Airbnb host justifies leaving a to-do list and charging cleaning fees: Here's why

A neighbor complained to Auckland City Council after nearby Gray Lynn Airbnb was where she experienced rowdy parties and a constant stream of strangers. video / provided

Over the past year, travelers have noticed a worrying trend in vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts.

In 2022, the BnB to-do list has grown, with some guests noting that Airbnb's house rules list an increasing number of "to-do's" under the rental terms. In some cases, these greet guests upon arrival, curled up and waiting at the kitchen table.

This sparked a heated debate over whether hosts should charge guests a cleaning fee and ask them to clean up.

"$700 for two nights ≠ no chores! summed up TikToker @Melworeit. The traveler and her husband were shocked to see the long list of chores they had to complete while being billed for an extra night in resort fees.

"It's the beginning that really bothers me," she says.

Doing laundry, gardening, and mowing the lawn: Customers want to know why they're doing chores, but they're still being billed for cleaning. Photo / Kyle Clay, Unsplash

A $125 cleaning fee is ample enough, as guests have been asked to provide the services of a general factotum.

Some were on the more sensible end of the spectrum, like taking out the trash on the way out, others seem to abuse the goodwill of guests. Some guests said they were asked to do their hosts' laundry or even mow the lawn.

There is no limit to how long people search for a "five star" review.

Other travelers, particularly in the United States, have complained about what they termed the "triple whammy": housework, high cleaning fees, and an empty tip envelope.

The tip envelope is the "boldest" of the three, Reddit user Prittjam wrote on the Airbnb forum.

"Wait, I'm paying cleaning fees and doing chores on vacation before an early morning flight, and should I tip the cleaners as well?" Where is this money really going?

$700 for two nights ≠ no chores: Guests defer long and unusual chores from Airbnb hosts. Photo/TikTok, Melworeit

Airbnb hosts agree that there is a big misconception about how fees work and where the money goes. Housekeeping of a boarding house is not as easy as you might expect.

Hosts say the resort fee in particular is viewed with suspicion by guests.

The right kind of guests

Airbnb host Michelle Burson says it's perfectly understandable to charge cleaning fees and expect guests to help with chores.

Guests turned down the $480 service fee at the end of the stay, he told Insider magazine, but that was simply the cost of having the 4,000-square-foot Oregon mansion professionally cleaned. However, most were happy to pay a higher nightly rate in advance.

"We've had people tell us they're interested, but they wanted us to do something about the cleaning fee, so we had to strike a balance between the two."

The report found an increase in fake hotel reviews while Airbnb was a competitor. Photo / Unsplash

Higher cleaning fees can make guests think they've already paid enough for cleaning and care less about the property, especially with larger groups.

"Increasing property prices and lower capacity have also produced a more respectful breed of guests."

Giving guests a few symbolic tasks ahead of time can help attract more desirable guests and smaller groups that just want to have fun. He still charges $240 per stay in cleaning fees.

"We ask our guests to complete two tasks before they leave," says Burson.

Having guests remove the sheets from the beds and take out the trash helps reduce cleaning costs and control clutter for cleaners.

Garbage disposal is a slightly bigger problem for the Oregon property, deep in bear country.

If guests don't take out the trash between rentals, there's a chance a large grizzly bear will pick it up before cleaning.

All rental properties have their own characteristics. The tasks of the guests reflect this.

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