Travellers have had enough of Airbnb hosts requiring guests to complete lengthy chores lists while also still paying a hefty cleaning fee.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Airbnb guests are paying upwards of $560 (US$375) in cleaning fees to their hosts.
All while many are still being asked to take out the garbage, do the laundry, and even mow the lawns.
Although doing tasks such as cleaning the kitchen and making your bed seem to be common courtesy, some hosts are taking it too far.
One TikToker by the name of @Melworeit shared a video claiming she decided not to book an Airbnb because of a ridiculous $185 (US$125) cleaning fee.
The listing also asked guests to take out the rubbish, remove bed linens, run the dishwasher, and do a load of laundry.
The TikToker said: “If I'm paying $229 a night to stay somewhere plus a $125 cleaning fee, I'm not doing any laundry.
"I know it's like one load of laundry and it'll take me two minutes to do, but it's the principle that really bothers me."
It has led to multiple TikTok creators complaining online about the ridiculousness of the situation.
Meanwhile, over on Reddit one guest asked if it was ‘normal for a host to tell the guest to mow the lawn themselves?’
They wrote: "Seems like a strange response given the premium being paid for staying here (to me, at least), but if that's standard then I'll roll with it.
“I just don't want to be penalised/charged/poorly reviewed for 'neglecting' the lawn if I don't do it."
Once upon a time, Airbnb’s were the cheaper alternative to booking a hotel, but nowadays with rates and cleaning fees going up, it’s worth considering all your options.
An Airbnb spokesperson told Insider that the company provides recommendations for cleaning fees and even tells hosts to not include them if they are planning on having the guests clean up.
They say 45 per cent of global Airbnb listings don’t charge a cleaning fee at all, whilst the fee usually averages less than 10 per cent of the total reservation cost.
The host resources page reads: “It’s important to manage expectations about what your cleaning fees include and what (if anything) you ask guests to do.”
Adding: “With a higher fee, guests may expect to just walk away from your space at checkout as they would a hotel room.”
I’ll take a hotel any day of the week - you don’t even have to make your bed as you check out.
Featured Image Credit: Seemanta Dutta / Alamy. GOODLUZ / Alamy.
