‘I’m not doing chores on vacation!’ Airbnb row over cleaning fees divides the internet
A spat over Airbnb’s cleaning fees has divided the internet as guests lashed out at demanding hosts who insisted they complete a list of chores while on vacation.
Travelers using the short-term rental app took to TikTok to ask about the cost — often more than $100 — if they’re expected to clean the homes themselves before checking out.
It comes after it was revealed that Airbnb’s cleaning costs have increased by an average of 28 percent due to tightened hygiene protocols since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hosts have been known to ask their clients to complete an exhausting array of chores during their stay, including doing the laundry, taking out the trash, and mowing the lawn.
But now they are striking back by shaming their messiest customers who leave broken dishes under the sinks and piles of dirty laundry on the floor after their stay.
In a TikTok, user Mercedes Sanchez asked “what are the cleaning fees for anyway?” as she complained that hosts let her do laundry after her stay
Airbnb has come under fire before for its outrageous “hidden” fees that are often tacked onto the advertised price – right before the guest is about to pay.
In a TikTok, user Mercedes Sanchez shared a video of them changing the sheets themselves, alongside a voiceover that says, “The worst thing about checking out at some Airbnbs is when the host asks you to pull out all the beds and change the towels.” to put in the laundry basket.
“So girl, it’s 5am and I’m late for the airport. Will I get a part of these cleaning costs back?’
Sanchez – who also hosts some Airbnb properties himself – captioned the post “What are the cleaning fees actually for?”
Last year, Melissa Muzycka similarly went viral after publicly taunting an Airbnb host who charged a $125 cleaning fee while also asking guests to take out the trash, remove bedding, run the dishwasher, and do the laundry. to do.
She said at the time, “Where do Airbnb owners get the guts?”
She added, “Maybe this is a right or a privilege to talk, but if I’m paying $229 a night to stay somewhere plus a $125 cleaning fee, I’m not doing a damn laundry.”
Since then, guests have jumped on the trend, with some claiming they’ve been asked to mow the lawn or even feed farm animals.
Now landlords and Airbnb cleaners are also weighing in on the line, as they insist the cleaning fee is necessary.
And many shame their messiest guests to illustrate their point.
In one clip, cleaner Taylor Mullins said, “That’s not how you get out of your Airbnb.”
She then shows a video of destroyed crockery, food and rubbish hidden under a cupboard.
Meanwhile, other hosts have shared the costs they incur themselves of hiring professional companies to clean each property after a guest checks out.
A Forbes Advisor study published this week found that additional costs cause the price of an Airbnb to skyrocket by an average of 36 percent.
Cleaning costs accounted for 11 percent of the subtotal.
The publication said it looked at 32,000 listings in the 100 most popular Airbnb locations for July.
Cleaner Taylor Mullins uploaded a video of a room full of rubbish and smashed crockery as she said, ‘This is how you don’t leave your Airbnb’
It found that the average cleaning cost was $160, while the lowest was $95 for a Cleveland rental.
The highest fee found was $313, which was tacked onto a rental in Telluride, Colorado.
Atlanta, Georgia, was the city with the highest hidden costs for Airbnbs according to Forbes rankings.
It was followed shortly by Phoenix, Arizona, and Fort Myers Beach, Florida.
Data analytics company AirDNA estimates that cleaning costs in Airbnbs have increased by 28 percent since 2019 due to increased cleaning protocols due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Airbnb said it experienced unprecedented demand in 2022 as the world emerged from the pandemic.
In the last quarter of 2022, it saw a 20 percent increase in bookings and had the highest number of active bookers to date.
In December, the platform introduced a “total price view” feature in some countries, which allowed users to see the full cost of their stay upfront – without any fees or taxes added afterwards.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Compared to a hotel, Airbnb often offers more space and more amenities: travelers can get a two-bedroom, two-bathroom Airbnb for about the price of one hotel room at a major chain.
“We always listen to our community about ways we can improve. In December, guests received early access to the total price display, with the option to view the total price – including all pre-tax fees – in search results.
“It’s one of many updates to come, including new pricing tools for hosts to help set competitive prices and provide even more value to guests.”