Airbnb’s new checkout rules divide hosts and guests over cleaning duties

Airbnb’s new checkout rules, which apply to bookings made from 20 November, bar hosts from requiring guests to do cleaning jobs such as washing dishes, stripping beds or taking rubbish off site. The change has divided hosts and guests over who should shoulder the work and its cost.

The policy allows hosts to set seven standard house rules and make other requests they consider reasonable. Guests may still be asked to put used dishes in the sink, gather towels or sort rubbish into designated bins, but not to prepare a property for the next visitors.

Some guests say the rules are a welcome response to long chore lists and cleaning fees. Jessica Newhook told the BBC that, during a family stay in Florida, her group was asked to wash and fold towels, clean bedding and the kitchen, and sweep and mop floors, despite paying a $250 (£187) cleaning fee. “It is getting to the point where a hotel is cheaper and I know what to expect,” she said.

Krissi Foskett, who runs a cleaning company and also stays in holiday lets, said she had paid a £35 cleaning fee and still been asked to strip beds, put on a wash and take rubbish to a recycling area. She said there was a difference between being considerate and being expected to prepare a property for the next guests.

Hosts say the changes could leave them facing more work or higher cleaning costs, particularly when bookings are close together. Lisa Clewes, who runs a three-bedroom holiday let in Wales, said cleaners typically take four hours to turn it around. She fears extra mess could mean hiring more cleaners, with the added cost potentially passed on to guests.

Anthony Marsh, who co-owns a cabin retreat in North Yorkshire, said he had reduced the number of properties listed on Airbnb from five to two because of the new rules. He worries that a small cleaning team and tight turnaround times could leave cabins unready for incoming guests. His business does not charge a cleaning fee.

Other hosts expect little to change. Matt Porsz, who manages Airbnb properties, said guests at his south-west London home are only asked to lock up and return the keys. He believes Airbnb’s mutual review system encourages hosts and guests to behave reasonably.

The policy follows earlier changes setting limits on checkout chores, including requests to strip beds and wash dishes. Airbnb’s updated rules also allow some exceptions, such as requests linked to local water restrictions. The dispute now centres on how much tidying is a reasonable courtesy—and how much amounts to unpaid cleaning work.