Airbnb has introduced new house rules prohibiting hosts from requiring guests to perform significant cleaning duties upon checkout. Starting this November, guests will no longer be expected to handle chores such as washing and putting away dishes, stripping beds, or taking rubbish off-site.
The policy shift aims to improve the overall guest experience, yet it has created a clear divide between hosts and travelers.
Supporters of the change, like Jessica Newhook, argue that the move is long overdue.
Newhook recounted a frustrating experience during a Florida family reunion for 11 guests where, despite paying a $250 cleaning fee, they were ordered to leave the property “move-in ready. According to she booked an Airbnb in Florida for a family reunion of 11 guests and, They had to “leave the property move-in ready for the cleaners”, despite paying a $250 (£187) cleaning fee. She paid a £35 cleaning fee but was still asked to strip the beds, put on a wash, empty bins and carry rubbish down a long track to a recycling area, during a recent stay in Stafford.
She noted that the host demanded they wash and fold towels, clean bedding, and scrub floors, warning them that failure to comply with these rules could result in eviction.
For many like Newhook, such demands have made staying in hotels a more attractive, predictable, and cost-effective alternative.
Conversely, many property owners view the new policy as a disregard for professional standards and basic courtesy. Lisa Clewes, who operates a holiday let in Wales, expressed concern that the rules will lead to property damage. She recently returned to her home to find it left in a “complete mess,” including broken glassware, cans strewn on the floor, pans of food left out, and fish guts in the garden. Clewes, who charges a cleaning fee covering roughly 75% of her actual costs, fears that if guests stop assisting with basic cleanup, she will be forced to hire additional cleaning help and pass those expenses on to future customers. According to had I had another booking the same day, I would have had to cancel or delay check-in,”, Clewes. According to clewes, It typically takes cleaners four hours to turn around her property and fears that guests leaving more mess could mean increasing costs. But it did make me question what exactly I was paying the additional cleaning fee for,” she says, i don’t particularly mind doing those things.
Krissi Foskett, who runs a professional cleaning company in Glasgow, offers a nuanced perspective. Krissi Foskett, 46, from Glasgow, runs a national cleaning company and regularly stays in Airbnb properties so “can see the issue from both sides”.
Having stayed in many Airbnbs, she distinguishes between being a considerate guest—such as putting dishes in a dishwasher—and being expected to prepare a unit for the next occupant. While she sympathizes with owners facing rising costs, she maintains that professional cleaning is a standard operational expense. However, she has also seen the darker side of the industry, where crews arrive to find vomit, pet waste, or destroyed furniture, reinforcing fears that some guests might treat the new rules as an invitation to leave properties in disarray.
This sentiment is shared by Anthony Marsh, a co-owner of 12 cabins in North Yorkshire. Following the policy update, Marsh decided to slash the number of his properties listed on Airbnb from five to two. He argues that asking guests to handle simple tasks like emptying bins is common sense. Because his business does not charge an extra cleaning fee, he relies on guest cooperation to ensure properties are ready for quick turnarounds. He warned that the policy effectively gives guests “permission to come and leave properties a tip.”
Data indicates that about 63.2% of Airbnb listings currently charge a cleaning fee, with the average cost sitting at £55. Laura Lewis, who manages a marketing directory for holiday-let owners, suggests that many of her clients see the demand for basic cleanup as a matter of “basic respect.” She reports that frustrations over these changes, coupled with previous increases in commission rates, have pushed many owners to develop their own websites and social media channels to secure direct bookings, bypassing the platform entirely. Lewis herself plans to remove her three farm treehouses from the site. She had met the group in person and helped with their luggage, just days earlier. The announcement has added to growing frustration among owners following increases in Airbnb’s commission rates last year.
Despite the backlash, some in the industry remain optimistic. Matt Prosz, who manages properties in south-west London and leads a community of about 3,000 hosts, believes the changes will not negatively impact his business. He notes that he already asks his guests only to lock up and return keys. Prosz argues that the platform’s mutual review system remains the best tool for maintaining standards. “If I put a big chore list, I wouldn’t expect a five-star review and vice versa,” he explained, adding that Airbnb is simply trying to eliminate “the silly stuff” that detracts from a quality stay. It is getting to the point where a hotel is cheaper and I know what to expect.
