Airbnb scraps check-out chores for guests under new rules

Airbnb guests will no longer have to strip beds, wash dishes or remove rubbish when checking out, under new rules to be introduced next month.

The short-term rental platform announced the changes on its website, which applies to reservations booked on or after November 20. The changes come amid complaints from some travellers about being charged cleaning fees — which can cost hundreds of dollars — while also being expected to complete a list of chores, before leaving a property. While cleaning fees would not be abolished completely, hosts could not require guests to perform tasks that took “significant time and effort or would normally be done by a cleaner”.

The changes apply to Airbnb reservations covered by the platform’s global policy, including bookings in Australia.

Hosts will still be able to set house rules, including check-in and check-out times, limits on the number of guests, smoking restrictions, pet rules and quiet hours. Airbnb said guests were still expected to leave properties in a reasonable condition and may be held responsible for damage or excessive cleaning caused by their stay.

The changes have sparked anger among hosts, with some warning the crackdown could drive up costs and push smaller operators off the platform. A host from South Carolina in the US said the changes failed to recognise that many hosts were opening their own homes to guests. Some accused Airbnb management of being “so out of touch with the people cleaning vacation rentals”, while others said they had “never been so upset by a policy change”.