoovered and her sheets were creased due to the wash setting (standard 40° cycle). Put her on speaker and told her I'd turn round if she wished to repeat any of it to my face but she hung up instead. Utter batshit, never again!

People on MN seem to have quite different views to those on LinkedIn.

I've seen lots of people on MN complaining about the rules (I have never stayed in one, well, not since my son was 1 and he's in his early 20s now!)

But on LinkedIn people were saying how awful it was and how could AirBnB think that people should be able to leave a mess etc.

No it's not about leaving a mess, I don't leave a mess in hotels, it's just about not having to do chores that should be included in the very high rent. Tidy up yes. Take the rubbish out, no.

I’ve never found Airbnb rules onerous. Maybe people should be more thorough in reading the rules and reviews before they book.

I had this recently and in the US. We were told to strip the beds and start the dishwasher otherwise we would be fined. I did do these things but it was the tone of the email that made me bristle

We run an Airbnb.
The only thing we ask is they put food waste in the caddy (council rules)
Otherwise, when they leave, I put on my rubber gloves & sort out the recycling from general waste (I still find teabags in general waste)
I don’t ask them to strip beds, but if they do, that’s fine, although if they put a wash on, I have to redo it as, from COVID, all linens and towels are washed at 60 degrees.
I do think putting plates, cups etc beside the sink is not unreasonable.
We charge £15 cleaning fee.

I'm currently on a holiday in France and it's so frustrating and annoying. Firstly, we had to bring our own bedding and towels. secondly, we have a list of what needs to be done before leaving (it includes wiping door handles, hoovering under the bed etc.). And finally, it wasn't cheap.
I'll read on the new rules. I've always left the places tidy but it's getting beyond unreasonable.

That’s sort of my point. Paying for waste disposal is one of the costs of running an AirBnB. Someone who wants you to take all the rubbish with you isn’t holding up their side of the deal.

@CruCru

The bin thing is because the council won’t collect (as the hosts pay business rates, not council tax) and the hosts don’t want to pay for commercial bin collection.

Yes, they're businesses, and councils don't collect waste from business premises on their domestic collections (some do because they don't notice!). Businesses have to pay for waste disposal, and recycling, which can be quite expensive. It's not included in the business rates.

I'd never trust crockery that may or may not have been washed properly by the previous occupier or the cleaner. We put the dishwasher on, full, on arrival at a new property and just use whatever we've washed.

I think it reasonable to ask people to strip bedding and put it in bags to get laundered (because then I know that the bedding is clean on), wash up and empty the bins into the outside bin / recycling.

What isn’t cool is the rule where the dishwasher must be completely empty, all crockery and silverware must be put away (no leaving anything on the drying rack), everywhere must be hoovered and the bin contents must be taken away with you. I know there are Air BnB guests who are swine but someone who leaves the dishwasher running, a couple of pans on the drying rack and the bin bags in the outside bin is probably reasonably considerate. The bin thing is because the council won’t collect (as the hosts pay business rates, not council tax) and the hosts don’t want to pay for commercial bin collection.

There is an element of truth in it though.

Possibly, but due to the area many properties aren't big enough to allow that kind of structure. I also think the area promotes more self catering let's as they put more back into the local economy 🤷Plus as they are being used as businesses the council gets more business rate income?!

Giles Coren is just a provocateur. And a snob.

My biggest worry with this is how much the cleaning fees will go up. I’ve never even considered not doing the dishes at a self-catering place (cottage or Airbnb), and we generally leave places as we find them. I haven’t been asked to strip the beds in an Airbnb since Covid times.

This thread reminds me a bit of this column by Giles Coren.

“No children, dodgy hot water. Enjoy your stay!”

www.thetimes.com/article/641de720-0f55-11ed-93cf-b011fa7fe86b?shareToken=8a90e2a7d68687d899a5bf6d9c38911c

I have no problem leaving any place I stay as I find it - I won’t, however start stripping beds and putting loads of laundry on.

I've stayed in 2 over the years. I will clean as I go but I dont want to be charged for cleaning and be given a long list of cleaning to complete. I will happily bag up rubbish and wipe down kitchen surfaces and tidy up. I have noticed an increase in listings where you are expected to do lots of cleaning plus pay a cleaning fee. For me that tips the balance of a stay not being worth the extra space so then I have just gone for 2 hotels rooms. The reason I have used an Airbnb previously has been a desire to have more space, having a living area is useful on a stay with young children who are in bed by 8pm, that being said we have only ever done short stays.

Some people do however leave airbnbs in an appaling state and owners should be allowed to review them to reflect this.

I disagree with this view. When I worked as a cleaner in a hotel, it was our job to take dirty cups, plates etc from the rooms and put them in the dishwasher in the kitchen, and then replace with clean where needed. Who else is going to do it?!

Having said that though, I also always put stuff in the dishwasher and turn it on before leaving, I dont hang around to empty it though.