Airbnb hosts are expressing strong opposition to a new policy that prevents them from requiring guests to complete tasks typically handled by a cleaner, such as stripping beds, taking trash off the property, or washing and putting away dishes.
The policy applies to all bookings made on or after November 20. Its rollout prompted widespread backlash after Airbnb notified hosts by email on Wednesday. Many took to online forums, arguing that the change would leave them with less control over protecting their properties and investments.
“As hosts, we have a responsibility to protect our investments, our homes, and, in many cases, our personal living spaces,” one person wrote in Airbnb’s official forum for hosts. “The problem is that Airbnb increasingly expects hosts to accept the risks while limiting our ability to protect ourselves.”
“Airbnb is like an abusive partner,” wrote one user in the Reddit community r/airbnb_hosts. “I’m alive long enough to recognize how truthful those few words are,” another person replied. “Until and unless I see substantive changes, I’m finally out.”
Another self-described host said that, going forward, the kitchens in their rentals would be “stripped down to only bare essentials.”
Many guests, meanwhile, have welcomed the change. For years, travelers have complained about paying substantial cleaning fees for Airbnb reservations only to be required to complete a list of chores before checking out.
“The guest experience has become total ass,” one person said in a subreddit for Airbnb hosts. “Clean dishes and run in the dishwasher. Strip the beds, put all linen in the laundry room. Take out all garbage, put in garbage can, take to the curb. Honestly, knock it off.”
Airbnb said in its Wednesday announcement that hosts cannot bypass the policy by listing cleaning tasks in the “Requests” section of their listings. Airbnb spokesperson Simon Letouze told WIRED that hosts may still make “reasonable” requests, such as asking guests to place dirty dishes in the sink. Other examples cited by Airbnb include asking guests to take shorter showers in areas with drought-related water restrictions or telling them to place trash in bear-proof containers.
In a Facebook group for Airbnb hosts, one person posted what they claimed was a screenshot of a failed attempt to edit a property’s “Requests” section. They had tried to ask guests to wash and air-dry dishes, put dirty towels in the laundry room, and take trash to a dumpster at an RV park they located using a map on the refrigerator. However, they were unable to save the changes. Airbnb’s interface highlighted the requests in red and displayed a pop-up that read, “Guests shouldn’t be asked to do this task.”