Wash the dishes, remove the sheets, take the garbage out of the house. For many Airbnb guests, checking out felt like a shift at work, perhaps after having already paid the cleaning fee. From November 20th things will change.
What can no longer be asked
The platform has published a new house rules policy, valid for bookings made from that date onwards. In general, hosts will not be able to expect tasks that require time and effort or that would be the responsibility of a cleaner, such as unmaking the bed, washing and putting away the dishes or taking the waste out of the property. It is still permissible to ask to leave the dishes in the sink or to collect used towels.
Also stop do-it-yourself fines and services advertised but then denied. Each rule must appear in the appropriate section of the announcement before booking, not after, with a message or sign hanging in the kitchen.
Exceptions and controls
ReasonableHowever, this does not apply in the same way everywhere. Airbnb promises to evaluate the context, given that it may make sense to limit showers where drought imposes water restrictions, or to ask to use animal-proof containers in areas frequented by bears. “House rules help guests understand what hosts expect, but our community has told us they are sometimes confusing, burdensome and difficult to manage,” the company told the BBC. Hosts who don’t comply risk a warning on their listing and less visibility in searches, with the possibility of appealing.
Not everyone applauded, and over 1,000 people signed a petition calling for the withdrawal of the new rules. Among the most critical owners there are those who fear that the work saved for guests will return through the back door, in the form of more expensive cleaning.
