Rename 'Cleaning fee' as 'Turn-round fee'

[Jonathan96]

There is so much more to getting a space ready for the next guest than cleaning. I won't list everything - you already know!

The current 'Cleaning fee' is the only way to 'weight' visits to make shorter stays more expensive, to reflect the work and cost involved, which in my case is essentially the same whatever the length of the visit. I would like to apply a weighing or 'Turn-round fee' of perhaps €40, but I feel I cannot set a 'Cleaning fee' of more than €20.

A fee of €40 simply for cleaning would seem excessive, and would (I'm afraid) raise unrealistic expectations about incredible spotlessness!

This would be an extremely simple change that would really help me. Perhaps someone can improve on 'Turn-round fee'?

[Dede0]

I tend to agree, with a few clarifications. Cleaning costs some amount (exact amount depends on whether one does it oneself or uses a service, etc), but there are other costs associated with setting up a booking, communicating prior to arrival and during, turning over the booking, and so on. Perhaps there could be something called a "base charge" or "booking fee" or "initial booking fee" or..... (whatever).

I'd also like to see the cleaning fee have some options for longer bookings, such as $XX for anything under 5 days (or 6 or 7 days), then an additional $YY (seperately specifiable) for every5/6/7 days past that initial period. If I have to change and wash linens and towels after 5-7 days, I'd like that to be factored in.

[Julia1]

I have often asked Airbnb to introduce a way hosts can charge a supplement for short stays e.g. One nights as the amount of work involves puts many off but guests want them if they are going to an event, concerts etc.

[Jonathan96]

Just to add - because of this problem, we've set the minimum stay to two nights, with a note in the listing text to the effect that we do actually take one-night bookings, but at an extra charge via Special Offer!

[Andrea9]

Yes! I do the same as @Jonathan0. Two nights minimum. My per night fee incl. the 'cleaning' fee I have now wouldn't cover the amount of work and effort. Preparation cover fee?

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

I think cleaning fee is pretty self-explanatory for guests. They expect the place to be ready for them: whether that means cleaning, keys available, etc...

It may not cover everything we need to do, but think about it from a guest's perspective

[Jiw0]

I completely agree.  And especially the need to have a mechanism to make shorter stays relatively less attractive / more profitable, due to all the work that goes into getting people checked in and out.

Then again, I also wouldn't want to end up in a situation where a guest sees a certain price when browsing listings, only to then have major fees tagged on: people tend to not like that.

As it is I just set a 3 or 4 day minimum and don't bother with very short stays.

[David262]

I like to refer to it as a "set up fee"  - that way it becomes more focussed about the guest's arrival (i.e. to a clean environment, set up specifically for their needs), rather than their departure (i.e. guests are still expected to leave the place tidy when they check out, not messy because they have pre-paid a "cleaning fee".)

Perhaps even make the termonology changeable, so it can be renamed by a host however they like?!

[Jiw0]

Yes.. Although I'm also wondering if the real use of this isn't to have a fee that makes very short stays less attractive / more profitable.

Hotels for example don't charge separate cleaning fees, and indeed there isn't much to stop AirBnB hosts to just figure it into the regular rate. 

However, AirBnB hosts also don't have too many tools to price short stays higher: the cleaning fee is the only one.  There are weekly discounts of course, but most of my stays are shorter than a week, 3-5 days being really common.  

If there was a way to price one or two night stays relatively higher then I might be more inclined to allow those.   As it is though the cleaning fee is the only 'per stay' charge that exists. 

If I could tag on a bit extra for one or two night stays then I wouldn't really need a cleaning fee or any other per-stay fee.

[Suzanne155]

i agree with all these posts except the first response that missed the point. im starting to get very frustrated that it seems air b&b doesnt care to engage in helping us. ive had an issue posted for hours with only one response out of 22 views and zero help.if anyone has charged guests for damage that is more than wear or tear id love to hear it. ive charged once $40 for muddy semi perm paw prints on white duvet,left after wash & bleach. they paid without contest,but im still left with eventually having to replace at twice the fee collected.