Airbnb’s latest rule, which applies to all reservations made on or after November 20, stops hosts from requiring guests to perform tasks that would normally be handled by a cleaner, such as stripping beds, taking trash to the curb, or washing and putting away dishes. The announcement, delivered to hosts by email on Wednesday, immediately sparked anger across host forums and social media.
One host wrote on Airbnb’s official forum, “As hosts, we have a responsibility to protect our investments, our homes, and, in many cases, our personal living spaces. The problem is that Airbnb increasingly expects hosts to accept the risks while limiting our ability to protect ourselves.” A Reddit user on r/airbnb_hosts called the platform “like an abusive partner,” and another replied, “I’m alive long enough to recognize how truthful those few words are. Until I see substantive changes, I’m finally out.” Some hosts said they will reduce their kitchen amenities to “bare essentials” in response.
Guests, on the other hand, have welcomed the change. Travelers have long complained about high cleaning fees that are paired with expectations to complete extensive checkout chores. One commenter on a subreddit for hosts lamented, “The guest experience has become total ass. 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 clarified that hosts cannot sidestep the rule by placing cleaning tasks in the “Requests” section of their listings. In a statement to WIRED, spokesperson Simon Letouze said hosts may still make reasonable requests, such as asking guests to place dirty dishes in the sink, take short showers in drought‑affected areas, or put trash in bear‑proof containers. The company showed a screenshot of a failed attempt to add prohibited requests, noting that the interface highlighted the disallowed items in red and displayed a pop‑up warning that “Guests shouldn’t be asked to do this task.”
The policy also bars hosts from handing guests printed rule sheets for signatures at check‑in, and from requiring separate contracts except where local law, long stays, or optional amenities like a golf‑cart rental demand it. In those limited cases, hosts must disclose the contract in the dedicated listing section, and Airbnb does not enforce the terms. Violations can trigger warnings, removal of the listing, or a full ban from the platform.
Host frustration spilled into Facebook groups, where one member posted a letter to Airbnb executives demanding the freedom to set “common‑sense expectations” for guests and urged others to do the same. Another suggested raising prices, while a third called for a coordinated strike, writing, “Even if we all unlist our properties for just a day or two, we can send a powerful message. Airbnb built its empire on OUR properties. It’s time we reminded them who actually holds the power.”
Some hosts are still looking for loopholes. A Reddit user said they would move their rules to other sections of the listing, such as “Guest Access,” while another proposed a “house manual” with a required code word as proof of reading. Others simply plan to start their requests with “Here are my house rules!” and list items like “no smoking,” though Airbnb already enforces host‑imposed smoking bans.
Concerns about health hazards, permanent stains, and piles of trash were raised, but Airbnb’s existing guest guidelines already cover basic expectations like disposing of trash properly and not leaving moldy dishes. If damage occurs, guests are expected to cover reasonable repair or replacement costs. Hosts also benefit from Airbnb’s AirCover protection program, which reimburses up to $3 million for qualified property damage, including furniture, vehicles, and other belongings. Additional cleaning expenses, such as smoke‑odor removal or pet‑accident remediation, are also covered. Airbnb notes that cleaning fees set by hosts are intended only for standard turnover tasks.