We all have heard stories of Airbnb guests voicing their concerns due to outrageous demands from the host.

Remember when a group of Queensland residents complained that Airbnb hosts were attaching lockboxes to their private fences without their permission?

Well, here’s another wild Airbnb tale.

The popular rental service is under fire once again for some of its hosts’ outrageous demands.

A recent Reddit post has sparked heated debate around Airbnb cleaning fees and what guests should be expected to do before checking out.

The post, which quickly went viral last week, shared a shocking ‘checkout instruction’ list from an Airbnb host in San Antonio, Texas. The list demanded that guests strip all beds, wash and put away all dishes, deep clean the kitchen and bathrooms, and even offered cleaning tips like 'use a Swiffer on floors if needed'.

A viral Reddit post shared a shocking ‘checkout instruction’ list from an Airbnb host in Texas. Credit: r/fmbrandon / Reddit

The Airbnb guest who shared the post said they had paid a $150 cleaning fee, only to be given this intense list of chores on top of it. 'I’m surprised they didn’t want us to stick around to dry the towels and remake the beds,' they wrote.

The post highlighted what many Airbnb users claim is a growing issue–-unreasonable cleaning expectations on top of high cleaning fees.

Hosts can set their cleaning fees on Airbnb, which guests pay upfront when they book. This is supposed to cover the host’s costs for cleaning the property after guests leave.

However, some hosts still leave long lists of checkout tasks for guests to complete. As one Reddit commenter put it, 'The cheek of some Airbnb hosts to even try to do this'.

Comments poured in from others sharing their own frustrating experiences.

'Airbnb used to be cheaper than hotels, now with all the fees it’s just not worth it,' one user complained. Others advised the original poster to report the host to Airbnb for their unreasonable demands.

Airbnb also updated its policies in May to allow guests to give feedback on checkout instructions before booking a property. Guests can now avoid hosts who seem unreasonable about cleaning expectations.

Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb’s country manager for Australia and New Zealand, said that hosts with consistently poor ratings for checkout instructions will have their listings removed.

With these expensive cleaning fees, many guests feel they are being made to pay for intensive hotel-like cleaning that isn’t always justified.

So what’s the solution? Airbnb recommends hosts only ask guests to leave the property as they found it: basic tidying, emptying trash and checking they haven’t left anything behind. For deeper cleans, that’s what the cleaning fee is for.

Likewise, guests should at the very least tidy up after themselves. This includes washing dishes, removing food from the fridge and wiping up any spills or messes they made.

Key Takeaways

• An Airbnb host has been criticised for their extensive checkout instructions, which included tasks such as starting a load of washing and stripping beds.
• The guest, who shared the instructions online, noted they had paid a $150 cleaning fee yet were still expected to perform cleaning duties.
• Social media users slammed the requirements, with some saying the appeal of Airbnb has waned due to increased fees and expectations.
• Airbnb Australia criticised hosts who leave a list of chores for guests, and said they have updated processes to allow for feedback on checkout instructions.

When there are reasonable expectations on both sides, Airbnb hosts and guests can have great experiences.

But the cleaning fee may need a closer look for those who leave with an extensive checkout chore list.

Do you have a similar Airbnb experience? Share your story with us in the comments below!

 

[CMH]

If occupants leave the place dirty and some people cannot be bothered even to wash a dish or if they do, put away crockery and cutlery WET, what the!..... .., bins overflowing when there is a perfectly good garbage bin outside ready to be filled, spilt soft drinks left in fridge, dirt from one end of the house to the other, white towels used to wipe up floor spills, hair dye stained in the basin etc....need I go on.
This is when the cleaning charge should be CHARGED and rightly so.

If the host charges initially for a cleaning fee and the place is left clean by taking out the rubbish, sweeping the floor and washing/drying the dishes, then the cleaning fee should be REFUNDED.

 

[Rob44]

"Airbnb recommends hosts only ask guests to leave the property as they found it: basic tidying, emptying trash and checking they haven’t left anything behind. For deeper cleans, that’s what the cleaning fee is for.

Likewise, guests should at the very least tidy up after themselves. This includes washing dishes, removing food from the fridge and wiping up any spills or messes they made."

That's fine; no problem. However some guests couldn't give a damn about spilling stuff on the carpet, which if the stain is removable entails a professional carpet cleaner and if red wine can leave a permanent stain. Likewise the use of dirty shoes again requiring a carpet to be cleaned professionally. Most guests are responsible and some are not. Even using the bed as a table for takeaway meals brought in and again spilling food/gravy/sauces on a doona. Since Covid began we deep-clean thoroughly to try to protect future guests, and this takes a couple of hours, which at the rates charged makes a mockery of our hourly rates, and our cleaning charge, when washing sheets, towels, power bill etc etc are considered. Yes; leave the place as you found it; clean and tidy. That's ok. But................

 

[Gsr]

I much prefer to stay in a cabin, hotel or motel. If I am on holiday I don’t want to live by someone else’s rules and I certainly don’t want to spend the last day cleaning.

 

[Rob44]

I much prefer to stay in a cabin, hotel or motel. If I am on holiday I don’t want to live by someone else’s rules and I certainly don’t want to spend the last day cleaning.

It's a free world. Given that cabins/motels/hotels employ paid cleaners go clear up assorted messes that's why in most cases they charge the prices they do. If you don't like AIRBnB house rules you will normally have a choice of AIR BnB places wherever you stay and not all places have idiot rules.

 

[Simplelife]

We all have heard stories of Airbnb guests voicing their concerns due to outrageous demands from the host.

Remember when a group of Queensland residents complained that Airbnb hosts were attaching lockboxes to their private fences without their permission?

Well, here’s another wild Airbnb tale.

The popular rental service is under fire once again for some of its hosts’ outrageous demands.

A recent Reddit post has sparked heated debate around Airbnb cleaning fees and what guests should be expected to do before checking out.

The post, which quickly went viral last week, shared a shocking ‘checkout instruction’ list from an Airbnb host in San Antonio, Texas. The list demanded that guests strip all beds, wash and put away all dishes, deep clean the kitchen and bathrooms, and even offered cleaning tips like 'use a Swiffer on floors if needed'.

View attachment 32717

A viral Reddit post shared a shocking ‘checkout instruction’ list from an Airbnb host in Texas. Credit: r/fmbrandon / Reddit

The Airbnb guest who shared the post said they had paid a $150 cleaning fee, only to be given this intense list of chores on top of it. 'I’m surprised they didn’t want us to stick around to dry the towels and remake the beds,' they wrote.

The post highlighted what many Airbnb users claim is a growing issue–-unreasonable cleaning expectations on top of high cleaning fees.

Hosts can set their cleaning fees on Airbnb, which guests pay upfront when they book. This is supposed to cover the host’s costs for cleaning the property after guests leave.

However, some hosts still leave long lists of checkout tasks for guests to complete. As one Reddit commenter put it, 'The cheek of some Airbnb hosts to even try to do this'.

Comments poured in from others sharing their own frustrating experiences.

'Airbnb used to be cheaper than hotels, now with all the fees it’s just not worth it,' one user complained. Others advised the original poster to report the host to Airbnb for their unreasonable demands.

Airbnb also updated its policies in May to allow guests to give feedback on checkout instructions before booking a property. Guests can now avoid hosts who seem unreasonable about cleaning expectations.

Susan Wheeldon, Airbnb’s country manager for Australia and New Zealand, said that hosts with consistently poor ratings for checkout instructions will have their listings removed.

With these expensive cleaning fees, many guests feel they are being made to pay for intensive hotel-like cleaning that isn’t always justified.

So what’s the solution? Airbnb recommends hosts only ask guests to leave the property as they found it: basic tidying, emptying trash and checking they haven’t left anything behind. For deeper cleans, that’s what the cleaning fee is for.

Likewise, guests should at the very least tidy up after themselves. This includes washing dishes, removing food from the fridge and wiping up any spills or messes they made.

Key Takeaways

• An Airbnb host has been criticised for their extensive checkout instructions, which included tasks such as starting a load of washing and stripping beds.
• The guest, who shared the instructions online, noted they had paid a $150 cleaning fee yet were still expected to perform cleaning duties.
• Social media users slammed the requirements, with some saying the appeal of Airbnb has waned due to increased fees and expectations.
• Airbnb Australia criticised hosts who leave a list of chores for guests, and said they have updated processes to allow for feedback on checkout instructions.

When there are reasonable expectations on both sides, Airbnb hosts and guests can have great experiences.

But the cleaning fee may need a closer look for those who leave with an extensive checkout chore list.

Do you have a similar Airbnb experience? Share your story with us in the comments below!

I don’t see anywhere it says to deep clean the kitchen and bathroom? Maybe it’s just me but I think it’s fair to take your own rubbish and leave the place tidy and swept. The cleaner still has to wipe down everything and vacuum and mop all floors and do the bedding. It wouldn’t be a hardship for me to put a load of towels in as I left. Maybe I’m old fashioned. I don’t expect others to clean up my mess and I know that the cleaners still have quite a bit of work to do even when house is left tidy.

 

[Ceecee53]

What I dislike most about air bnb itself is the outrageous fees they charge to list the properties! Add more people and the fees increase! It should be a flat fee to have the listing on their site and nothing more. The computer does all the work once the listing is posted, so where do they get off charging their exorbitant fees?
We are also old fashioned when it comes to departing from a property - we also sweep, make sure all dishes are washed and put away, the fridge and freezer emptied and wiped out, and any rubbish put into the property wheelie bin. We place all the towels in the shower (as in hotels/motels) and fold the kitchen towels and leave them on the sink. Not too hard to do when you've just had a relaxing holiday.

 

[mylittletibbies]

Personally, I can't be bothered with them
Much rather stay at a motel.
I rang one once. On top of an exhorbitant cleaning fee, they wanted us to take our own sheets, doona and towels. Might as well have taken our own bed.

 

[GrannyJA!]

We often stay in Airbnb properties in NSW and Queensland, we have never yet been asked to pay a cleaning fee. Usually a politely worded "Leave it as you found it" is sufficient. Most things on that list you are highlighting are things you do as a common courtesy. Bleaching and whatever stiffening is are unreasonable. Maybe we just communicate better here in OZ.

 

[Rob44]

Personally, I can't be bothered with them
Much rather stay at a motel.
I rang one once. On top of an exhorbitant cleaning fee, they wanted us to take our own sheets, doona and towels. Might as well have taken our own bed.

Obviously you didn't try ours.

 

[mylittletibbies]

Obviously you didn't try ours.

Where is yours?