Airbnb row over cleaning fees divides the internet

April 26, 2023

‘I’m not doing chores on vacation!’ Airbnb guests rage as hosts demand they do the laundry and mow the lawn despite charging hundreds of dollars in cleaning fees – but owners hit back by shaming messy guests

Row over Airbnb cleaning fees has divided the internet, as guests claim they are made to do chores during their stays
Hosts and cleaners are hitting back by shaming their messiest guests
Data shows Airbnb cleaning fees have shot up 28 percent since the pandemic

A row over Airbnb cleaning fees has divided the internet as guests hit out at demanding hosts who insist they complete a list of chores during their vacations.

Travelers using the short-term rental app took to TikTok to ask what the fees – often upwards of $100 – are for if they are expected to clean the homes themselves before they check-out.

It comes after it was revealed Airbnb cleaning costs have shot up by 28 percent on average due to increased hygiene protocols since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hosts have been known to ask their customers to complete an exhaustive round of chores during their stays including washing the laundry, taking out the trash and mowing the lawn.

But now they are hitting back by shaming their messiest customers who leave behind smashed plates under the sinks and piles of dirty laundry on the floor after their stays.

What is the cleaning fee for?! 💰🧺🧼 #strippinlaundry #cleaningfee #airbnbtiktok #cleantok #airportfitcheck #packing #airbnbhost #airbnbguest

In one TikTok, user Mercedes Sanchez asked ‘what is the cleaning fee even for?’ as she complained that hosts made her do the laundry after her stay

Airbnb has previously come under fire for its excessive ‘hidden’ fees which are often tacked onto the advertised price – right before the guest is about to pay.

In one TikTok, user Mercedes Sanchez shared a video of herself changing the bedsheets alongside a voiceover which says: ‘The worst part about checking out from some Airbnbs is when the host asks you to strip all the beds and put the towels in the hamper.

‘Like girl it is 5am and I am late for the airport. Am I going to get some of this cleaning fee back?’

Sanchez – who also hosts some Airbnb properties herself, captioned the post ‘What is the cleaning fee even for?’

Last year Melissa Muzycka similarly went viral after publicly shaming an Airbnb host who was charging a $125 cleaning fee while also asking guests to take out the garbage, remove bed linens, run the dishwasher and do a load of laundry.

At the time, she said: ‘Where do Airbnb owners get the audacity?’

She added: ‘Maybe this is entitlement or privilege talking however if I’m paying $229 a night to stay somewhere plus a $125 cleaning fee I’m not doing any f***ing laundry.’

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Since then guests have piled onto the trend, with some claiming they have been asked to mow the lawn or even feed farm animals.

Now hosts and Airbnb cleaners are also weighing into the row as they insist the cleaning fees are necessary.

And many are shaming their messiest guests to illustrate their point.

In one clip cleaner Taylor Mullins said: ‘This is how you don’t leave your Airbnb.’

She then shows a video of smashed crockery, food and rubbish which has been hidden under a cabinet.

Meanwhile other hosts have shared the costs they incur themselves to hire professional companies to clean each property after a guest has checked out.

A study by Forbes Advisor published this week found that add-on fees causes the price of an Airbnb to shoot up by 36 percent on average.

Cleaning fees accounted for 11 percent of the subtotal.

The publication said it looked at 32,0000 listings for July in the 100 most popular Airbnb locations.

Airbnb Guest Fail 🙄 #airbnb #airbnbexperience #airbnbguest #airbnbcleaner #airbnbcleaninglady #airbnbcleaning #airbnbcleaningfee #airbnbcheck

Cleaner Taylor Mullins uploaded a video of a room filled with rubbish and smashed crockery as she said: ‘This is how you don’t leave your Airbnb’

It found the average cleaning fee was $160 while the lowest was $95 for a rental in Cleveland.

The highest fee it found was $313 which was tacked onto a rental in Telluride, Colorado.

According to rankings by Forbes, Atlanta, Georgia, was the city with the highest hidden fees for Airbnbs.

It was shortly followed by Phoenix, Arizona, and Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

Data analytics company AirDNA, estimates that cleaning fees have shot up by 28 percent in Airbnbs since 2019 due to increased cleaning protocols incurred by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Airbnb said it had 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 rolled out a ‘total price display’ feature in some countries which gave users the option to see the full cost of their stay upfront – with no fees or taxes added on afterwards.

A spokesman for the company said: ‘When compared to a hotel, Airbnb often provides more space and more amenities: travelers can get an Airbnb with two bedrooms and two bathrooms for approximately the price of one hotel room at a major chain.

‘We are always listening to our community on ways we can improve. In December, guests received early access to total price display, featuring the option to view total price – inclusive of all fees before taxes – within search results.

‘It is one of many updates to come, including new pricing tools for Hosts to help set competitive prices and provide even greater value for guests.’

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