- Some Airbnb hosts charge cleaning fees and ask guests to complete a to-do list.
- Frustrated travelers say they’ve been asked to mow the lawn, take out the trash and wash the sheets.
- Trend is causing some people to ditch short-term rentals for hotels, WSJ reported Friday.
Some Airbnb hosts require guests to complete lengthy to-do lists in addition to paying cleaning fees of up to $375, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Frustrated travelers have responded on social media, with some saying they’ve been asked to take out the trash, wash the sheets and even mow the lawn during their stay.
A TikToker @Melworeit said in a viral video who decided not to book on Airbnb because it charged a $125 cleaning fee and required guests to take out the trash, remove the bedding, use the dishwasher and do the laundry.
The post racked up 66,000 views and nearly 5,000 comments, many of whom shared similar encounters with Airbnb to-do lists.
“If I’m paying $229 a night to stay somewhere plus $125 for cleaning, I’m not doing laundry,” the TikToker said. “I know it’s like a load of laundry and it’ll take me two minutes to do it, but it’s the beginning that really bothers me.”
Another Airbnb guest took to Reddit in July to ask if it was “normal for a host to tell a guest to mow the lawn himself.”
“Seems like an odd response given the premium you pay to stay here (at least to me), but if that’s standard I’ll take it,” the user said. wrote. “I just don’t want to be penalized/charged/poorly reviewed for ‘neglecting’ the turf if I don’t.”
An Airbnb spokesperson told Insider that while hosts choose their own cleaning fees, the company has provided recommendations to keep the amount reasonable and suggests that hosts consider charging no cleaning fees at all. According to the company, 45% of global Airbnb listings don’t charge a cleaning fee, and for those that do, the fee on average is less than 10% of the total booking cost.
“Would you like guests to load dirty dishes in the dishwasher or remove linens before checking out? If so, consider charging a minimal cleaning fee, or no fee at all,” Airbnb said. host resource page on cleaning fees it says. “With a higher rate, guests can expect to simply walk away from their space at checkout like they would a hotel room.”
Kimanzi Constable, a Full-time digital nomad who has stayed in over 100 Airbnbstold Insider that some hosts have asked her to complete tasks without providing basic cleaning and laundry supplies.
“Airbnb hosts have asked me to do things like take out the trash at checkout, do the dishes, clean up, and other things to help the host, even though I pay a cleaning fee, which can be high these days.” “. I am more than happy to contribute, if I have the necessary supplies,” Constable wrote. “Hosts must provide all necessary items or waive the cleaning fee altogether.”
