Checking out of an Airbnb isn’t always simple, with some hosts requiring guests to perform unexpected activities like running the dishwasher, doing loads of laundry, and even mowing the lawn.
That is about to change.
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said on Twitter that prior to booking, checkout instructions would henceforth be posted on the listing’s website. Users would also be able to rate checkout chores, he added, adding that listings that received too much bad feedback would be eliminated.
Excessive chores have been a source of discontent for guests, with some resorting to Reddit to complain about activities that exceed their expectations, especially after being charged up to $375 in cleaning costs.
Airbnb hosts appear to be divided on how to handle chore lists. One host has adjusted her strategy and no longer requests any tasks from visitors at the end of their stay. Instead, she charges an additional cleaning fee if a rental is left in a condition that requires more work for cleaners.
Another host, who manages a 4,000-square-foot home in Oregon, charges cleaning fees in exchange for two specified responsibilities for guests: taking out the garbage and depositing soiled sheets on the bathroom floor.
According to Chesky, the new policy is one of 53 new features and updates aimed at improving the customer experience.
Other new features include “Airbnb Rooms,” which the business claims will make it easier for guests to stay with locals in extra rooms, as well as an interface that will assist visitors in finding and booking longer stays. Longer stays would have resulted in lower prices after three months, according to Chesky, who added that users can now pay for these rooms with their bank accounts to save credit-card fees.
