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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...or is the airbnb host?

120 replies

raisinbranwhole · 20/04/2014 20:38

We've just got back from a two week break when we stayed in an airbnb flat. No real issues whilst we were there.

The host has sent through a payment demand for £250 (and given us a terrible review) stating that we left the flat 'filthy' and that the money is for extra cleaning (she's also claiming we stole towels and glasses which makes me furious).

We are a family of four (two under 4) and were there for two weeks so there was the usual dirt from that (toothpaste marks, crumbs in the fridge etc) but the flat was in no way 'filthy'. She claims that she does not expect to do anything more than a 'dust and a quick vacuum' when she gets the flat back. She does not pay a professional cleaning service (like all the other apartments we've used) but does it herself. She waited four days to return to the flat after we left.

We did a few quick cleans/wipe-ups whilst we were there but no deep cleaning: we wouldn't do this in a hotel and assumed that professional cleaners would be coming in before the next guests (and that we'd paid for this).

We're not sure how to respond to her demands: AIBU is refusing to pay for this? Is there any precedent/information on what airbnb expect? I can't find anything on their website - it's all related to hosts.

Thanks.

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 23/04/2014 11:08

She was trying it on imo! I'd strip the beds to make it easy for the cleaner but that's all,I certainly wouldn't do a deep clean when I'm in holiday.

ICanSmellSummerComing · 23/04/2014 11:15

missed update too Blush glad its all sorted. I must say I thought it was french too!

ICanSmellSummerComing · 23/04/2014 11:18

I would email arinb to tell them about her though as not on.

5Foot5 · 23/04/2014 12:56

I wouldn't dream of cleaning after myself in a hotel but whenever we rent holiday cottages, apartments or gites we always do a have a good clean up on the last night and try and leave the place as we found it.

Never stayed airbnb so I don't really know where that falls in to the range.

PrimalLass · 23/04/2014 13:30

Thankfully the booking we have includes a cleaning fee so I won't be doing much.

TBH it depends on the check-in/out time. If I can't check in until 4 but am expected to be out at 10 (Center Parcs I am looking at you), then there is no way I am doing much in the way of cleaning up.

wheresthelight · 23/04/2014 13:37

Glad you got it sorted but to be honest I think you are bloody lazy and quite disgusting to not wipe up toothpaste marks and crumbs from surfaces. Do you live like that at home or when you visit friends and family?!

HellonHeels · 23/04/2014 13:48

Glad it's resolved but really if I were staying in a place for two weeks I would wipe over surfaces every day, vacuum the floors a couple of times and clean up the bathroom at least every other day and I am not what I'd describe as houseproud at all.

I just don't like skiddy loos, toothpaste-y sinks and crumbs on kitchen surfaces.

firesidechat · 23/04/2014 14:00

I'm shocked you didn't clean up after yourselves. I wouldn't expect a deep clean but toothpaste marks and crumbs? Dh and I spend the last evening in a rented holiday flat making sure it's left exactly as we found it as far as we can manage - right down to cleaning the bathroom, hoovering and stripping the beds. I would never treat it like a hotel (and even in a hotel I make sure all our rubbish is in the bin etc).

I'm with Pourquoi on this, or at least this is what we do too. I would hate the thought of a cleaner having to clear up our toothpastey mess.

AndIdratherplayhereWithalltheM · 23/04/2014 14:58

wheresthelight

That disgusts you? Really?

AndIdratherplayhereWithalltheM · 23/04/2014 14:59

I would hate the thought of a cleaner having to clear up our toothpastey mess

Oh yes, not the disgusting toothpaste, its awful isn't it Confused

whois · 23/04/2014 15:47

Tell the host to 'do one'.

You should wipe down crumbs off work surfaces and do your washing up, but cleaning toilets, cleaning out the fridge and scrubbing the shower is not expected when staying in an airbnb property.

Hoast should have a cleaning charge and hire a professional cleaning company.

whois · 23/04/2014 15:49

Oh you have, all sorted. Good-o.

Ha ha loving people horrified at toothpaste marks! Toothpaste isn't something I can get myself worked up enough about to be disgusted by!

MargotLovedTom · 23/04/2014 15:50

How awful, the thought of a cleaner having to um, clean!

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 23/04/2014 16:00

Meh
The cost of the rental covers cleaning. The host may do it themselves or pay someone but whatever happens it's not the guest responsibility. I'm shocked at how many of you spend the last night of your holiday cleaning! Do you do the same in a hotel?

jellycat · 23/04/2014 16:07

I'm another who thinks the onus is on the owner to clean between lets. I would be horrified if I thought a place hadn't been properly cleaned before we arrived! We stay in self-catering cottages usually, and always clear up after ourselves (washing up done and everything put away where we found it on arrival, kitchen surfaces wiped, beds stripped) but I don't clean. Costs of cleaning are included in the rental cost unless otherwise stated IMO.

firesidechat · 23/04/2014 16:54

It's not the toothpaste as such. I can assure you that I have no weird toothpaste phobias Grin. It's the fact that if there is toothpaste, then no attempt has been made to clear up. It's good manners surely.

Also it was the OP who mentioned toothpaste.

My sympathy is with the cleaners, rather than the owners of the property.

wheresthelight · 23/04/2014 20:25

andidrather yes! The downright laziness of not wiping round a sink to clean up the mess you have made or wiping down a surface covered in crumbs is disgusting and encourages floes etc. Vile, dirty and to use a local colloquialism, down right scutty behaviour!! Even my step kids wipe round the sink and the worktop after cleaning their teeth and they are 8 and 10! If the op is too bloody idle then I am not surprised the owner billed her for a clean up

JennySense · 23/04/2014 22:14

We always rent rather than hotel and have just booked our second airbnb.
We are normally charged cleaning but always clean up really well at the end of the stay anyway.
Last year we had a bit of a shock as we discovered the perfectly respectable professional agency we used in France didn't use any cleaners - the guests were their cleaners!
Yuk!

PrimalLass · 24/04/2014 14:03

wiping down a surface covered in crumbs

It was a few crumbs inside the fridge. And maybe getting a blob of toothpaste on the sink when cleaning teeth before leaving.

Original poster
raisinbranwhole · 24/04/2014 14:34

wheresthelight

I'm 'bloody' lazy for not wiping away toothpaste marks in a place I paid $200 US a night to stay in????

Are you out of your mind???!

OP posts:
Bue · 24/04/2014 14:44

I can't believe people hoover and clean the bathrooms of holiday cottages!

HellonHeels · 24/04/2014 15:02

In two weeks, wouldn't you clean your own kitchen and bathroom and vacuum/mop the floors? I'd rather do that than have a dirty loo and kitchen surfaces.

Zucker · 24/04/2014 15:19

Sounds like you're getting a lot of flack from people who just love spending the last day of their holiday deep cleaning the accomodation Grin

I'm glad it's behind you now but I do hope she's retracted what she said about you in the review she left for you. Cheeky mare it sounds like once she opened her eyes she found the "stolen" things.

Zucker · 24/04/2014 15:20

I thought the idea of a holiday was to get away from the grind of cleaning and all that goes with it. I've certainly never got the mop out on a holiday! Colour me skanky too then.

TheRealAmandaClarke · 24/04/2014 16:44

Yes. Agree with zucker