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.

Many thanks for this..someone just said it wouldn't take anywhere near like 5 hours as they do thier home in this time but it's a deep clean each time..plus making beds and trying to erase all trace of anyone having been there previously. The amount of guests that have the need to smear finger prints over all the windows is insane! We also allow dogs so that can greatly increase time needed.
This property doesn't charge a separate cleaning fee but the cost is still built in. We've had guests asking for linen to be left out and no cleaning done if they paid a reduced rate as no cleaner needed after previous check out. They don't get that I don't just make beds and have a 5 minute wipe and vacuum.
We have been very lucky with the guests on a whole but you always get the odd one that turns the whole place upside down

Absolutely this. I'm happy to do the basics but I'm not driving around to find somewhere to dump the rubbish or start hoovering.

We stayed in one place that had laminated signs everywhere but with a passive-aggressive teddy bear cartoon on all of them - "Bobby says please don't forget to use the toilet brush!", "Bobby says please don't take the batteries out of the remote control", "Bobby says have a good night's sleep, but don't forget that check-out is 10am and you'll be charged if you stay later". There must have been 50x 'Bobby says...' signs around the bloody place.

do remember that a cleaner might have multiple properties to clean especially on a traditional turn over day like Saturday

so the 6 hour window might mean they have 3 houses to clean and get to . Hotels are a doddle in comparison as the time taken to clean one room is far less than a whole house

having a dedicated cleaner to each house is impossible and would also mean a cut in pay for the self employed cleaner.

just being a decent person and tidying up after yourself is the right thing

I think most people are reasonable , owners and guests. I have used Air B’N’B a lot . I like the extra space and the privacy with DC .

I accept that this means I have more work to do than eg staying in a hotel on departing . I am willing to accept this and will do my upmost to leave the property tidy , putting out rubbish etc . I have stayed overseas but not had an issue with over zealous owners with lots of rules etc , but am aware that others have .

I don’t like stripping beds and won’t do this unless specifically asked . With older children getting them out of bed is an issue - so I don’t want to strip beds too .

I am also fully aware that some guests will leave the properties in an awful state and I do feel for the owners / cleaners in those situations .

I really don’t want to check out any earlier . 10 am is already a push . So do think going forward , cleaning costs will increase , increasing the prices overall .

You giving everything a wipe down is a waste of time tbh as the cleaner will have to do this anyway. You stripping the beds is actually a huge help as it saves us having to do it. If every guest did thier own bed it would take everyone a couple of minutes but it might take a cleaner much longer to do every bed. Obviously it's different if it's children but we often have the whole house booked out with adults only.

If a sign says, ‘don’t flush anything down the loo’ it’s usually because the property is not on mains drainage (common in the countryside) and any blockages can clog the entire system.

I always wash up and put the dishes away, always put rubbish in outside bin.

have never stripped beds

I agree with you. You have to check out pretty early and have to get up earlier to strip beds. As you say, you’re all sweaty then.

it's not a hotel ..its self catering

It's just like a hotel in that it's a business deal.
When you book it you're not thinking of the cleaner's time schedule. You kind of assume the owner factors that in. Especially when you have to be up and out by 10am and you have a list of requirements.

I always left airbnb's clean and tidy.
I didn't always find them clean and tidy.

Limescale and mould in bathrooms.
Dirty/barely swilled cutlery crockery in cupboards.
Stained old furniture with a HomeBargains many times washed throw over them.
Stained carpets.
A fridge barely wiped out.
Mirrors that looked like they'd been cleaned with a dirty floor cloth.
Crumby, grubby kitchen drawers.
Somebody else's old Mellow Birds coffee and powdered milk in the cupboard.
Somebody else's half used Head & Shoulders in the bathroom.
Broken toilet seats that pinch your arse.
Bird shit splattered windows.
Filthy, stinking bins outside.
Broken old pedal bin inside.
Musty wardrobes.
One stained tea towel to last a week.
Cheap, stiff, thin duvets that smell of meat.
Chipped, mismatched cutlery.

I'm not making any of this up.

The standard of airbnb has gone down, the price has gone up.

I had to strip six beds? I? Not we? Who were you with?
Personally I've never agreed with stripping beds. I don't mind putting the rubbish out and washing up. I leave as I find

I've never stayed anywhere like that
What did the reviews say?

Thank you! I don't do multiple properties as I have done this one for 3 or 4 years so it helps as I know the property well and also clean the owners house. She's had a nightmare in the past getting cleaners ..using solo cleaners or agencies. The previous solo cleaner was leaving her car there and going to a local cafe for lunch. She kept wondering how the car was there for so long and yet nothing was cleaned. Then using agencies it would be someone different each time and they would be in a rush to get on to the next job.
It really helps myself when guests are decent and leave the property tidy as it means I can concentrate on the actual cleaning.
People don't want earlier check outs of later check ins, they want the whole place to be immaculate without lifting a finger for a week.
Even if you're in your own home it would need a really good clean if ten people and 2 dogs where milling about for a week without anything being done

Why does it take a guest "a minute" to strip a bed but it's a massive task for you to strip five?

If it takes you "an hour" to strip five beds, sort rubbish, and load a dishwasher, then you aren't as efficient as you think.

Generally polite.

It was mains..they were just very particular about everything. There were signs up everywhere..I couldn't believe it the first time I went as it was so odd putting. It was thier pervious home and they had left it as was when they moved out to rent it so everything has to be done just so. I hated the job but they paid very well and I still do thier home.

The whole clean up charge and instructions are the reason we don't use AirB&B.
We always leave places clean and tidy. Dishes done and bathrooms clean.

No comments on cleanliness?
It's what I generally look for

It's 8 beds over 2 floors. I'm saying in general it would take each person a minute or two to do thier own bed compared to me spending 15 minutes doing 8 beds before I've even started ..that's 15 minutes less of actually cleaning being done

@rookiemere good point, I should look at aparthotels for next summer when we need to book a short city stay. I was thinking air BnB but actually I’d prefer the upfront clarity for a similar proposition. Thanks for the suggestion!

I don't think it will make much difference. Most people will still leave a holiday let in a reasonable state. I don't clean up after myself because of the rules. I do it because I'm not an absolute tramp. I don't agree with stripping the beds anyway. If i have time then yes but 10am checkout after making breakfast, cleaning up, showering, packing etc is an absolute pain.

We tend to stay in hotels now. Airbnbs are generally more expensive and a complete pain with the check in and out times. And often, even though you pay a cleaning fee, they aren't very clean. I've had better experiences at premier inns for a fraction of the cost including breakfast.

I'm a cleaner and I'm worried this will mean I can no longer do changeovers properly.

OP, can't you just tell the property owner that due to the changes it's now a 6 hour job so they need to pay you accordingly? The cottages I've been to have had a 10am check out time and 4pm check in time. Or do you need to fit in another property clean on that day?

I remember when check in times were 2pm and check out was 11am!

Of course it would take more time if the place isn’t basically clean and tidy

which will either reduce profits or increase prices, possibly reduce the time the accommodation is available for

I think people are generally nervous about criticising cleanliness (or anything else) for fear of a bad review/retaliation from the AirBNB host.

When I've criticised cleanliness the AirBNB host has come back to me in a pretty aggressive way with a load of lies about just having a deep clean or some such.

Also, it's fair to say that not everyone has the same standards of cleanliness or actually eats/cooks in the accommodation. I cooked whilst I stayed in them so used the kitchen things.

I don't really understand-we stay in holiday rentals and I would never leave without the dishes being washed and put away, towels collected and beds stripped if requested. Rubbish always taken to the outside bins. I honestly thought that was normal?
I don't use AirBnB but mostly by chance, not design.