Airbnb has introduced new rules banning hosts from requiring guests to complete checkout chores that involve significant effort or would normally be handled by a professional cleaner, including stripping bed linen, taking out rubbish and washing dishes.
The updated policy aims to make checkout expectations clearer and prevent guests from being burdened with cleaning duties before leaving a rental property. Under the new rules, hosts can no longer require tasks that take considerable time or effort, or that would typically form part of a cleaner’s work.
According to Airbnb’s updated community policy, hosts can still make reasonable requests. For example, guests may be asked to place used dishes in the sink, but they cannot be required to wash and put them away before checking out.
The change follows complaints from travellers about checkout instructions that add to the work guests must complete before leaving, even when they have already paid a cleaning fee.
In a statement to Euronews Travel, Airbnb said it had heard concerns from its community that house rules could be confusing, burdensome and difficult to manage. The company said it had redesigned the way these rules are presented to make them easier to find and understand, alongside a new policy intended to ensure guests face reasonable expectations without unexpected demands.
The update also changes how house rules are displayed across the platform. Guests can now find them on property listing pages, in the Trips tab and in reservation reminders, giving them more opportunities to review a host’s expectations before and during their stay.
Airbnb has introduced seven standard house-rule categories that hosts can use to communicate important requirements. These cover check-in and checkout times, the number of approved guests, smoking, pet approval, designated quiet hours, and commercial filming and photography.
Hosts can also add other reasonable requests and update them when necessary. However, Airbnb will flag requests that do not comply with its new policy. Hosts will then need to remove the offending instructions or appeal the decision.
The rules also clarify the limits of cleaning fees. Airbnb says these fees should cover a standard cleaning between guest stays, rather than transfer substantial cleaning responsibilities to departing travellers. Hosts are not permitted to charge guests for failing to complete checkout tasks listed in their instructions.
For travellers, the changes could mean fewer last-minute demands before leaving a holiday rental. Guests may still need to follow basic instructions, such as placing used dishes in the sink, but they should not be expected to carry out extensive cleaning duties that would ordinarily be handled between reservations.
The policy places greater responsibility on hosts to distinguish between reasonable checkout requests and work that belongs to the property’s cleaning routine. Guests should review the house rules for their booking and contact Airbnb if they encounter requirements that appear to conflict with the updated policy.
The change addresses a familiar point of tension in short-term rentals: guests paying a cleaning fee while also being asked to complete a list of chores before departure. Under Airbnb’s revised rules, those expectations must now remain within the limits set by the platform.
