Airbnb has rolled out new guidelines that restrict what property hosts can ask guests to do, including any cleaning tasks that a professional cleaner would normally handle. The updated rules allow hosts to set a maximum of seven standard house rules and add other "reasonable" requests, but they cannot require guests to strip beds, wash dishes, or take trash offsite.
Guests who pay a cleaning fee are no longer expected to perform duties that "require significant effort or time," the company said. The policy will apply to all reservations booked on or after 20 November. Airbnb explained that the change aims to make house rules clearer and reduce surprises for travelers.
While hosts retain control over their house rules, Airbnb will flag any request that violates the new policy, and owners can appeal if they disagree. Exceptions may be granted in limited circumstances, such as when local water‑restriction laws require guests to limit shower time.
The platform has also announced that property rules will be displayed more prominently in guests’ reservation reminders, and that contracts will only be allowed in specific cases, like legal or homeowners‑association requirements.
The move follows growing complaints from travelers who feel burdened by unreasonable tasks after paying cleaning fees. TikTok videos from hosts Cassie and Jon, who scrutinize rentals in Georgia, have gone viral for their strict standards and have sparked parody content from other creators.
