If you book Airbnb or are a host... what do you think of the separate cleaning charge?

[Mmmkaay]

Can you give me your opinions please? I'm trying to work out how best to price my property. If I allow a 2 night booking I only just break even after paying for the cleaning and laundry. I could therefore restrict it to 3 night bookings only, OR I could charge for 2 nights and add a separate cleaning fee on. What would you rather pay? Would it annoy you to pay for cleaning separately? Owners - what do you do?

Thanks!

Personally I hate additional cleaning fees. Surely it should be included in the price, if the rental amount does not cover costs you should increase it.

I just look at the total price whichever way it is done.

I’m disillusioned with Airbnb and all the extra fees, so I’d want to know the cost at first glance, not after a bunch of add ons.

Its partly the reason why I don't book via Airbnb anymore. I don't book if there is a seperate cleaning fee. Extra additional fees added on at the end is getting rediculous I want to know the full cost up front. Build it into your costs upfront or charge minimum stay policy.

I agree with @TheDandyLion. I’ve mostly gone back to using hotels as Airbnb has become a bit ridiculous.

I use Airbnb a lot. I have become used to a separate cleaning fee. Never really understood why but appreciate if it means the difference for minimum 3 night stay. Ultimately, it doesn't deter me to a property as long as the overall price is okay. I generally try to find the property listing outside of Airbnb to reduce their fees too if it's maxing my budget.

I actually prefer a separate cleaning fee, as then it is clear that you are paying for cleaning after your stay, and therefore you are not expected to leave it spotless. If there's no cleaning fee I worry that the owners will expect us to hover, mop etc which I really don't want to do on the last morning of my trip.

I think its fair to charge a cleaning fee. But not to ask ridiculous things for the guests to do, like strip beds, etc.

Lots of airbnb hosts charge a reduced rent when you rent for more than a few nights, maybe do it that way.

I don't mind the fee but it really bugs me when there's a (quite large) extra fee and then the instructions says to make sure all bins are emptied etc.

As a customer, I'm not seduced by a low initial fee (i.e. I'm not suddenly surprised my Ryanair flight doesn't really only cost me £2.50 ....) and can do the maths.
However, I do get irrationally annoyed by fees which aren't in any way optional or negotiable for me.
You'll need to clean after I leave, however you charge me. I suppose it can be a variable, rather than fixed cost, in that if you allow single night bookings you might have 7 cleaners in week. But then again I might use less electricity proportionately or break fewer mugs ....

So charge what you need to but I'd prefer all your costs were included in the rate you advertise.

Agreed with PP. I always leave the place spotless, but stripping beds seems an ask too far! It's tricky enough packing up for a whole family, plus tidying and then multiple beds - all by 10am! Hate a 10am checkout. 11am is nicer. 10am is a very early frantic, non-stop morning. Annoying!

Personally I resent the separate cleaning fee because I don’t know about it until I’m quite far into the booking. I would rather know up front.

I don’t refuse to book if there’s a cleaning fee but if you’re charging me £50 for cleaning, I don’t expect to be told I have to strip beds and empty bins etc

I just look at the total cost. I'm going to leave the place clean and tidy no matter what.

I hate all the ads ons. I don’t use it much any more because it’s just like an expensive version of Ryanair!

Is the cleaning fee optional? Is it a surprise cost?

Essentially it makes no difference if its going to cost the same end result but I get pissed off when a property is advertised as say £100 a night and then a load of additional non optional fees are added making it more than I wanted to spend.

Also yes if theres specific cleaning fee that I cannot opt out of I will not be doing any cleaning e.g. stripping beds.

Tbh I don't expect people to strip beds or clean, as someone else said, that's what the cleaners are for! I appreciate the comment about searching for the property outside Airbnb too - have just set up a website for precisely this reason as I'd much prefer people to book directly. It's good to know some people do this.

We don’t have an additional cleaning fee as its included in our rate, we do however have a three night minimum stay, we also reduce the rate the longer someone stays so we aren’t profiting from a lack of cleaning. We recently had a guest who stayed for three weeks, in this case we would usually clean once a week, on each pre-arranged clean it was spotless so we gave them a small refund as we didn’t need to do anything but change bedding.

Many people only want a 2, 3, night stay these days rather than a week. So it's three sets of linens, 3 visits by cleaners at busy times. My friend has a three bedroom rental, 2 king size beds, two singles so that's twelve pillowcases, four sheets, four duvet covers, six bath sheets, 4 hand towels. Cost £70.
Cleaners £60 per visit.

Hi. I have a 2 bed airbnb and the cleaners who live locally are amazing and charge for it. They charge me £80 for the cleaning and £25 per bed so £50. When you include the welcome hamper it's £140 for each changeover. It's crucifying tbh. I don't charge cleaning in addition to my nightly fee of £115 (who'd pay £140!!) but as a result will only rent it out for a minimum of 4 nights. On top of mortgage, energy bills, water etc I don't make a profit and sometimes make a loss, I see it as a long term investment.

I charge about £30 for the cleaning fee. I don't expect them to do anything whatsoever, they needn't lift a finger. They're my guests.

I use Airbnb loads and would prefer the cleaning fee is included in the price rather than an add on at the end. I certainly don’t mind paying cleaning as part of the price though as I never clean or do bed stripping etc. Personally I wouldn’t like a 3 night stay but it depends where you are - if it’s the U.K. it’s too long but I’ve only ever stayed probably 4 nights minimum overseas.

I don't mind paying a cleaning fee but if there is one, I won't clean! I mean I would never leave anywhere a tip, but I'm not going to strip the beds, put the bins out, sort the recycling etc like some places ask.
I stayed somewhere with a biggish cleaning fee over Christmas but the departure instructions were simply "Please switch all the lights off and put the key back in the lock box". I don't mind stripping the beds etc if there's no cleaning fee and the overall price is reasonable but I'm not paying for cleaning and then doing half of it myself - it needs to be one or the other.

I Don’t mind a separate cleaning fee. It means I may stay an extra night or two if they are proportionally cheaper.

Exactly this - I have a cleaning team and I don't expect guests to do anything apart from taking the bin out (and if they don't, it's not a problem.)

I’ve actually never stayed in an airbnb where I had to do any cleaning at all. Even one in Scotland which was someone’s home, full of food and booze, the only notes were “if you could replace any spirits that would be grand”.
We left them a box of chocolates as it was so amazing but even there they were getting cleaners in.