Airbnb has issued a new policy that will apply to reservations booked on or after November 20, limiting what hosts can ask guests to do during their stay and before checkout. The policy, titled "Reasonable House Rules and Requests," aims to make house rules clearer before guests book and prevent surprises for guests. According to the policy, 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.
The new policy has been prompted by concerns from guests and hosts about unreasonable checkout tasks. Airbnb had already advised against unreasonable checkout tasks, including laundry, vacuuming, and stripping beds, in November 2022. The latest policy makes those boundaries more explicit and sets out action against hosts who breach them. Airbnb's guidance on house rules explains which checkout tasks hosts can request, such as putting used dishes in the sink or gathering used towels.
The policy change has prompted objections from hosts, with many voicing their concerns on social media. Missouri-based Daris Davis, who runs the David Real Estate Advisors firm, posted on Facebook on October 23, saying that the new rules are unfair to hosts. "Our properties are not hotels!" she said. "Apparently, I can no longer ask my guests to complete certain checkout tasks because those are now considered chores that should be handled by cleaning staff."
Purity Kathambi Mbaabu, an Airbnb host, consultant, and property lawyer, told Nation Lifestyle that the rules reinforce a long-standing complaint among hosts: that Airbnb favors guests at their expense. However, she also said that when the price of a stay covers cleaning, hosts should not expect guests to do that work. "I don't think that is proper if [hosts] are asking [guests] to pay a cleaning fee and then on top of that, they're asking them to do the chores," she said.
Airbnb's cleaning-fee guidance, issued in March 2026, allows hosts to include housekeeping costs in the nightly rate or charge a separate cleaning fee. However, the company cautions that a separate fee raises guests' expectations of cleanliness. "Our research shows that if your listing has a cleaning fee, guests will hold it to a higher standard of cleanliness, and that can lead to more scrutiny when they review their stay," Airbnb said.
The new policy stipulates that hosts cannot introduce new demands after guests have settled in, whether through messages, signs inside the home, or in-person instructions. It adds that house rules will be more prominent in listings, reservation reminders, and the guest's "Trips" tab. Guests still have responsibilities, however, including not leaving a property needing deep or excessive cleaning.
Airbnb's "Ground Rules for Guests" state that guests are expected to work with hosts to find a reasonable solution if they cause damage beyond normal wear and tear. Guests are also expected to reimburse hosts' expenses if they are responsible for damage, missing items, or unexpected cleaning costs. Airbnb's host damage protection offers reimbursement of up to $3 million for hosts who experience damage.
Key points
- Airbnb's new policy limits what hosts can ask guests to do during their stay and before checkout.
- The policy aims to make house rules clearer before guests book and prevent surprises for guests.
- Hosts and guests have expressed concerns about the new policy, with some hosts arguing that it favors guests at their expense.
