Check out instructions?

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Check out instructions?

I'm curious how other hosts handle check-out. We host a 3 bedroom house so we tend to get big groups. Even if they only stay 1-2 nights, there is a lot to do to clean for the next guest. So I started posting a "Before you leave" list.  

 

I ask that they wash all the dishes, strip the sheets off the beds, take out the trash. I also add a few helpful hints like check under the beds, log off all accounts on the smart TV, let me know how their stay could be better, etc. I'm not asking them to clean or vacuum.

 

Is this too much or not enough? Should I let guests know my expectations when they arrive or right before they leave? Should I post it on the listing where I'm sure it won't be read but just in case someone says, "but I didn't know!" How do other hosts handle this?

1 Best Answer
Josh1667
Level 2
Raleigh, NC

Airbnb now has a help article on how to check out of an airbnb for guests (https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3501), including details on things like finding specific checkout instructions and requesting a late checkout. This could be useful if guests ask you how to find checkout instructions for your listing on different platforms. 

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45 Replies 45
Clara116
Level 10
Pensacola, FL

I guess many hosts aren't concerned about stains and totally ruined bed linens. When guests automatically strip and fold up the linens - about 90% I have seen  have stains on them. And if just thrown in the machine stains will remain permanent. I will NOT use linens or towels with stains in our cottage. 

 

So I ask guests to please leave the bed linens  - do not strip the bed linens........ you have paid for this service! 

I ask them to leave cups and silverware and we will wash them. We don't have a dishwasher in the cottage but folks don't want to have to clean up on their way out. I think to make sure and wipe down spills or such is just decent courtesy. Most folks do that.. It is nice if they will put trash IN the trash receptacles and that's all I wish to happen. 

Clara116
Level 10
Pensacola, FL

@Bryan-and-Corey0  I think your request are too much to expect:

We as hosts hope, pray and expect guests will not be slobs -

we hope they will:

atleast put trash in the waste can - (some just drop stuff on the floor)

if dishwasher, put dishes in it

wipe up their  spills

HOWEVER, many don't use waste can, wipe up, or do dishes - they just don't.

And I think there is a group that think Cleaning fee - I paid for this service --- they are still slobs in my mind.

 

Folks are away from their home and paying and I think they do not wish to pay a cleaning fee and then receive a list of clean up just before they go. I think the cleaning fee is about cleaning up the linens, bed, towels - floors- dishes, trash. 

 

Some people hate to be told what they MUST do and many will never follow instructions! on purpose, like:

strip bed & towels - load into washer/wash

load dishwasher

take trash out

 

Guess I look at things different than many hosts - what I hope for is that they DO NOT leave blood and body fluid stains all over the bedding (those that strip and fold the linen, have ALWAYS had stains at my cottage - in about 85 guests about 7 left stains - 1 guest left bedding so bad it had to be trashed, (claim $$) ALL bedding (except the pillows)  I was so glad to have mattress protection - NOW I USE 2 MATTRESS PROTECTORS AT ALL TIMES on the tempurpedic bed. 

Some people are embarrassed by this sometimes and try and hide it - others do not care, or just go mute. 

So if the bedding is left in good shape - I am a happy host and can handle the rest. good luck and happy hosting, Clara

 

Sebastien151
Level 2
Kelowna, Canada

Hello,

 

I treat it exactly like a hotel service.

I come from a hotel family so I don’t go to the room with them at check out to see if anything is wrong. Hotel clerks don’t do that.  

I also list that’s in room and that I require please 2 hours notice of arrival so I am there on time for them. Also that I require a precise time for check out for keys in the lobby. If it’s a long term client I give a thank you card and Starbucks card in gratitude.

 

Not sure if this helps at all. 

Customers like clear, to the point instructions as they usually want a good review as well. 

 

Thanks and best of luck in your success!

J

Andrea-and-Francis0
Level 10
Mississauga, Canada

After having our apartment trashed by messy & disrepectful guests on multiple occasions we now have basic cleaning expectations for all guests staying in our home. I send these checkout instructions the day before they leave so they are well aware 🙂

For our condo in the mountains, we send a reminder about checkout the day before, along with a note about where to find checkout procedures: inside the front door, in our house binder, and of course in the app under the listing (3 places!).

We have about half a dozen things: run dishwasher if there are dirty dishes, strip beds and leave towels on bathroom floor, turn off the A/C or gas fireplace, close drapes/blinds, lock the windows and doors, put trash in bear-proof trashcan outside, leave key in lockbox. Finally, we remind them to check for belongings including phone chargers.

But we had a group of young medical professionals (Americans, so no language issue) from a big city stay, and they left a window open and unlocked (we're on the ground floor), blinds/drapes open (no big deal), fireplace on, and left recycling outside the can. Luckily we were there the next day, or the trash would have been all over the mountain top. They also had bottle caps in the sink disposal, and left oil all over the stove, oven, and a pan. 

We mentioned the most egregious things in our review, and the response was "We did the best we could" (seriously?!) and we should have put that in a private message. Didn't want to go back and forth with her but we saw it as our responsibility to other hosts to note serious items. 

Sorry--way more than you wanted to hear, I'm sure! Needed to vent. Point is, you can make it as simple as possible but not everyone will pay attention.   M.E.

Your check out instructions are perfectly reasonable for the location.  I know how important it is to be careful with any garbage that would attract bears.  This is for the safety of people and bears.

 

I am not condoning the guest behavior, but I wonder if if a call in addition to your instructions would help drive home the importance of your rules.  Is that possible?  The consequence to rule violation will hurt you more than the guest. 

 

I am baffled by the lack of direct contact between guest and host when the host does not have an opportunity to meet the guest.  A phone call makes your situation more real and more personal.  

Luana130
Level 10
State of Bahia, Brazil

Wow, that is a lot... I don't expect my guests to leave me a mess, but I also don't expect them to clean everything either... I just aks them to make sure they turn off the AC and light, take out the trash, and to leave the keys at the kitchen counter.

Nancy1249
Level 3
Nokomis, FL

The cleaning fee is to assure that the cottage is spotless when they check in. It is not so they can leave the place with messes to clean up. My cleaning people are concerned with cleaning and not with picking up after people. Here where I live, it is hard to find cleaning people, and they only want to clean for the money I provide them and not be a maid service. 

I have been doing this for 20 years and this has always been the policy. We are not hotels. Our houses, our rules. By doing this I can assure them they will be checking in to a place that is immaculate and has good attention to detail. 

I ask guests that the sheets and towels be placed in the tub, that they pick up all their trash and recycling and remove it from the house, that they not leave perishables in the fridge, that they clean, dry and put away all dishes (in the cottage that has no dishwasher.) Put anything back that they’ve moved or unplugged, sign out of smart tv accounts. 

 

I just had the third set of guests in a row not read or follow house rules or check out instructions. I find it is usually younger people. My retiree age guests are almost 100% compliant. 

I would like AirBnB to do a better job communicating to guests that they need to follow the owners’ rules, and that each place they stay will have different criteria. I’m dismayed to read about how many hosts in this forum say they allow people to leave a place without doing anything but leave the key. This is not how renting guest cottages by owner has ever worked, and it is creating problems by setting unrealistic expectations. Guests need to budget time before they leave to pick up after themselves and leave the place close to as they found it. 

This my first time doing this so do cleaning get refunded back are we keep

Sherree3
Level 2
St. Louis, MO

I have a resort and mines want money paid up front , how do host handle that help

Jac4408
Level 2
Connecticut, United States

where do i list check out requests? i have been asking guests to throw a load in washer to help housekeeper. helps keep cleaning costs down

You can put it in your airbnb house manual. I also have a saved message I send upon booking and the  day of checkout with the instructions, and a printed house manual in the apartment. I find its best to have information in 3 spots so guests hopefully see one of them!

Jillian115
Level 10
Jamestown, CA

I leave a printed checkout checklist on a clipboard with a pen.  I've only ever had two out of 100 not follow it I also post the instructions on my online listing and in my printed welcome book. 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

For those of you who have a list of things you want the guests to do before checking out (I'm a home share host- I have none), I would urge you to put that list somewhere in your listing info and also in a message to guests when they first book, so if it's not amenable to them, they can still cancel penalty-free. It isn't fair for guests to only be informed of this when they arrive.

 

My son-in-law travels a lot on business and books Airbnbs. He is there alone, he's out and about during the day at meetings and interviews and is really only using the place to sleep, shower, eat some take-out, maybe make coffee while he does some online work. He might stay a night or two. He's not the kind of guy to make a mess or not clean up after himself. He would be mindful of separating the recycling. He doesn't throw wet towels on the floor or eat pizza on the couch. But he told me he resents it when he's paid a cleaning fee and then he finds a list of things the host wants him to do before check-out that was never mentioned before.

He might have a 9 AM flight to catch- he doesn't want to have to strip the bed, start a load of wash, take the garbage out to the curb or the dumpster. If he'd been informed of the requirements when he was looking for a place to book, he would have passed and found a place that didn't assume he was on vacation and had time to do all that.

Cherie71
Level 10
Anchorage, AK

I put the list of check-out responsibilities in the House Rules and I provide a reminder message the night before check-out.

 

After having crews of contractors using the apartments for a month and leaving dirty dishes for nearly the length of their stay (Do you know how hard it is to remove lasagna crud after a couple of weeks of sitting on a counter? :)) - I do have guests run dishes through the dishwasher before leaving.  Yes, sometimes the housekeeping staff has to do them over for a variety of reasons BUT it tells guests they cannot leave days or weeks of dishes stacked on the counters and sink and expect that is included in a standard Housekeeping Fee.

 

I also ask the guests to leave the bedding on the bed.  99% of the time it has been removed the guests are trying to hide stains.

 

I ask guests to put all used towels in the tub - with the hope they don't leave sopping wet towels sitting on the wood floor.  To turn off any appliances/coffee makers and return any electronics to their original situation... 

 

They are asked to bag up and put all trash in the outdoor trash can when they leave.

 

Close windows; turn off lights; lock the door, dump your trash on your way out, and have a safe, wonderful trip back home.