Airbnb to bar hosts from requiring guests to strip beds and wash dishes

Airbnb says hosts will no longer be able to ask guests to do chores normally handled by a cleaner, such as stripping beds or washing and putting away dishes, under updated rules taking effect for bookings made from 20 November.

Guests pay a cleaning fee, and the company says requests should not involve significant effort or time. Other examples of tasks hosts generally cannot require include taking rubbish off-site. Hosts may still set seven standard house rules and add other requests they consider reasonable.

Airbnb told the BBC it had heard that house rules could be confusing, onerous and hard to manage. It said the new policy was designed to make them clearer and avoid surprises. Property rules will be shown more prominently and included in reservation reminders.

The rules allow exceptions in some circumstances. Airbnb says, for example, a host may ask guests to limit shower time during local drought-related water restrictions. Contracts will be permitted only in limited cases, including where required by law or homeowners’ association rules.

Hosts will not be able to impose fines. Airbnb says it can flag requests that breach its policy, while owners who disagree can appeal. The company says hosts will retain control of their house rules and requests.