Airbnb is enacting new policies limiting the cleaning tasks hosts can require of guests, effective November 20. The changes prohibit requests for guests to strip beds, wash dishes, or take trash offsite, aiming to simplify house rules and prevent unreasonable demands. Airbnb stated that the previous rules were “confusing, onerous and hard to manage.” Hosts can still ask guests to perform simpler tasks, such as placing dishes in the sink.
The policy change has drawn strong criticism from some Airbnb hosts, who express concern about protecting their properties and investments. One host in the Airbnb forum stated, “As hosts, we have a responsibility to protect our investments, our homes…The problem is that Airbnb increasingly expects hosts to accept the risks while limiting our ability to protect ourselves.” Some hosts are reacting by reducing amenities in their rentals, while others are considering leaving the platform, with one user on Reddit comparing Airbnb to “an abusive partner.”
Airbnb is also banning hosts from imposing their own fines on guests and restricting the use of separate contracts, except where legally required. Hosts can choose from seven standard house rules and add reasonable requests. The new rules will be more prominently displayed on listings and in reservation reminders. Airbnb will flag policy violations and allow hosts to appeal. Attempts to circumvent the policy by listing cleaning tasks as “requests” will be blocked by the platform’s interface, as demonstrated by a host who shared a screenshot of a failed attempt to require dishwashing and trash removal.
Guests have long complained about high cleaning fees coupled with required chores, with one user noting, “The guest experience has become total ass.” Airbnb spokesperson Simon Letouze confirmed that reasonable requests, such as placing trash in bear-proof containers or short showers in drought-prone areas, are still permitted.
Our reading is that Airbnb is attempting to proactively manage potential negative guest experiences and standardize its platform, despite clear resistance from some hosts. The company acknowledges past ambiguity in its rules and is now imposing stricter limitations on host requests, seemingly prioritizing guest satisfaction over host flexibility. The host reactions, reducing amenities and considering leaving the platform, suggest a significant disruption to the existing power dynamic within the Airbnb ecosystem.
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