What ydo you do when you have to spend a longer time cleaning after a guest has checked out?

[Bob39]

How do you handle a case where you had to spend a lot of extra time cleaning up after a guest checked out? 

In the case of things like spilled food left there, spilled coffee left to dry, pet messes, etc.; things that took a lot of extra time to clean up.

I don't have a cleaning fee in place for 2 reasons: I think it unnecessarily punishes the guests who are fastidiously clean. And that some guests, having paid a cleaning fee up front, may think that gives them a license to be as messy as they want.

What is the proper procedure to ask for an excessive cleaning charge? Can you claim it against their deposit? Do you have to provide photographic evidence? Will AirBnB side with you or with the guest?

[Marzena4]

Make sure you have collected the evidence, @Bob39. Photos - pretty clear, maybe invoices. First, you request extra money from the guests. Then, a claim through the Resolution Center. 

Airbnb tend to side with guests. 😞

[Bob39]

OK, thank you.

[Sarah977]

@Bob39  I understand it can be a real drag to have to clean up after dirty, messy guests. I've been lucky to only have one in a year and half and it was a doozy.  Most have left their space pretty immaculate. My feeling is that unless the guest actually trashed the place or broke things, extra cleaning time after the messy ones just comes with the territory of being a host. Lots of people are just really messy- they are like that in their own homes, too, it's not just that they are being disrespectful of your home and time.

You have the option of giving them low star rating for cleanliness and mention something in your review, while also mentioning what was good about their stay. "XXX communicated well and followed house rules, unfortunately, cleaning time required after their stay was extensive" . This comes across as you being fair, honest, and factual, warns other hosts, and lets the guests know their mess was neither expected nor acceptable.

Do you really want to invest a bunch of time trying to get them to pay a retroactive cleaning fee with back and forths through airbnb? Having to come up with proof? Few guests will just say, oh sure, we'll pay more for that.

BTW, I totally concur with your thoughts on charging a cleaning fee up front. I don't charge one either.

[Bob39]

Thank you for your helpful reply.

[Andrew157]

This is what feedback should be about. 

Instead we have a hand wringing session about putting our feelings. 

[Amy38]

I charge a high cleaning fee even though all of my guests but one left the place all but spotless.

I still have to clean the spotless shower, toilet and kitchen...there is always one drip or crumb here and there.  Still have to vacuum and dust carefully, change and check linen, sweep off patio and front porch. 

This is one you just need to suck up  and think about instituting a cleaning fee.  Ten guests who leave the place sptless will pay you for a slob.

[Bob39]

OK thank you.

[Clara116]

@Bob39 I think a cleaning fee is really OK and all these guests on Airbnb don't seem to mind. AND they love a spotlessly clean place.

WOW - just about everywhere you go and bring animals there are extra charges......so  I'm trying to understand that one that you charge NO fee and no pet fee. 

The hassle you must go through with photos and battle to get monies from the security deposit is a tough one.  Even when it is stuff that has to be replaced. When something is clearly broken it is one thing. BUT cleaning I am pretty sure you will have a hard time.

So some folks are slobs and others spotless - charge a fair cleaning fee and the slobs and extra cleaning needed for them has been paid for by all the good guys. 

happy hosting, Clara

[Bob39]

OK thank you for the reply.

[Sarah977]

I think if I were renting out an entire apartment, suite or home, I would charge a cleaning fee. For me, with my 1 bedroom/private bath listing, and the guests sharing my kitchen which I keep clean regardless, It doesn't take that much extra time to clean up after a messy guest than a clean one. I'm going to clean the bathroom counter regardless of whether they left it clean or with toothpaste smeared all over it.

[Sarah977]

I wonder if any hosts who do charge a cleaning fee have ever considered refunding it to guests who leave the place spotless? I certainly wouldn't mention or advertise that possibility in the listing, or prior communications with a guest, as it would just lead to argument about what a guest considers spotless, and what their host does, but it could be a nice unexpected reward for the stellar guests.

[Kelly149]

@Sarah0yes, I have a whole place and charge a cleaning fee (it acts as a de facto multi-day discount) and I have at times refunded part of the cleaning charge for an unusually clean guest. As my guest quality for abb declines, I'm considering raising this fee and refunding it more often

[Sarah977]

@Kelly149  Good for you, sounds like a great and very fair way to run your business. If I had a whole place and charged a cleaning fee, I don't know that I'd refund it for a one or few night guest, but in the case of a week+ stay, especially if it was a group or family who truly left the place "as they found it", down to washing the floors and leaving the kitchen and bathroom sparkling clean, leaving the hosts nothing to do but gasp in amazement, check the place over, put out fresh supplies, disinfect the bathroom and change the bedding, and enjoy the free time they factored in for cleaning, seems like that rare guest should be rewarded with more than just a great review.

[Kelly149]

@Bob39 and you can go either way: ask for $$(photos, invoices, resolution center, unlikely to pan out and very likely to turn into an ugly review) or deal with the mess, thank the universe that most guests haven't been this way and just write a very specific reveiw.