Airbnb The global accommodation booking platform has updated its house rules to limit the types of chores hosts can require guests to do. The new rule forbids compelling guests to strip bed linens, take out trash outside the property, or wash and put away dishes—tasks normally handled by housekeeping. This policy will apply to bookings made from 20 November onwards.
Airbnb, a short-term rental booking platform, announced revised rules for hosts that restrict the chores they can ask guests to complete before checkout. This change follows long-standing complaints from users who said they had to pay cleaning fees yet were still required to perform various household tasks before leaving.
The new rules will apply to bookings made from 20 November onward. Hosts can set seven standard house rules and may add other reasonable requests. All house rules must be fully disclosed to guests during the booking process.
Examples of standard house rules include check-in and check-out times, maximum number of guests, smoking prohibitions, quiet hours, and whether pets are allowed.
Under the new guidelines, hosts generally cannot require guests to do time-consuming or labor-intensive tasks typically done by cleaning staff, such as stripping bed linens and sheets, taking out trash beyond the property boundary, or washing and putting away dishes.
However, hosts may still ask guests to place used dishes in the sink without needing to wash or neatly store them.
Airbnb stated that reasonable requests will be evaluated based on local conditions and restrictions. For example, in areas with water use restrictions due to drought, hosts may ask guests to limit shower time or dispose of trash in animal-proof containers.
The company explained in a statement that house rules help guests understand host expectations but feedback indicated some rules were confusing, overly burdensome, and difficult to manage. Therefore, Airbnb improved the rule format for easier search and clearer definitions and introduced a new policy to keep requests reasonable, preventing guests from facing unexpected obligations.
Under the new rules, hosts cannot charge fines to guests but may still establish rules and requests for their properties. If a request violates Airbnb policies, the company will flag the issue, and hosts can appeal if they disagree with the decision.
Additionally, house rules will be more prominently displayed and included in booking notifications so guests are aware of conditions in advance. Supplemental agreements will be allowed only in specific cases, such as when required by law or homeowners' association regulations.
Since April 2025, Airbnb changed how cleaning fees are shown, no longer listing them separately for guests. Instead, hosts may include cleaning costs in the total price of the stay.
Chores required before checkout have been a contentious topic online for years, especially where guests pay cleaning fees that can reach several hundred U.S. dollars but still must perform various household tasks as dictated by hosts.
Recently, a video by "Cassie and Jon," Airbnb hosts in Georgia, USA, gained significant attention on TikTok for their meticulous inspection of a rental after guest checkout.
In one video, they accused guests of disrespecting house rules merely for placing a TV remote out of position. The videos drew criticism for overly strict rules and high standards, although the hosts said their content was misunderstood. Meanwhile, these videos inspired others to create parodies mocking overly demanding hosts.
This change reflects Airbnb's effort to clarify responsibilities between hosts and guests and reduce conflicts related to cleaning tasks guests are expected to perform before departure.