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?

I don’t understand why people think it’s acceptable to charge a (substantial) cleaning fee and expect guests to do some of the cleaning themselves on top of that? I’d never leave a place grubby, it’d look more or less like it did when we arrived but I refuse to strip beds. Like others upthread, I really don’t want to see what I’ve been sleeping on and firmly believe this should be included in the hefty cleaning fee.

Definitely mention the heating in the review. People should know.

Why LOL?

I'm assuming you also leave the tables a shit tip in Macdonald's because some other lowly human 'gets paid to do that'?

Integrity love. You do you.

It is very easy to ask for a refund and if you do it will benefit future holiday makers. Just go to resolution centre and you make a request for money to the host. They have 72 hrs to respond and if they don’t you get Airbnb involved. They won’t want a bad review so you will
more likely get a refund. Decide what a reasonable refund is and then wait.

I’ve always done those this in self catering. Not sure what your problem is, although I’d complain about the non-heating.

McDonald's is different. The price reflects some level of self service. That does also happen with some (few) properties.
Compare it to more to restaurant where you are not expected to clean up and bring dishes to the back. You pay more for food and it includes that service.
Like you pay with Airbnb and many other self catering for cleaning fee.

The lack of integrity comes from the owners tbh. Charge and still make you do it

I would refuse. Especially if this wasn't agreed upfront. Airbnb charges a huge extra "cleaning fee", so it's not the same as a holiday let. I've stopped using Airbnb now as it's just so expensive with all the extra fees.

Airbnb owner here - I only ask guests to remove their rubbish to the bins, which are in the car park. The cleaner will sort sheets etc. That’s what the cleaning fee is for.
I’d leave a negative review for lack of heating and poor comms.

I think stripping beds and emptying bins is pretty standard in any self catering place. I wouldn't expect it in a hotel but self catering yes. I will usually put on the dishwasher or wash everything up and put away too.
Once we stayed somewhere that wanted us to hoover but I thought that was a step too far!

No heating would be a no no for me- you don't go on hols to be uncomfortably cold. I'm in holiday let right now' the owner bought round extra covers etc, so nice. That's why I don't do airbnbs!!

I might strip the beds (though don’t think it’s an obligation) but certainly wouldn’t be carrying laundry around. Just leave it piled in the room it “belongs” to.
I would put rubbish in outdoor bins as cleaners may not come same day. I’d do this whether it was in check out instructions or not. But I agree that wheeling the bin down the road is unreasonable.

If things aren’t mentioned before you book and agree to the hefty cleaning fee, then it shouldn’t be an obligation of the stay. And I have read that Airbnb will normally remove a bad owner rating of you, if you ask, when it’s about not leaving things clean when they charge a cleaning fee.

I run a holiday let (in France), but Airb&b works the same here.

Are people getting confused with the "service charge" (huge!) which Air charge? That isn't a cleaning fee- it is a payment to Air which hosts don't see a penny of!

I ask guests to sort the recycling as they go (and provide clearly marked bins in the kitchen to make it easy. I don't ask for beds to be stripped (I need to see and treat any stains asap before washing) and certainly don't expect or ask guests to do a thorough cleanup before they leave! I don't charge a cleaning fee either- it's included.

Geez, I thought the list was going to say something like clean as you found it or something. I always strip beds and dispose of rubbish. I would put the dishwasher on and wipe counters too. The heating issue is unacceptable though and worth complaining about.

It's frustrating when people expect you to do extra tasks, especially when you're on holiday. I once booked an Airbnb in Frome, and the host was suggesting I donate spare food to the food bank. It sounds great in theory, but who has time for that kind of thing when you're trying to relax and enjoy your trip?

That a DH job

What a thing to say in 2024! Especially when you know that there's thousands of single mums and widows on this forum. Shame on you

I don’t strip beds, but always take out the bins.

She obviously meant her DH job. And even if she meant it in general it has nothing to do with single mums
Mine does bins too. Practical reasons not obsolete sexism.

emptying bins to a a trash bin just outside is normal. Sometimes a cleaner might not be coming in for a few days. I wouldn’t expect to take the trash down the road or elsewhere.

i would not want to strip the beds

No not confused there is a cleaning fee set by the host - possibly your host is not charging extra but they do - very often.

Heating? I assume you’re not in the UK OP?

This

God, so much discussion of stripping beds on MN- do I need to do it, should a cleaner be expected to do it, blah blah blah.

It takes under a minute. Who cares who does it?

We stayed in a European Center Parcs recently. Rule there was strip beds. My 7 year old happily did both ours and his, he loved ripping the sheets off. Kept him busy while we loaded the car.

I disagree with any business asking or making you do these things, but as with McDonald’s, there is no requirement on the customers to do these things, it’s just the right thing to do?

I’d never stay ANYWHERE and not strip the beds before I leave, I’m genuinely baffled people don’t do this.

Most cleaning companies charge a fixed rate for a holiday clean, regardless of whether the beds are already stripped so it’s hardly saving the owners money?

I do think people (perhaps exclusively on MN) just do not know how to behave.

I believe that many if the owners who put excessive cleaning rules are saving money. Because they don't have cleaners (cleaning fee is supposed to pay for). If they had cleaners and on set rate, they wouldn't bother their customers with excessive cleaning.

Not cleaning when paying for cleaning is NOT a bad behaviour. Just to add, bad behaviour would be leaving excessive mess, not normally used space.

I've also stayed in 100s of AirBnBs. Stripping beds is not standard - I've never done it.

If you do claim to AirBnB they are helpful and you will likely be refunded.

I'd also get your negative review in about no heating, no comms and a list of demands in.

I only have one negative review and it was in a similar situation - host didn't communicate to the extent we struggled to get in the property, left us to feed her cat unexpectedly then moaned we were too quiet. Like fools we had just done our usual 'it wasn't great but 5 stars to keep the peace'. Never again, it cuts both ways.