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.

Non domestic rates. That’s what triggers commercial waste collections (otherwise you’re paying council tax which is more expensive - sometimes double - hence council bin collections) certainly here in Scotland.

You should have reported them to the council. There is a £1000 fine for not having commercial waste collection.

Many air bnbs are not a budget option, and are marketed as quite luxurious, so it feels like nickel and diming to have a list of chores. But I think there’s also a market for people who would rather do for themselves (and pay less on cleaning). So I can see that one fair approach would just to be really clear on the listings how much effort is needed.

On the other hand I can see how a blanket approach is helpful so people know what go expect and don’t get an unwelcome surprise when they arrive and find a booklet full of rules about ensuring the dishwasher is emptied, floors swept etc. It also prevents problems when people just leave without checking what they’re supposed to do (I know people like this; they would do the washing up, tidy and wipe surfaces but it wouldn’t even occur to them to check if more is needed… I’m always the nerd checking the rules!), and the cleaners get a surprise. Also handier for price comparison if everyone is working to the same expectations. Owners will have to put their prices up and hire an extra cleaner, or put a longer break between bookings.

I’m very relieved that I don’t have to host some of the entitled mingers on this thread who think a sink full of filthy plates in a self catering property is cool. My guests are generally amazing and also have an amazing time. In 12 years I can count on one hand the number of guests who’ve left dirty dishes - seems most of them are on here 🤦🏼‍♀️.

also the argument about “wrong business” and “comes with the territory” are totally reductive. When did we lose the capacity for nuance and critical thinking? Yes most people get into holiday letting as a business - historically women who need flexible working arrangements around childcare sadly. Does that mean that they automatically have to suck up shit guests? Like I say - no bed stripping/hoovering etc required here but taking a bin bag to a wheelie bin and washing your dishes really isn’t as onerous as the black and white thinkers are making it seem.

Any holiday let should pay for commercial bin collection, even if on council tax. Even if they're paying double council tax. As soon as they are charging money it becomes a commercial premises.

Honestly I think it's a good thing and should stop the lazy air bnb owners who don't clean properties in between and simply leave it to the previous guest.

I've turned up more then one occasion to have to clean (always contacted the host and left it in reviews).

I will probably still strip the beds and take the rubbish out and will always put into the dishwasher and turn on. We stayed in one air bnb where they stated to take rubbish home (it was not a remote location!) We didn't we put it in their outside bin and they left us a bad review!

I avoid AirBnB for several reasons, but I do use other holiday rental companies on occasion. I would never leave dirty dishes out if I had the means to wash them. Also happy to gather our used towels and chuck them in the bath or whatever. I do resent stripping beds and taking out the rubbish, though, especially if there’s a ‘cleaning fee’. We’re just not the type to leave a place like a midden, though. We’ll get the hoover out on leaving day if we feel it’s warranted. That said, I don’t feel it’s my job to get the place ‘next guest ready’.

OP, the property you work for is just going to have to use their cleaning fee on more cleaners. I think shifting the average check-in time as late as 5pm will get pushback from customers who, after all, have plenty of choice these days. There’s no way any property should take one cleaner more than three or four hours to clean, though. What on earth are people doing to these places?

This always baffled me since I’m paying a cleaning fee on top of the cost of the property.

The fact that guests are charged a huge cleaning fee but expected to still do all the chores too was already ridiculous. Hotels you don't have to do this and in a lot of cases it works out cheaper.

It's the hosts responsibility to lay for 2 cleaners to get it done. In your case, push back and say it will take 2 cleaners to get the work done now.

@theresnolimits agree entirely.

Or, alternatively, have a professional holiday rental company run the lettings process. The legal/logistical hybrid hinterland that Airbnb operates in really is most unsatisfactory - every different country and even region has different legislation and requirements, waste collection being only one small aspect. They will argue of course that they are merely a listing site and that the contract is between the owner and renter but it's a huge global enterprise that ducks oversight and accountability.

Yes we’ve had the ‘take your rubbish home’ thing in more than one place. Not bloody likely!

Are you paying for commercial waste services? Or relying on the council run domestic service?

I've always done it when asked at an Air bnb but have sometimes resented it. My last stay was sharing with a friend. It cost us over £300 each for four nights and we had to strip the beds, put the rubbish out, wash up etc. That seemed like a liberty. If I'm in a hotel, I don't strip the beds. I used to be a chambermaid and it didn't bother me whether the beds were stripped or not.

I’m in Scotland where we have a licensing system in my local authority so maybe different from yours? I am compliant.

Cool.

What's your opinion on tight dodgy mingers who dump commercial waste in domestic bins and in the process rip off their local councils?

The bins thing - that's a business problem for you to solve. If you can't solve it, don't be in business.

No, I am saying that Wetherspoons and Travelodge supply a hospitality package that comes with a set of understandings. My understanding in hiring a holiday let with a ‘cleaning fee’ is that I will not be expected to do any cleaning. Just as those other establishments cost in waiting staff, cleaning staff, cooking staff and charge accordingly, I expect the AirBnb owner to cost in wear and tear, advertising and cleaning and that I will get a complete service for the fee I pay.

I do wash up/wipe surfaces as I go along because I don’t like mess but I do feel it’s unreasonable to have to do any more than I want to and unacceptable to be called ‘disgusting’ or ‘disrespectful’ as if I was somehow in the wrong.

I've been an Airbnb host for 8 years. I host guests in my home. I have never asked / required guests to strip beds or put rubbish in the outside bins. DH & I do the cleaning ourselves. To give us sufficient time I leave 1 night free in between bookings. There's a flag on the Airbnb website where you can select "leave 24 hrs between bookings", and I have this checked for all my listings. Yes, it means I am missing out on some nights' rental, but it means I know I have enough time between bookings to do all the cleaning.

I think that for off-site hosts who are trying to do a changeover within 1 day, it will mean they either have to make guests checkout earlier, or will have to hire additional cleaners to get the changeover done in time. They will then have to increase the cleaning fee. So what looks like a win for guests will actually cost guests more.

I would personally do it. But people forget or are busy. We have previously forgotten to pull our wheelie bins out at home.

I have a business. Completely different to the one you run. But a significant amount of my time is solving problems and finding solutions for customers, some of which is their own doing. I would never call them lazy. Its my job, I get paid well to do it.

Then I guess guests will have to be ok with hosts entering the property during their stay, with or without them there, to collect all of the rubbish on collection day if people can't bothered to put a bin bag outside the front door.

I always read the reviews before booking and have never experienced any of this.

As far as possible I try to leave accommodation as I found it whether I am staying in an Airbnb or a Premier Inn. I don't understand why you wouldn't do the washing up.

Beyond that, expecting the strangers to do proper cleaning seems like a bad idea.

I think that air b n b owners will have to suck it up to be honest. People pay a huge amount of money to stay in these. We’ve done in twice first one was excellent second was awful but for the money we could often stay in a hotel!

If every 3 weeks isn't enough, then you can pay a commercial waste carrier to remove rubbish weekly

I've been using Airbnb since it was first available in the UK (just had my 15 year 'treat')
Never once been asked to strip beds, I've always washed up, or filled and ran the dishwasher, always cleared up & hoovered everything else and emptied the bin
If there's a washing machine, I always put the towels, tea towels etc. in that
I can see the point of saying "there's a cleaning fee, you can't expect guests to clean up" but if this changes how long it takes you to prep for the next guest, increase the cleaning fee and have two people there
Most airbnbs are not three-bed houses, so don't take five hours
(And incidentally, my own five-bed house takes two cleaners two hours to clean, so you must be extremely diligent)

Also bear in mind that in my particular case, my house is in rural South of France. The bins get collected twice a week by the same guys who have been doing it for 30 years. There isn't anywhere to take it if guests forget. It will sit there until the next collection day.