Airbnb host check out demands - AIBU to ignore

[Senseonhorizons]

Been staying in Airbnb for last 3 nights, out of many, many we have stayed in this is our worst experience. There are lots of positives about the place, however it is f'ing freezing. Non functional heating on one floor so bedrooms were 12 degrees and we were all so cold in the night and now are ill, may or may not be connected.

I did contact host re heating on arrival and was given a load of instructions that don't work.

I have now received list of tasks to do on check out, none mentioned in property listing. They include stripping off beds and taking all sheets and towels downstairs, emptying bins in kitchen and bathrooms and taking to bins half way down the lane.

I feel like f'off do it yourself. We paid enough for the place. I know people did it in covid with sheets etc, but there is absolutely no reason to now

AIBU to ignore their demands?

You could introduce a fine for non-differentiated waste. In Tuscany the local council fine for un-sorted waste 350 EUR. That concentrates guests’ minds wonderfully and no-one has actually incurred the fine.

I own a cottage too and surely you don't really believe this doesn't work both ways?

We've had great reviews and a few comments over the years I'd roll my eyes at. But such is life.

This.

No it doesn’t cut both ways. You can leave poor reviews on listing sites for hosts, but the host is limited in what they can say as a review or in response.

As an Air BnB host it is an annex on my house which I also use for family, what I would like is more transparency on the site about cleaning fees. I do not charge a cleaning fee as I feel my price should be inclusive of cleaning, I do charge a small amount for additional guests to cover the additional washing and bed changing. I think it should be easier to see an all inclusive price earlier in the booking process - really at the comparison point. As it is very easy to choose what seems a more economical option that then hits you with a massive cleaning fee.
All I ask my guests to do is to separate their recycling into one other container and then we place in the correct receptacle.

Pretty standard stuff tbf and if you don't do it, you only satisfy yourself. So don't get mad - get even. The way to make your point is a review on Air BnB; potential customers usually read them in advance and most wouldn't want to stay somewhere cold as well as have a reasonable request ignored. You might also want to leave a note for the owners to let them know you are leaving this review; you never know, it might make them feel a bit repentant and they offer some kind of compensation.

Is that because you'd like to re use the bedding? Just guessing as I genuinely can't fathom why you'd not want it otherwise. It is saving you a job and I can't see a reason why it wouldn't be helpful but please do enlighten me. I've been to many where it's asked for. Why don't you like it?

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

I can be hit with a £300 fixed penalty fine and if I am then you can be sure that the guests will be paying it via the courts if necessary.

It’s been explained by multiple posters. It’s so the linen can be easily checked for stains. If it’s scrunched up, they just have to spread it back out on the bed.

Oh interesting. We have never gone through AirBnB ourselves but the holiday cottage company sometimes outsourced to them.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

'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.

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.