Airbnb scraps guest checkout chores such as cleaning

Chores such as washing dishes, stripping beds and taking out the trash at the end of your Airbnb stay will soon be a thing of the past.

Under new rules unveiled this week, the short-term rental platform says hosts should only make "reasonable" requests of guests.

Airbnb said hosts are generally not allowed to "ask guests to complete tasks that require significant effort or time, or would typically be performed by a cleaner, including stripping the bed, taking trash offsite, or washing and putting away dishes."

Why did Airbnb introduce the new rules?

Checkout chores have been a contentious issue for guests, especially in cases where they are also charged cleaning fees.

Airbnb has previously admitted that such fees can create confusion between guests and hosts.

"Guests expect checkout to be relatively simple, and most want to avoid unexpected chores," Airbnb said in a message to hosts on the platform.

"Asking them to do things a cleaner should handle can negatively affect their stay and your reviews."

The new rules come amid growing protests against housing shortages in many European cities, with protesters arguing that short-term rentals such as Airbnb have pushed them out of their own cities.

In September, the European Commission proposed more restrictions on Airbnb and other short-term rental companies in tourist hubs.

What else do the new Airbnb rules for hosts say?

Guests can still be asked to leave dirty dishes in the sink, to gather used towels and separate trash and recyclables, for example.

Hosts can also require guests to put trash in animal-proof containers areas where bears are active or ask them to "limit shower time due to local drought-related water restrictions."

But hosts will no longer be allowed to ban guests from using amenities listed in the property description, such as air conditioners, nor will they be allowed to fine guests.

Instead, hosts must seek compensation for any damage from insurance that the platform provides.

The new policy applies to bookings starting on November 20.

Edited by: Rana Taha

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