To think this AirBnB review was unfair?

[QuiteDisgruntled]

Recently stayed in a studio apartment with kitchenette (fridge, sink, hob, small worktop). Washing up liquid, paper towel and sponge provided but no other cleaning equipment.

Before leaving we washed breakfast things and left on drainer. Wiped surfaces and table, stacked placemats and scooped up some crumbs from the floor with my hands.

I’ve just read the host’s review which says “OK, but kitchen left messy”. I’ve checked other reviews from the host which are all in the style of “great guest, recommended!” so it’s not as though they’re generally leaving picky or negative reviews.

Honestly I’m baffled - I think how we left the place was perfectly acceptable. Am I missing something?

It is not nonsense.

Every spare flat and small dwelling in my seaside town is an air bnb.

Our children and young people have nowhere to live in this town. The only properties for rent or sale are either tiny shitholes or 3/4 bedroom houses way out of the price range.

All because of airbnb. There is literally nowhere to live. It's ALL airbnbloodyb.

But would it be any better if it was advertised on booking.com or holidaylettings.com. Why specifically Airbnb?

We had a review from last week saying that we left the apartment needing a lot of cleaning. It’s weirdly upsetting as we washed all dishes, swept terrace and floors, folded down the beds for airing , put all the towels in the bathroom and took out all the rubbish. I won’t be using air bnb again.

@ticktickticktickBOOM yes agree it needs banning Airbnb has ruined my town there is zero accommodation for local people

I had a similar review once where the owner said we left the property in a state.

Except my DH is a neat freak so other I know it was left immaculate with the exception of the carpets as there was no vacuum so impossible to clean.

I just responded saying it was left immaculate other than the carpet, but had there been a vacuum in the property we would have vacuumed them.

Not to mention the cleaning fee that is charged with AirBnB!!

This is why I stay in hotels. Like fuck am I paying double the cost of a hotel for the luxury of cleaning the place to spotless before I go or risk getting a bad review, I'm on holiday specifically to not have to do housework.

We ought to protest like they have in Spain

It’s an odd dynamic because the “host” is running a business but at the same time is a customer of airbnb as well.

You have to remember that the original premise of Airbnb was that a guest would rent a room or even a couch in a host’s home It’s become a lot broader but many people still use it that way. People have the right to know what previous hosts have to say about the person who will be sharing their living space.

Presumably this is the same reason why Uber asks its drivers to rate the riders. An Uber driver’s job involves sharing a small private space with a stranger sitting directly behind you while you have to focus on something else. The vast majority of ratings are 5* but if a rider was threatening, creepy or disrespectful the driver should have the right to choose not to subject him or herself to that.

Of course you have the right to not participate in that system and if that’s the case you did the right thing by voting with your feet.

What it comes down to is this - in a regular rental you probably pay a deposit and get that back if you have left the rental as they ask it to be left in the instructions you receive prior to arrival. If they aren’t satisfied you don’t get your deposit back. The customer can crit the rental on tripadvisor etc. the owner cannot crit the customer except by not refunding the deposit.

Usually the arrangements are very straightforward if renting via booking.com or whatever holiday rental agency.

Airbnb have their whole own different way of doing things. It’s not better.

If the

How do guests ruin your sheets? I’d love to know (but I expect to be horrified by your response!)

Why? You think freeing up Airbnbs is going to increase council housing stock? Because that’s where the shortage lies. No shortage of houses to buy,

I’ve rented many Airbnbs, in the UK and abroad on city breaks. Never had a negative experience. Maybe it could be your idea of clean/tidy vs their idea of clean/tidy? People have different standards I guess.

I have never stayed in an Airbnb where I’ve had to do anything other than put the bin outside. They always charge a cleaning fee. I would also respond!

I would LOVE to stay in a hot.with a no shoes policy!

I'm in Canada and I've never seen a home leave their shoes on inside.

There is more to the housing crisis than a lack of social housing.

In the seaside town I live in there is literally nowhere for anyone local to rent or buy that isn't a tiny shithole or a 3/4 bedroom house. Our children can't move out, they can't be independent. They would not be looking for social housing - these are single, working 18-30 year olds and there is literally nowhere for them to rent or share, nothing.

All the small houses and flats have now been bought by out of towners that rent them to holiday makers month in month out.

AirBnB has ruined our town and many other seaside towns in England.

Argh i empathise @QuiteDisgruntled i'm currently in an Airbnb and check out tomorrow. I really resent paying an extortionate cleaning fee and then arriving at an airbnb to find they have a folder with all of the cleaning/tidying you need to do at checkout.
I've been caught out by Airbnb before, I rented a 2 bed cottage 2 years ago. Host requested it was cleaned before departure. I spent 3 hours cleaning, place was immaculate and then she left a review that i'd left it in a mess. It's really frustrating. Now when I airbnb, I take a video/photos just before I check out so I have proof.

In the current Airbnb, we are expected to take the trash out, take bottles to bottle bank, strip beds and put all linen in the laundry basket along with towels. I usually wipe down surfaces, and a quick hoover but resent doing more than that on my holiday and when I've paid a cleaning fee. It's also frustrating when the expectation is there for you to leave it as you found it but no cleaning products are left. We drove to this one so i brought some with me. Along with a hand held small vacuum cleaner (helps with a messy 3 year old)

I think hosts that rent out their homes (primary residence) can be quite precious.

Same as @Oopsohnoherewego, we're in an Airbnb checking out tomorrow, there are specific instructions which we'll follow (bins out correctly and washing up done and put away). I'm nervous about the less than clean bathroom and carpet after a one year old's meals and our beach day but there is no hoover/dustpan so limited in what I can do...

I'm mildly traumatised after a bad review I got from a place where we went for our first time going away after lockdown. We had a nervous rescue who was never out of our sight and always on a lead outdoors and she claimed we had left dog poo on the lawn which we definitely didn't. Not her own two dogs who roamed around the shared garden at free will then?! We'd washed up and stripped the beds but she said the oven was dirty. It really overshadowed what had been a happy and much-needed break. I wonder how these people manage with all their other guests, especially when they are charging extortionate cleaning fees. I'm thinking about stopping using it altogether, it really takes the relaxation out of a break thinking I might get told off afterwards!

OP- Was the property in Edinburgh???
DH previously used AirBNB's in various countries, and the only complaint we got was in Scotland. I bought foil to keep the grill clean, bought spray to clean the work tops, put the bins out (as stipulated), put towels on the side of the bath etc.
I was tactful in my private review to the owners, and didn't go into every problem we had.
They complained we'd moved the furniture around and put dirty dishes back in the cupboard- we hadn't. Complained we'd left crumbs on the floor- there was no vacuum or dustpan- so I cleared what I could with the kitchen paper- I'D bought! It really put me off ever booking again.

Edited as forgot this bit. Before I replied to the complaint, I looked at the air bnb forum for advice and guidance. Common issues and queries are on there, so worth a look if nothing else.

You need to ask the person who posted it if it was for you or previous guest ?

I would not leave items on draining board. Make sure you put things away exactly how you found them. I've noticed many people think leaving items on draining board is 'mess'

How did you get crumbs on the floor? Have you a messy toddler dropping bits, if so were kids permitted?

Were you eating without plates?

We had a similar experience to you- cleaned up all used crockery and glasses and wiped surfaces and made sure nothing on the floor, tried to generally tidy everything ourselves , and the owner’s feedback was she wasn’t very happy with the state of the apartment.
quite a joke given that some of the doors were missing doorknobs/had doorknobs falling out, there were rusty nails sticking out of walls and there was a 30kg antique mirror that was left leaning against a wall ready to squash unsuspecting children . And yes there was a pretty big cleaning fee on the booking…

really put me off air bnb!

You’re joking right? Of course there is a bloody shortage of houses to buy!

We stayed in Vancouver with VRBO I think the equivalent to Air BnB …charged £400 for cleaning and still got a negative for not leaving the accommodation clean enough!!
Everywhere was clean,tidy and apart from deep cleaning cannot think why the owners said that! So annoying 🫤