No More Washing Dishes, Stripping Beds: Airbnb Limits Hosts' Checkout Demands From Nov 20

Airbnb guests will no longer have to worry about lengthy checkout chores, such as stripping beds, washing dishes or taking rubbish off-site, under new rules announced by the short-term rental platform.

The changes, which apply to reservations made from November 20, aim to make stays more predictable and prevent hosts from placing unreasonable demands on guests, particularly those already paying cleaning fees.

“Remember to think like a guest and keep in mind what you’d find unreasonable,” Airbnb tells hosts in a video announcing the new policy.

Under the new policy, hosts cannot generally ask guests to complete tasks that take significant time or effort, or are usually handled by professional cleaners.

Reasonable Requests Still Allowed

Guests may still be asked to leave dirty dishes

in the sink, gather used towels, separate rubbish and recycling, and follow basic checkout instructions.

Exceptions may apply in certain circumstances. For example, hosts in areas where bears are common may ask guests to place rubbish in animal-proof containers.

Airbnb has urged hosts to consider the guest’s perspective when setting checkout expectations, asking them to avoid requests they would find unreasonable themselves.

The changes address a long-standing source of frustration for travellers, who have complained about being asked to carry out cleaning tasks despite paying additional fees for the service.

House Rules Must Be Disclosed

The new policy also requires hosts to disclose all house rules and checkout requests in a designated section of their listings before guests make a booking. They cannot introduce extra requirements later through private messages, signs inside the property or other sections of the listing.

Airbnb is also standardising house rules into seven categories, covering matters such as quiet hours, pets, smoking, overnight visitors and securing the property at checkout.

Hosts will no longer be able to impose fines or penalties on guests. Instead, they must seek compensation for damage through Airbnb’s insurance arrangements.

The move builds on the company’s wider effort to make rental bookings more transparent. In 2023, chief executive Brian Chesky acknowledged that guests could face uncertainty about what to expect after arriving at a property.

(With inputs from agencies)