Should Guest be Expected to Clean when Host Charges a Cleaning Fee?

Answered!
Rob183
Level 2
SF, CA

Should Guest be Expected to Clean when Host Charges a Cleaning Fee?

Hi there, 

 

Curious on this one as a guest and a host.   My wife/friendsand I have been on opposite sides of the argument both as hosts and guests.

 

If a host charges a guest a cleaning fee (not small at $200 here in SF), what is the cleaning expectation of guests?

 

Some in our circles have argued guests should do the dishes and leave the place tidy.  Others have argued their paying a sizeable cleaning fee so why should they have to clean.

 

Curious what the community thinks and if there is a clear answer or it depends.

 

Thanks in Advance!

 

1 Best Answer
Skylar14
Level 3
Westminster, CO

As a guest, if the host is going to charge a cleaning fee, the listing - not a folder at the house - should state what the fee covers and what the host expects of the guest so that the guest can decide if it is worth it or not. If they want you to pay a large cleaning fee and aren't up front about their expectations, i feel like they are just being dishonest and trying to use scam tactics to make their place look more desirable. 

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222 Replies 222

@Rob183 

 

First of all I think a guest is not supposed to assume the role of a cleaner.
However the guest must know he can not behave like a pig in sty.

 

To offer a clean space I have to charge a cleaning fee.
I do not have a volunteer to clean the property for free. I do not have a volunteer to do laundry for free! 🙂

 

If the guests leave the property in a mess and too  dirty,  I give them less than 3 star on cleaning factor.

If the guests leave it tidy they get 5 star. Most of my guests get 5 stars!

Honestly the fee should not be charged at the booking but after if applicable. If the house is clean when the guest leaves then you should only charge basic cleaning and if its a mess charge the full amount plus more if applicable. When have you ever been to a hotel and are expected to clean? never, this should be the same. Also the cleaning should be less if its just one person staying compared to family. 

Graham-And-Michelle0
Level 9
Auckland, New Zealand

As guests we always leave the accommodation as we found it. Actually sometimes in a better state.

(   And that's another story . ).

As hosts we really enjoy and appreciate guests who do the same .  It seems that most people understand and leave the house as they found it but sometimes, with young people or first time users  things may not be as clean or tidy. We find a gentle reminder when we message or phone to check on departure times can be helpful.

To be fair the cleaning fee we charge does not cover our time and most people understand that.

Stop thinking as guests, its is a service like a hotel; you dont go to a hotel and be expected to clean the room? never. Same thing, the cleaning fee should be done at the end of the stay based on the so called guest and the amount of people. Also its irrational to have cleaning fee more expensive than the night.

You don't pay for a cleaning for a hotel because it is a 200sqft room. You cannot compare a whole house to a room. At most, a hotel has two beds in their rooms.

 

Hotels have the benefit because they can employ staff. As short-term rental hosts, we have to hire a small business, and that is typically much more expensive than the $15 an hour an employee would get. That is the benefit of scale, one which Airbnb hosts, unfortunately, don't have. 

 

My cleaning fee covers, the laundry for up to 40 towels, sheets, and blankets for 7 beds, cleaning and sanitizing everything from my kitchen countertops to my grill. You don't have kids' toys, pots, & pans, and or HEPA air purifiers in your hotel. 

 

 

For some, a hotel is a better option, but for others that like to travel with family or a large group, it can generally be a better option, and more cost-effective.

 

Comparing a hotel to an Airbnb is just silly. 

Great idea! What do you usually include in this, "friendly reminder?" Could an automated system, or some sort of standard reminder of check-out procedures help?

Annette33
Level 10
Prescott, AZ

@Rob183, gorgeous place you got! So yes, even if guests keep the place tidy, there is lots of linen and towl changes to do, so you got your $200 cleaning fee in place for that. Regardless of the cleaning fee amount, I would expect guests to leave the place somewhat "tidy", like a private guest would do, like cleaning the dishes used. etc. That's just common curtesy.

But to go as far as expecting guest to strip the beds, start the laundry with the towles used, etc.. I think that is a bit much, especially when they pay a certain amount of $$ $ for a one night lodging. So the higher the price, or the higher the stay/cleaning fee ratio is, the more guests should feel free to not getting involved in the clean up process.: 

I stayed as guest at an Airbnb rental recently, they had a $80 cleaning fee (tiny studio)  for 2 nights min. stay of $135.00 per night ( before all the additions), so that is 30% of the lodging price.  They asked to help them out by starting a load of laundry the morning of departure: I didn't like that so much - like I need to facilitate their fast turnover, yet pay $80 for that? No. It's not so much the amount of money, but the percentage rate.

In your case, with a nice chunk of change for a one night lodging, I would just go with the flow - leave it as is and don't expect guest to do anything beyond keeping things "respectful".

I agree as a renter / not a guest...a renter pays for a transaction...a guest doesn't pay because they are a guest....a cleaning fee and expecting the renter to strip beds and gather trash bags and collect towels is just tacky and unprofessional unless the rented space is a shared space with common areas. ...and especially when the dwelling is not where the owner lives....no renters are not guests....they are purchasers of a set amount of time of usage in a facility and anything beyond washing dishes as an expected tidy is a rude money grabber to make your job easier and not fair to the consumer. I know many air bnb owners who don't charge a cleaning fee and some who do...but none of them have any tidying expectations because they understand how repeat customers are won. I have  relative who has an air bnb and they charge a cleaning fee but don't list any tidying expectations ....they think that's a rude request and unethical on the cha-ching side of things. All of them agree that the renters are not guests ....they are purchasers ...when you have guests in....they stay for free ...renters pay...big difference. 

I know this is an older post but I could not disagree more. Percentage makes no difference. It takes my cleaners the amount of time it takes them regardless of how much I choose to charge for the room. In the low season, I charge a quarter of what I usually get but my cleaners charge the same. I did have one customer ding me based on that. Instead of being thankful that she got the place for a steal, she was mad the cleaning fee ration to nightly rate was high. She even acknowledged how fantastic of a rate she got. So should I charge more for my place now just so the customers feel they are not overpaying for cleaning. That is just silly.

**[Inappropriate content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines] Dont be lazy, do charge a cleaning fee if guests have to do the cleaning.  I dont give money to people for my labor, but the other way around.  You want me to clean..give me a cut of the money **[Inappropriate content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

Jenny
Community Manager
Community Manager
Galashiels, United Kingdom

Hello,

 

I just wanted to drop in with a quick reminder that personal insults are against Community Center Guidelines.

 

Please be respectful of others, even if your opinions differ, as the CC should be a safe place where everyone feels welcome.

 

Thanks

 

Jenny

-----

 

Please follow the Community Guidelines

But your guest isn't getting the place "for a steal". She booked the place at the rate the market demanded for the time of year. Like a hotel, you dropped the price during the low season because with fewer tourists in the area, competition is tougher among Airbnbs in the area. The price goes down as suppliers (hosts) try to entice people to choose their place over the others. If you didn't, the place would likely go unrented and you'd earn $0 because there are more locations than people looking for a place to stay. That's not your guest's fault. Just like staying at a hotel, guests shouldn't leave the place trashed, but you should not charge a cleaning fee, especially a disproportionately high one, and expect guests to take out trash, strip beds, start linen laundry, etc.

Cynthia-and-Chris1
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

If I'm paying a $200 cleaning fee, I'm not clean a darn thing. Lol. That said, I wouldn't go out of my way to leave a total disaster either. 

I agree. Airbnb has gotten in the habit of charging us for cleaning then asking us to clean. You will get one:  either I clean or I pay for someone to clean. 

@Edward554  Airbnb doesn't charge you a cleaning fee, individual hosts set their own cleaning fees.

 

All guests are expected to tidy up after themselves, wash their dirty dishes etc. That's just common courtesy when you stay in someone's home. Airbnbs don't include daily maid service.

 

The cleaning fee covers hours more cleaning that has to be done between guests, which many guests, including apparently you, don't understand. If it doesn't show up as a separate fee, hosts would have to raise their nightly price to cover it. The cleaning fee is usually paid to the host's cleaner, it's not going in the host's pocket unless the host does the cleaning themselves.

 

If a host expects guests to also strip beds, start a load of wash, haul garbage out to the dumpster, I do think they should mention that in the listing, not spring it on guests after they arrive. 

 

There's nothing stopping you from inquiring before you book as to what cleaning the host expects guests to do before checking out. But I can guarantee you almost all hosts expect guests to clean up their personal messes, whether they charge a cleaning fee or not. If you just want to be able to walk out without doing anything to tidy up, you should probably stick to staying in hotels.