Starting from the end of next month, guests staying in an Airbnb will encounter reduced responsibilities during checkout. Airbnb has revised its guidelines to limit the cleaning tasks hosts can assign to guests before departure. Effective for bookings on or after November 20, the new regulations aim to make the process more streamlined.
The updated policy emphasizes that hosts should use discretion in their requests. Guests will no longer be required to perform tasks that are labor-intensive, time-consuming, or typically handled by professional cleaners. Duties such as changing bed linens, disposing of trash off-site, or washing dishes are now off the guest checklist. The cleaning fee charged by Airbnb should only cover basic cleaning between stays, and hosts cannot demand additional fees if guests do not complete the assigned cleaning tasks.
The evolution of Airbnb’s cleaning protocols comes amid longstanding debates within the hosting community. Hosts have recounted instances of guests leaving untidy spaces, while social media platforms like Reddit and TikTok have been platforms for both hosts and guests to voice their grievances. Makarand Mody, an associate professor at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, highlighted the discrepancy between cleaning fees and guests being asked to perform cleaning tasks, which deviates from the typical hotel experience.
In addition to cleaning guidelines, hosts are now prohibited from restricting the use of advertised amenities or imposing fines on guests, with Airbnb’s AirCover safeguarding hosts against property damage. All house rules and requests must be transparently displayed in the listing at the time of booking, with no post-booking additions permitted. While hosts can introduce reasonable requests that align with their property’s uniqueness, Airbnb will evaluate the appropriateness of such requests based on various factors.
Mody expressed curiosity about how hosts will adapt to these changes and how Airbnb will enforce the new policies. The open-ended definition of “reasonable” suggests that Airbnb aims to provide flexibility to hosts while maintaining a balance between host and guest satisfaction. The company seeks to ensure hosts continue to have a positive hosting experience, retain their listings on Airbnb, and feel empowered in managing their properties.