Airbnb Finally Cracks Down On Hosts Treating Guests Like A Free Maid Service

Airbnb announced Tuesday it would crack down on hosts requiring paying guests to wash dishes, strip beds and complete other cleaning chores before checkout, ending a longstanding source of frustration for travelers.

The vacation rental giant’s new policy, which takes effect Nov. 20, will generally prohibit hosts from demanding tasks ordinarily performed by professional cleaners. The changes address complaints from travelers who have faced lengthy checkout instructions despite already paying cleaning fees on top of their nightly rates.

Under Airbnb’s updated policy, hosts generally cannot require guests to wash and put away dishes, remove bed sheets, start laundry or transport garbage off the property. They can still ask visitors to place dirty dishes in the sink, gather used towels and separate trash into designated bins.

Airbnb explained that asking guests to perform work typically handled by cleaning staff can diminish their experience and hurt property reviews.

The company will also require hosts to disclose their house rules and requests before a reservation is booked, preventing them from springing additional requirements on travelers through messages, signs inside properties or verbal instructions after booking.

Hosts will be able to select from seven standardized house rule categories, including smoking, pets, quiet hours, maximum overnight guests and locking up at checkout. Additional instructions must qualify as reasonable requests rather than mandatory house rules.

The changes follow years of complaints about Airbnb hosts treating paying customers more like unpaid housekeepers than vacationers.

In a September 2023 Reddit post that attracted thousands of upvotes, a self-described property owner and frequent Airbnb guest criticized fellow hosts for imposing excessive demands on customers.

“Our competition is hotels,” the user wrote, arguing that ordinary wear and tear should be considered part of operating a hospitality business.