Air B n B guests no longer need to clean up after themselves

[lonelylou09]

Wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the upcoming changes to Air BnB bookings where owners will no longer be able to ask guests to strip beds, remove rubbish or even wash up after themselves.
I'm a cleaner and I'm worried this will mean I can no longer do changeovers properly.
I currently do a 5 bed 3 bathroom that sleeps 10 and it takes me the whole check out time (5 hours) to turn the property over. That's with guests having to strip beds, remove rubbish to correct outside bins and at the very least load up the dishwasher and put it on.
If I have to add this on to It could easily add on an hour which means check out or in times would have to be adjusted and people already moan or turn up 2 or 3 hours early or leave an hour late.
So I'm guessing I'm asking what peoples thoughts are if you use air B and b. Do you do these things if asked and would continue too if you can't be asked to? Or do you think this isn't your place to do it? Does it make a difference if there is a cleaning fee charged separately?
My view is it's not a hotel ..its self catering and you should leave it as you found it. I always put a lot of effort into trying to ensure when the guests arrive it feels like no one was there before then and it's theirs for the week.
If I stay anywhere...even a hotel I'll strip the bed and set the bins ready to make it easier for the cleaner.
But although most guests are great you do get some that you just wonder what Thier own home is like.

Then use another company to advertise your product, or get a second cleaner in so it's done quicker.

This is a tricky one OP.
Surely they will leave rubbish in the bin, but not empty it?
If it delayed then checking in or out, then surely they will just have to get in with it? 🤔

@lonelylou09

Hosts will have to use the huge cleaning fees to hire enough cleaners to ensure it's ready in time.

I don’t get this stripping the beds thing. Bins yes, clean crockery yes, but it takes seconds to strip a bed.

I’m more than happy to put the dishwasher on and leave towels in the bathroom. I will leave rubbish in the correct bins.

i object to taking bins out and stripping beds and am cross when these expectations are only given on arrival. If it’s explained before booking, I will look elsewhere.

Since Covid, check in times have got later and later and check out times earlier. It seems to me that this is an owner issue, but paying guests suffer. If 5 hours isn’t enough, then a second person is needed.

I stopped using air bnb because of this nonsense, if I’m paying to stay somewhere and there’s a cleaning fee, I’m buggered if I’m going to leave the place spotless. Getting it clean before the next person arrives very much falls into the area of someone else’s problem. Include the cost of cleaning in the price and if that prices you out of the market, you don’t have a viable business.

I always strip beds and do the washing up (not airbnb, as I’ve never used them, but for other self-catering). I try and leave it more or less as I found it, because that’s how I was brought up - in fact, we were always encouraged to leave it better than we found it! I wouldn’t strip beds at a hotel though… you’re usually paying a lot more for a hotel room and that’s part of the price for me - I should be able to just pack my things in my bag and walk out.

I personally have always made sure it’s tidy before I have left anywhere. Rubbish in the bin and plates cleaned and put away. So that won’t change for me.

But the stripping of the beds I am pleased about. Went away in the summer, beds needed stripping before we left. I had to strip 6 beds in the heat and all before 10am check out. Instead of getting in the car for the drive home all relaxed after a week away I was a sweaty mess and annoyed.
Many will not agree with me but I do think stripping of beds should be covered with the cleaning fee that’s charged.

I will always wash up/put dish washer on and make sure all rubbish is in bins. I do not strip beds or take rubbish out. If a place specifies this I would book elsewhere. Whenever I’ve used air bnb I’ve found check out to be 10am and check in 3/4pm. That leaves 5-6 hours for them to clean the place. This is plenty of time. As others have said the cleaning price should be included in the price you pay.

Like PP this is one of the reasons I’m now reluctant to use Airbnb. I’m neat and very considerate but I have received a negative review for leaving mugs by a bedside table and rubbish piled neatly in a corner of the kitchen (outside bins were nowhere to be seen), while being charged a handsome cleaning fee. Thanks, but set whatever cleaning fee you want and recognise that I am on holiday.

TBH this. I always clean up after ourselves and would never be filthy. That includes items being in the right bin (and I will bag the rubbish and tie it up), I will always clean dishes and wipe down surfaces. But I do object to a cleaning fee then getting a long list of instructions. Once I walked into place that had laminated instructions in every room. Including the legendary 'DO NOT eat in the dining room. Food may ONLY be consumed in the kitchen'.

I think cleaning up after yourself in self catering accommodation is pretty basic and people would empty rubbish and put the dishwasher on.
I think Airb&b fees and demands became so ridiculous that hosts just spoiled it for themselves.
Charging huge cleaning fees but then demanding the the accommodation is left in a pristine condition doesn’t make sense.
I do acknowledge that this will have a knock on effect to cleaners who turnover the properties. Clear communication with the hosts who employ them about the time needed to turn over the accommodation will be important, hopefully they’ll listen.

It is a cheek to ask guests to do half the cleaners job for them on top of having to pay a cleaning fee.

I am generally considerate and very clean so I would always strip the bed, put the rubbish in a tied bag if not specifically asked to put it out and load and start the dishwasher if there is one.

However, some cleaners say don't strip the beds as it can mean guests are trying to hide stains etc. So on that basis, I won't do that anymore.

It is no bother to set a dishwasher off but as for handwashing dishes, I don't think I'd do it. It depends on checkout time. Also, I'm not keen on places without a dishwasher as you can be relying on the previous guest and their hygiene standards. I've found some nasty dishes and cutlery before. It makes me feel a bit ill.

I am an Airbnb host for 12 years. I have never charged a cleaning fee or asked guests to do any chores before leaving. I scrub it all anyway so often their attempt to tidy hinders my routine.

I have my settings to leave a night between bookings in case of extra cleaning (like food or drinks spilled on beds or sofas - rare thankfully but it means changeovers are not panicked) and I have consistent 5 star ratings, my properties are spotless.
Cleaning fees, chore lists or "not enough time to clean" is greed. We are competing against hotels so need to approach hosting with that in mind.

Of course you should be leaving someone a state, but what is the cleaning fee for, exactly?

We stay in Eurocamp-type places in France in summer. We don’t pay the optional cleaning fee, which means we do leave the place spotless before we leave. I really dont like spending my last morning cleaning up but i accept it as I don’t want to pay. In an AirB&B I am paying the cleaning fee therefore expect someone else to do the work!

Agree, I really dislike the stripping the beds and putting final rubbish out part, particularly when it can be a drive to the bins overseas. Stripping the bed falls within cleaning cost to my mind. I have also been in position of stripping down multiple beds before leaving a property getting into an hot and sweaty mess to get out before 10am. Also feel like the check in/out times have been squeezed to the detriment of paying guests although it can vary massively.

Im sorry but how on earth is 5 hours not enough? My house is 5 bed, 3 bathrooms & a separate toilet, big kitchen, and i can clean it top to bottom in that time, easily. And I have kids and cats, there are toys to tidy & litter trays. Air bnbs tend to not have clutter to tidy and its the tidying that takes time, its not like there are clothes or toys everywhere or kids school bags/coats/shoes.

If its not enough time, they'll just need to use pairs of cleaners.

We often use Air BnB. We always leave it clean and tidy, but we don't do things like hoover. We do strip the beds if asked.

I thought the whole point of airb&b was being cheaper than a hotel. Now it just seems much more expensive plus you have to spend loads of time cleaning up before you can leave.
Ive stayed in rental flats/houses where stuff is just not that clean and I assume it’s because they rely on people to be cleaning it, and cutting down on cleaning time. Plates and cups that all need rewashing etc. I found centreparcs bad for this too.
It’s like the cleaners are now just there for a cursory wipe over rather than a proper clean.

I have never minded taking out rubbish, leaving it tidy.

I always leave a place neat & will load a dishwasher/ensure all rubbish is binned etc, but some air bnb got ridiculous. I was damn near certain lots werent paying cleaners at all, they were leaving lists of stuff you had to do including hoovering & bleaching loos, it was obvious they werent paying cleaners.

You need to build two cleaners into your pricing and business model then. It’s outrageous to charge a cleaning fee and then expect guests to clean.

I use Airbnb about 2-3 times per year, in the UK and overseas. I don’t clean. I will keep tidy but I am not doing a host’s job. Quite often Airbnb is more expensive than a hotel as you’re getting the extra space so it’s not like it’s cheap option.

I will add I’ve never had a negative review. I think most owners are reasonable about this already.

We got shouted at by the French owners of a villa in Spain who felt we hadn't done enough house work prior to leaving, despite paying a substantial cleaning fee and them turning up with the cleaners!

We had an explosive row in French at which point they said they'd "let us off this time"....

I don't mind emptying bins and whatever but scrubbing the oven is unreasonable

Im on holiday in an property I've paid for, with a cleaning fee.

Hosts need to pay for proper cleaning ij between guests, to a standard as you woild expect from a hotel.

Revolting not to.

I don’t use Airbnb as there’s no way I’m cleaning or stripping beds on holiday. The new rules might mean I consider them as an option, so maybe you will get increased demand?

(We are a clean and tidy family, would never leave dirty plates or anything like that)

@SuddenDaredJelly actually I think the window for doing the clean is really narrow when you see the state some people live in, let alone how they treat holiday lets … some people are disgusting. And it’s not a regular clean. And it has to be cleaned to hotel standard in every single room, to avoid complaints.