AirBnB Cleaning fees, Cleaning Services, combined Housesitter

Victoria576
Level 3
Western Australia, Australia

AirBnB Cleaning fees, Cleaning Services, combined Housesitter

This is a slightly unusual one. I have an AIRBNB guest house and live next door so I do all the cleaning. I currently do not charge a cleaning fee as my area is high volume tourist based and the market is quite flooded. AirBnB continue to try and lower prices too. I am going overseas, potentially for a month at a time and am quite booked up so will need to not only honour current bookings but also have someone do the changeovers. Since I live next door I was wondering if anyone has ever offered a heavily reduced, longer term booking in exchange for cleaning / changeovers? I hope this question makes sense.

1 Reply 1
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Victoria576  I certainly wouldn't trust some stranger to do this. It's a lot of responsibility, and if they fall down on the cleaning, or the way they deal with guests, they could tank your ratings and reviews. For all you know, since you are going to be overseas, they could just allow all their friends to stay there, too.

I've had housesitters before (I know this is a little different) who were friends of friends, who managed to do tons of damage to my home in a few short weeks, didn't do any of the small chores I asked them to keep up with, took my dog out and lost her (she was found by others a few days later, hungry and confused) and they were staying for free, even. 

If you don't have a friend or relative who is willing to look after things for you,  or can't find anyone locally who actually does this for a living and has good references, I don't know what to suggest.