Cleaning fee refund request

[Michael8005]

I had a guest whose husband sent me a message from a different Airbnb email/text  requesting the refund on their cleaning from their last stay. They claim they left the place in immaculate and gave me a good review so I should refund them their cleaning deposit.

I told them no because I have to pay people to clean anyway and do the laundry and the floors so I'm sorry I can't.

But I was wondering if anybody else gets this request a lot and how they deal with it

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Michael8005 If it was a cleaning deposit then you should - If it was a  cleaning fee then no. I would thank them for leaving the place tidy but say that 'the cleaning fee covers washing of bed linen and towels, deep cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms and hoovering/dusting throughout. Depending on when the next guests check in some of this is left until just before they arrive' 

If they have left a review then review them before you say no to their request.

[Helen3]

Never had anyone ask for Cleaning fee back in eight years of hosting @Michael8005 

Is it a cleaning fee or deposit . Obviously cleaning fee is non refundable.

don't reply back to him he's not the guest who booked reply back to the guest who booked 

[Lorna170]

@Michael8005  There is a whole contingent of guests who do not understand the cleaning fee, its purpose, and why it can be a hefty dllar amount.  They cannot comprehend that cleaning does not mean simply remaking the bed and putting a new toilet roll on the spindle.

I have had perhaps 3 guests a year ask me to waive the cleaning fee as they will clean it themselves and "they are not dirty people".  I reply that I do not advertise or offer a refund for self-cleaning on the AirBnB website.  

[Ani-Jane0]

Airbnb policy is quite clear on this that cleaning fees are nonrefundable. Maybe you are charging an unreasonable amount of money for your cleaning fee? But they are absolutely nonrefundable and if you call airbnb about the guests husband writing you from a different email address which is not under the name of the person who booked the reservation, they will really be furious

[Alicia753]

Hi @Michael8005 It seems like you're facing a situation that isn't very common in the Airbnb hosting experience. But I hope these few things to consider help. 

1. Review Airbnb's policies and ToS regarding refunds, particularly for cleaning fees. Airbnb typically has clear guidelines on what circumstances warrant a refund. It's important to ensure that any action you take aligns with these policies.

2. Reflect on the condition in which the guest left the property. If it truly was left in immaculate condition, and this significantly reduced your cleaning efforts or costs, you might consider a partial refund as a gesture of goodwill. However, this is entirely at your discretion.

3. Whatever your decision, communicate it clearly and politely to the guest. If you decide not to issue a refund, explain your reasons in a way that aligns with Airbnb's policies.

5. If you're unsure, it might be helpful to reach out to Airbnb's support team for guidance. They can offer advice specific to their platform and policies.

[Paula]

Hello @Michael8005, welcome to the Airbnb community,

I've seen many of our amazing Hosts share their experiences with this kind of request from guests. Let us know when you have a chance to read them.

All the best,