Do you think it is guest's duty?

Nan18
Level 2
Weihai, China

Do you think it is guest's duty?

Hi everyone, 

 

I am an Airbnb member and a host for over 5 years, I used Airbnb a lot and had ever hosted more than 100 trips and guests. But today as a guest I and my friend meet a problem.

 

We paid $955 for two days gate away house in a peninsula near Seattle US, including $600 for rent two days, $175 for moving out cleaning and others are tax and Airbnb service fee. We left yesterday, but today we receive a message from the host, his criticism and tone are unacceptable. what is more, he will take more than $200 deposit for what we did. 

 

He blamed us "Dirty pots and pans everywhere" and the truth is we put all dirty pots and pans in washing machine and cleaned before we left. because of no enough room in washing machine, so we put one pot in the sink, here is the picture host send to us. Do you think it is an acceptable condition? We paid $175 for cleaning, do you think we should clean every point at your home?

 

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"the photo host send to us"

 

he blamed us " Debris all over the stove, counters, and dripped down the countertops", but the truth is we cleaned stove and counters every time after we cooked, even in last minutes we left, I wipe stove and counters again to make sure it is clear, even it is not my job. I asked him to share me the picture to prove debris all over the stove, but he did not send pictures back.

 

he blamed us put "Beer and sake bottles just left on the countertops", but the truth is we threw all the trash before we leave, but we did not find recycle can at his home, so we collect three or four sake bottles on the countertops,  to remind the cleaners to recycle them. We don't want to put any glasses into the trash can. That is why we threw all the trash but left the bottles there, how could he blamed us on that???

 

He blamed us moved the furniture, this is what we admitted, we moved a small coffee table from sitting room to living room and forgot to move it back, we said sorry for that inconvenience and we hope what we paid could cover this inconvenience.

 

Finally, he blamed us "None of the beds was stripped of their linens and the linens weren't put in the laundry room", he blamed us did not do bedding job! For my common sense and Airbnb experience, it is not guests' duty at all. he said he has this in the house rule, but I read his house rule and cannot find that. Finally, it turned out he wrote this in his 2500 words house manual. here is the screenshot of his page. It is my duty to read your rules and follow it, but reading your house manual is not your rules and not our duty too, otherwise, it is a  2500 words house manual. If he really think it is that importand, why do not tell us directly or add this to his rules?

 

Image attachment

 

"His house Airbnb page"

 

We had a wonderful experience in his house, but right now, after my trip, we feel sad and uncomfortable because he criticize. We threw all the trash, wipe the countertops, cleaning the dishes and pots before we left, we even bring table sheet by ourselves to protect his table, we take disinfecting wipes from our home to clean the kitchen, we believe we keep this house in an acceptable condition, we did not say what we did, and did not take photo to prove that, because we believe his judgement and the mutual trust, but right now he blamed us left the house pretty messy, I cannot understand and accept.

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"we bring table sheet from our home to protect his table"

 

So As a host and guest, I need other hosts' help, do you think all the things I listed are guests' duties? Especially the host never listed in his rules and never send email or call me or contact me by Airbnb to tell me what we should do.

 

I am a host and have a lot of good reviews as host and guest, I won't left the house in a big mess, because I know the host is not an easy job. So could any hosts tell me what should I do next? I and my friend are very uncomfortable now. 

 

Here is the hosts' message for you reference, i really dislike his tone! I don't paste my reply because it is too long, everything above are my conclusion of my explanation to him, if you need my reply to make a justified judgement, tell me, and I will paste it here.

 

For the cleaning rate, here is a reference in Seattle, we have a 4beds and 4 baths, 2500 sqft house in Seattle, with one cat one dog three people live inside, the cleaning fee is $120 for 4 hours, including vacuum hardboard and carpet, washing dishes, laundry, wipe and clean kitchen and bathroom inside and outside. PS: we left our pets home and 100% follow his house rules.

 

Host's message:

 

"Nan~
I’m not sure what happened with your group, but the house was left in quite a mess! Dirty pots and pans everywhere. Good debris all over the stove, counters, and dripped down the countertops. Beer and sake bottles just left on the countertop. None of the beds were stripped of their linens and the linens weren’t put in the laundry room. And there was furniture moved from one room to another (along with food grease on a glass tabletop). All of this was a violation of the house rules. The cleaning people will need much extra time and effort to prepare the house for our next guests and this will come at a much higher cost than the $175 cleaning fee you paid. We will find out later today how much extra the cost will be, but I wanted to let you know that the additional cost will be taken from your $200 security deposit. I’ll let you know how much we will be taking once I hear back from the cleaning staff. I’m glad your group enjoyed our home, but we are very disappointed in how they left it."

 

"Nan~
I will agree that certain of our issues were not clearly outlined in the house rules (such as leaving dirty pots/pans in the home. Honestly, we’ve never had guests do that before. Now we know better and have already added it. Same with the glass bottles.
As for stripping the beds, that is clearly in the house rules and whether you agree with it or not, you accepted those rules. Same with not leaving food waste in the large sink. Screen grabs of the rules directly off AirBnB are attached here."

 

Thanks your time to read this and hope you could leave your comments and help us on next step!

 

Nan

7 Replies 7
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

Hello @Nan18 ,

I would dispute the claim and contact Airbnb, providing the information you mentioned here. This host has an attitude which needs some correction.

Thank you very much! thank you read my long post and leave a message to you, I will definitely contact Airbnb and left my reviews to all other guests. Thank you again!

Elizabeth429
Level 10
Madrid, Spain

@Nan18,

 

Not leaving the house spotless isnt a good enough reason for Airbnb to make you pay a deposit. You may well know that a host can claim anything they what, but another thing is having the miracle of Airbnb agreeing with it.

 

I dont ask for a cleaning fee neither that my guest clean the house for me. I am actually a clean freak. I rewash all the kitchen utensils after each guest. I dont like my guests removing the bed linen or folding wet towels. I rather take care of everything on my own way. This is my own home, I want things to be as clean as it could possibly be.

 

The only single thing I wouldnt have liked is the food waste in the sink. I actually provide two bags with specific instructions for recycle. But I cant drive a guest crazy because they left some hair in the bath or a glass in the sink. Come on...they are on holidays!!!

 

When I have been a guest, I have not taken the rubbish out neither the wine bottles. I have placed all of them in a corner somewhere in the kitchen. I am not going to go out there in the street looking for a trash can or recycling bins. No way! Unless because of food waste I really should.

Thanks, Elizabeth

 

Thank you for your comments, I don't charge my guests cleaning fee either, because I think it includes in the rent and it is my duty to clean it. We only left a little food waste in the sink because we hurried to go at that time, to catch up the ferry. I hope I can help and be a good guest, but his reply makes me so sad!!!

 

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Nan18 I wouldn't worry, from everything I've read here Airbnb is very unlikely to grant this host's claim of your deposit. I assume you are talking about the Olympic Peninsula? We list vacation homes in the same area and charge the same cleaning fee. We also request guests to strip sheets and take out kitchen garbage/recyclables but if they don't we would certainly never message them about it much less ask for more money. And we definitely do not expect them to clean the kitchen. This host is way out of line. (Next time, stay at our place! 🙂 )

Thanks, Lisa

 

Thanks for your reply, your photo is very familiar, I think I saw your house when I looked for host, what a pity I did not live in your house!. Actually, we understand host will have special requirements, if he told me before I left, I will definitely glad to do his favour (strip the sheets and remove bottles from the kitchen), but he did not list in rules and never told us! and then blame me for what we don't know, it is very very ridiculous!

 

Lina53
Level 9
New York, NY

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