Cleaning fees

[Julia-And-Hugo0]

What is the consensous out there?. Should we charge cleaning fees seperately or should we not?.

I have a special Indonesian style house on water in a very quiet spot and thought to add it into the cost instead of charging seperately.

[Cory11]

@Isabelle196Any business should be recouping expenses through the charges to the clients. When you say you don't charge for sterile needles, don't you mean you don't charge a separate fee? Or do you really take that off your own bottom line? If so, that's a choice right? To offer some things that cost you money for free? If you did that with all sorts of things, it could add up fast.

[Sheryl--Lynn-0]

I totally agree with David.  If I averaged out the cleaning fee and included it in my nightly rate then my longer stay guests would be penalised by paying a higher nightly rate.  This seems unfair when my one-night or shorter term stays involve the same amount of cleaning at the end of each stay.  My cleaner (which is the most competitive in my area) charges me at least $140 each time for a 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom so it's not an insignificant amount. 

@ Isabelle why would the new  "Cleaning fees" tell you that AirBNB allows hosts who do not clean rooms.  I don't understand that logic. 

[Cyndy0]

Just FYI that Airbnb does NOT compensate extra cleaning fees. I've had two tenants so far in a 4 month period trash our apartment and the cleaning fees exceeded what I charged which therefore cut into the rental income. Both times I have submitted the extra cleaning fees from professional cleaners to Airbnb resolution centre but they do not take it into account even with pictures of the extreme mess (ie vomit in the bathtub, cigarettes everywhere despite a no-smoking rule, liquids spilled on the walls and floor, etc...). 

I'm not sure whether to just raise the rent (which makes me less competitive) or increase the cleaning fee and reimburse a portion if they are clean.

[Cory11]

@Cyndy0, is that really true? They don't cover that as damages? What the heck do they cover then with the insurance or dispute process? I would think aggregious levels of filth would be considered a health hazard?

[Cyndy0]

@Cory11 Yes, unfortunately Airbnb doesn't deem extra mess as reimburseable. They also wouldn't replace carpet which was stained or older towels that were ripped and stained. What works best with Airbnb is to buy new items and when they are trashed to replace them with the exact same item, then show both receipts to prove that the item was new and then to show that you re-purchased the same item. Of course, you are to send good pictures of the item damaged or if they are key fobs or remotes, you just have to say they were taken by the tenant. I also provided receipts of missing key fobs: receipt of when it was purchased, a picture of the missing key fob, and then the receipt of when I re-purchased it. 

[Ann-and-Tim0]

I'm an American. We only have one nighters as we are a pass thru city. I clean my own rooms.  However remember this added fee can be put into your replacement linen account...  I know that with my two rooms. Buying little by little I'm still in the negative as far as business is concerned.  I'm in a competitive market where others charge way more but have the sights and scenes and nightlife younger people desire.  So I provide upscale, low price...

[Kevin277]

I have wrestled with the cleaning fee fir months and finally decided to add one and then allow 1 night guests, which take the same set-up cost.

[Annette76]

I haven't listed my space yet as I'm still working on doing updates to the property. I have checked with a local cleaning service and they are going to charge me $35 to clean the space( it is a studio size apartment). They will vacuum, mop, dust the main space and clean the kitchen and bathroom. I will wash, dry and change linens as I'm very picky about how that is done. It will be done after every booking whether 2 nights or 7. So having that amount divided up only seems logical to me. I'm going to list my cleaning fee as $40 ($35 for the cleaner and $5 for my supplies) as I feel that divides easily on a 2 night stay, which is what I think I will get the most of. I'm also going to add a second cleaning fee for anyone staying over 7 nights as I will want to do a clean and do fresh linens on day 7. I am not sure how to work this out but I do feel that regular maintenance and cleaning is better for overall upkeep.  I don't think this will happen very often so may not ever have to worry about it. 

So I look at it like this, I want to charge $90 per night, and a $40 cleaning fee. On a 2 night stay it will divide the cleaning fee by 2 so add $20 to the $90 making it $110 per night. This is what my most common booking will probably be so that is what I'm working from. But if I just do a flat rate of $110 then someone who books for a week ends up paying that $20 x 7nights. If I do a fee that gets divided then they pay $96 per night instead. From what I've been able to see when someone does a search for a property, Airbnb shows the nightly rate with the fee divided up over the number of days requested. Most of my guests will be American so they'll get it. 

[Altadena0]

We have a very large place (3500 sq. ft) plus a 400 sq. ft gym in the LA area. It is 5 bedrooms with 5 queen and 1 twin bed, 3-1/2 bath.  We support 11 guests and go up to 14 with air matresses.  When housekeeping comes in, they have to do the same thing whether guests stay 2 days (minimum), a week, or longer. We charge $150 which is the cost for the housekeeper ($125) and gardener ($25) and needs to rise.  This is just passed on to the guests as a cleaning fee. Guests are expected to put one load of towels in the washer and start it, 1 load of dishes in the dishwasher and start it, and make sure the trash is not overflowing. Housekeeping takes care of the rest and has to complete in 6 hours if it is back-to-back (10am-4PM).  This is biased for longer stays which is what we like.

[Bojan10]

I stayed through airbnb for the first time just recently. I kind of got annoyed when just before my checkout, I saw an additional cleaning fee (never saw that before in hotels or hostels. Btw, I live in Canada). As a result- I didnt really feel obliged to clean up after myself in my room. Otherwise, I definitely would have done it. Hosts were nice people and I think all went well, but then in a review they mentioned I wasn't as clean as other guests. I am sorry it turned out that way, but I thought I didn't have to make my bed and empty trash because someone else is being payed for it, as it was explicitly stated in the bill.
I will be more considerate next time, but I think the cleaning fee should not appear separately, and just before you check out, as a not so cool surprise.

[James517]

No, I think there should be no separate charges for cleaning fees.  It is just extra work for customers to check the additional cost for cleaning fees, which can range from $5 to an amazing $80. 

[Lisa860]

I've had my listing on Airbnb for one year, and have had great success. I have a 3 bedroom, 3 bath house that sleeps 6-8. It takes 4 hours to clean the cottage, and I charge a $100 flat cleaning fee, which is paid directly to my cleaner. When I'm traveling, I do not mind paying a cleaning fee, and I've never had a guest complain. 

[Briana17]

"Cleaning up after yourself" is basic cleanliness and decency...this is different from a cleaning of the space.  Every guest should throw their trash in the trash can, for example, but the cleaning fee I charge is for cleaning the floors, linens, appliances, toilet, shower, etc.  Paying a fee to have the space cleaned is no excuse for a guest to be a lazy slob.  I state what is expected of the guest in my Guidebook and if the guest does not follow, then they are rated lower for that.  And the fee can either be built in to the daily price or separate but it is still a cost that should be covered.

[Altadena0]

I agree.  On the last night we send a departure letter asking for the following which are basic and simple.  I try to send it at the beginning of the rental so they know what we expect on departure:

1. Please put a load of dirty dishes in the dishwasher and turn on the wash cycle.
2. Put a load of linen (towels/face clothes) in the washing machine and turn it on to clean.

      Housekeeping will take care of everything else.

1. Set the outdoor spa thermostat fully counterclockwise (OFF) and the switch is set to TIMER.
2. Dump any trash can that is overflowing.  Housekeeping will handle the rest.
3. Lock all doors and put the key in the lockbox on your way out.
4. Turn thermostats to OFF.
5. Turn gas fireplace valves and heaters if used to OFF.

[Lisa723]

As a practical matter: I have a co-host/cleaner who cleans my space after each stay. Her work is on average the same regardless of length of stay (laundry, making beds, cleaning bathroom, dusting, vacuuming). My cleaning fee goes directly to her via Airbnb, which simplifies things a great deal from an accounting and tax standpoint. It is a realistic charge for costs incurred.