Primary source: Airbnb host announcement

Airbnb hosts will no longer be allowed to require guests to do chores that take significant time or effort or that a cleaner would normally handle, under a house rules policy that takes effect Nov. 20, the company said². The Verge reported it applies to reservations booked on or after that date¹.

Checkout tasks have been a frequent guest complaint, Euronews reported, and Airbnb told the outlet that its house rules had become "confusing, onerous and hard to manage"³. The company announced the redesign to hosts on Oct. 20².

Under the policy, hosts can ask guests to leave used dishes in the sink, gather used towels, sort trash and recycling into indoor bins, and switch off air conditioning when they leave, but not to wash and put away dishes, strip beds, start laundry or take garbage off-site^1,2,3.

Hosts now pick from seven standard rules, covering limits such as guest count, quiet hours, pets, smoking and locking up at checkout, and anything beyond those is listed as a request that must be reasonable². Airbnb said it will flag requests that break the policy, email hosts and let them appeal, and guests may see an "includes cleaning requests" alert on listings that aren't fixed^1,2.

Airbnb said it may allow exceptions for local conditions, such as asking guests to use an animal-proof trash container in bear country^1,2. The Verge reported that hosts also cannot add rules through messages or signs in the home, and Euronews reported that hosts may not charge guests for skipping checkout tasks^1,3.

Some hosts objected on Airbnb's forums, arguing the limits pose health risks and that guests can avoid listings with strict rules, The Verge reported¹. Wired reported that the pushback spread to Reddit and Facebook groups, where some hosts talked about a brief strike or ways around the rules⁵. Airbnb also said contracts will be allowed only in limited cases, such as legal requirements or monthly rentals².

Sources

1. The VergeAirbnb bans making guests do dishes and take out the trashOct 21, 3:55 PM
2. Airbnb (Resource Center)Important changes to house rulesOct 19, 8:00 PM
3. EuronewsAirbnb bans check-out chores like stripping the bed or taking the bins outOct 21, 10:24 AM
4. EngadgetAirbnb bans hosts from making you do the dishesOct 21, 6:04 PM
5. WiredAirbnb Hosts Are Furious They Can No Longer Make Guests Do Their ChoresOct 21, 5:57 PM

TechCrunch · BBCShowHide

1. TechCrunchAirbnb limits chores for guests, sparking backlash from hostsOct 21, 6:16 PM
2. BBCAirbnb hosts can no longer make guests strip beds and wash dishes under new rulesOct 21, 6:54 PM

Read the original at The Verge ↗