Cleaning fees

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Satya8
Level 2
Pennsylvania, United States

Cleaning fees

Sorry if this is not the appropriate place for this question.  Looked the best to me among the options.  From a guest perspective, I have always left the host facilities in pretty much the state I found them (cleaned up before leaving). Now I am looking at some places which have a very high fee for leaning included ($65 to $85+). I am wondering if in such cases, it will be reasonable for me not to clean up?  I am not talking about trashing the place of course, but things like making the beds, washing dishes, sweeping floor/s, garbage disposal etc...?

1 Best Answer
Dave333
Level 2
Chicago, IL

Read a thread earlier this week with an excellent answer which really resonated with me. I apologize to the originator because I don't have the exact citation nor will I plagiarize eloquently.

 

My takeaway was hosts following the Airbnb Living Wage Pledge pay cleaners minimum $25/hr (or company employed cleaners at least $15/hr because they presumably get benefits on top of wages - which I assume get translated into higher charge to host)

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1975/what-s-airbnb-s-living-wage-pledge

 

So if it takes 2-3 hours to turnover a unit the cleaner would be paid $50-75.

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74 Replies 74
Emma2401
Level 2
Loughor, United Kingdom

Hi @Sarah977 .

I hear what you’re saying and yes, I expect deep cleaning to take longer.  
What I left out is that we don’t charge for cleaning.  In exchange for not being charged, we ask people to leave the house as they find it.  

 

I don’t leave a list of chores; we rely on guests to behave like responsible adults...

I change beds, wash linen and do anything needed.  I appreciate it will rarely be to my standard when guests leave but if it’s clean and tidy, that’s good enough.  I can work with that.  


For short lets this works really well.  We’ve only had one crowd leave it in an unacceptable state.

 

The two longer lets have been more problematic.  I think it’s because they forget what was asked/expected of them as the weeks pass.  That said, some of what we’ve seen this time was just poor behaviour; I spent a miserable couple of hours scraping 3 months worth of food from the bottom of my oven and oven racks.  


My point is that we’re encouraged to offer discounts for longer stays but these stays actually cost me far more in time and professional cleaning than short stays. 

@Emma2401  Well, just because Airbnb encourages you to discount longer stays doesn't mean you need to follow their advice or discount to the point you feel you are working harder than the pricing covers. 

 

And if it's too cheap, it will attract the types who leave it filthy.

There are people who need the cleaning chores spelled out for them, just saying to leave it clean and tidy isn't enough. I'd suggest you make a list of specific things they need to do, or start charging a cleaning fee.

Emma2401
Level 2
Loughor, United Kingdom

Thank you for that advice @Sarah977..

These were the two longest lets we’ve had and I’m annoyed with myself for expecting too much of people.  I’m just rethinking my approach which is how I find myself on these pages doing some research on how everyone else does things.  
In future, I’ll be adding a cleaning fee to longer lets and will look at a list of what’s expected basics for the home guide. 

fifth

How some people live.

Fifth after my last 2-month stay was atrocious and had guests coming in back to back. Guest said proudly I even sweep the floor on my way out. 

Guesthouse needed a professional cleaner with this degree of fifth. 

fifth I hear you.

 

Hello Neil! As a host--I saw your post. I just want to say a few things--

1. as a host, it is very difficult to charge anything extra to guests. Hosts must go through the resolution center, and airbnb almost always finds in favor of the guest, even when pictures are provided.

2. Staying in a bedroom with one queen bed, with bath down the hall, is very different that having a private 2 bedroom apt with a full kitchen.. Cleaning fees reflect that.

3. The airbnb platforn does not integrate cleaning fees into the price per night. Hosts cannot change that.

So--guests need to look at the breakdown before they finalize the booking.

4. In the area of my airbnb, there are many hotels, who charge steep resort fees in addition to the room rate. Guests certainly have a choice.

As a host and a traveler, airbnb selects for travelers who do not require the full service of a hotel and amenities, and travelers who want a better value.

Everyone pays for cleaning--it is just how it is calculated--at least airbnb is transparent about the costs. Guests can choose.

 

@Nancy458, I build around 1/2 of my fee into the actual nightly rate and then an out 1/2 of it as a cleaning fee. It costs me around $100-$120 each time to have my place cleaned and I feel if I were to charge a cleaning fee of that amount, the guests would leave it dirtier, whereas charging a fee of around $60 means they feel compelled to pick up after themselves a little. This is, at least, what I have gleaned from my experience. 

Thanks for that tip! It seems like it is always a balancing act to remain competetive with the nightly rate, and be able to pay my housekeeper a fair market wage. I will consider your approach.

If hosts start charging a penalty then they will lose business and  I for one won't be staying at those AirBNBs..But I agree... what is up with the high cleaning fees.  Just factor it into the cost of the room.....I pass over those until I find one with a reasonable fee.  I'm finding that I'm staying more and more in hotels.  I use to stay exclusively in Airbnb's...

I agree!  Charge a fee if someone leaves the place trashed..or charge a damage deposit..some places do that.   But again don’t charge a cleaning fee if you ask us to clean up.  It is just a way to add to the charges of renting …I haven’t stayed In an Airbnb for the past three years. I will probably continue to stay in hotels is that really does work out better for me. In the past I’ve stayed at probably over 100 Airbnb’s. But due to these cleaning fees I’ve decided not to anymore.In an Airbnb for the past three years. I will probably continue to stay in hotels is that really does work out better for me. In the past I’ve stayed at probably over 100 Airbnb’s. But due to these cleaning fees I’ve decided not to anymore.

@Brenda357 How weird. Does it really matter if the fee is stated or if it is included the daily rate?

Nancy458
Level 3
Reno, NV

I am a host that has just discovered  "turnoverbnb" as a means of getting responsible cleaners! Another host got me started with this--and I just registered and put out bids. I encourage any hosts who are looking for cleaning services to check this out! Its a marketplace that matches hosts with cleaners who are already vetted. Looking forward to this new tool!

David-J-1
Level 1
Chester Basin, CA

Currently our cleaning fee is one time fee per booking, wether that is one night or 30 nights. Is there a way to add in cleaning fees for longer term stays without having to include it in the listing price. Obviously we incur more cleaning expenses when a guest stays for 30 days, we need to clean up and change bedding and linens, take out garbage, etc several times for a longer term stay. How do others handle this issue

Ours is virtually nothing. a fiver. Covers the laundry for the bedding and towels. We are a spare room / homestay.

I fully understand how much  cleaning companies have to charge just to break even with wages, and other costs, holiday pay, sickness benefits etc.  I am an employer too in my day job.  The expenses really do rack up fast and furious. And that doesn't take away the value the hard work that cleaners do.

 

It's part of our overheads and included in the price.

On average it takes less than an hour of actual labour.  

 

Most guests are marvellous and all we need to do is vacuum the floor and change the sheets.

 

 

 

Most guests is the two keywords.

Until you get the exception to the rule Guest. 

Who can you hire for half an hour?

Carmen1479
Level 1
Killeen, TX

I have a question in regarding to cleaning fees, hopefully I can get some clarity. This is my fist time hosting and I have an extended stay guest that would be staying three months. Originally she only booked first 28 days in the month of February and a cleaning fee was applied. Then she booked for the remainder 60 days because she in military and she needs to be in area for a while. I allowed her to book her stay consistently. Now I’m not sure what is customary for guest to expect? I’m giving her clean towels, bed linen and provided some cleaning supplies. Am I supposed to change her linens in her private room with private bathroom? Am I supposed to clean her room and bathroom and if I do how often? How often should I give her clean sheets for the bed? I feel funny entering her room with her private belongings even though she leaves door open and unlocked. Maybe someone can shed some advice on extended stays and cleaning fees and what’s the expectations on a  host dealing with cleaning after guest, who are extended stays?. Thanks in advance