Etiquette

[Colleen553]

Hi All,

This was my first time using Air B&B so I'm not sure what I expected but I was surprised when the owner asked us to do all laundry, dishes, clean tubs, toilets, vacuum, sweep and then had an envelope on the refrigerator to tip the cleaning lady.

We also had an issue with the door handle breaking and my whole family was locked inside a room with out access to a telephone. I had to climb out the window and into another one to get to my cell phone, thank God I had unlocked and opened all the windows the night before so I could get out! 

The host of the house sent me a text message this morning asking me not to leave a review if it wasn't going to be 5 stars and I was really bothered by that. Just looking for feedback on how to handle this situation. Thanks!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Colleen553 I would say one task was fair others not. We do expect (hope) that guests do the dishes but nothing else on your list. We certainly don't expect them to tip the cleaning lady! Did the listing suggest these tasks were required of the guest?

Now to reviews. Anything less than 5 stars IS damaging BUT may be deserved if tasks not mentioned in the listing were requested. A 4 star review can be coped with - A 1 star review cannot so do try to be fair with your rating.

[Colleen553]

Thank you! The listing did not mention those tasks.

[Stephanie2802]

I would never tell someone to not leave a review if it was less than 5 stars, that's not my call to make. I also would NEVER ask my guests to do all that work, I'm always shocked when they do and tell them they don't have to. As a host, I may not be a hotel, but I AM delivering hospitality. You are a guest in my home and I will treat you as such, so if someone out there isn't doing the same, you have every right to evaluate your stay how you see fit. That's not their choice to make for you.

My suggestion is, as long as you followed their rules, don't worry about their review on you: If you choose to leave a bad review they can't see it until after they review you as well. That said, if you chose not to follow all those rules (and fr, that's an insane amount to ask someone who is getting PAID to have someone stay there), and they leave a bad review, I would see if you can appeal it with AirBNB. You shouldn't be tasked with cleaning the entire place for them, YOU aren't being paid to do so. 

I may also suggest sending a support note to AirBNB as well to suggest they review the demands this host is placing on guests. I actually don't know if there are limits to that (again, I would never ask that, so it's not something I've come up against), but if there are, AirBNB should address that with them to keep this from happening again in the future. 

Remember, YOU are the guest and YOU are the one paying for your stay. You don't need to do their work for them.

Hope that helps.

[Kia272]

@Colleen553 I'm outraged on your behalf. It's absolutely unacceptable to ask a guest to do all that. And then to leave a tip envelope for the cleaning lady? YOU were the cleaning lady! 

It gets even worse with this host asking you not to leave a review unless it's 5 stars. 

I'd definitely leave an honest review so that future guests know what they are getting into. Keep it factual and brief so readers don't think that you're the problem. Hosts like this give hosts in general a bad rap by doing things like this. 

When you stay with me, all I ask is that you clean up after yourself- as in dishes and any mess that you may have created. Then you walk out the door, and I do the cleaning. No tip required! 

[Joelle43]

Hello @Colleen553 

I can only join in with other fellow hosts in agreeing that what your host is asking of you is well beyond what any of us expect from our hosts. 

In case you're in any doubt, the CEO himself, Brian Chesky said this recently:

Guests should not have to do unreasonable checkout tasks such as stripping the beds, doing the laundry, or vacuuming when leaving their Airbnb. But we think it’s reasonable to ask guests to turn off the lights, throw food in the trash, and lock the doors—just like they would when leaving their own home. 

Was there a cleaning fee included in your reservation?

[Colleen553]

Thank you and yes there was a $75.00 cleaning fee.

[Ana2038 · Accepted solution]

@Colleen553 , I can relate to your frustration. As with the other hosts who commented below, I don’t ask for a lot of my guest(s) upon check out. Just the basic: turn off lights, A/C, fan and close the door. I just recently came back from a short 4 day stay in Cabo and I could not believe the check out instructions found in the listing guideline book. They were a page long—and at the bottom of the page it states “a $150.00 fee will be assessed if the check out instructions are not followed.”  And yes, I did pay a cleaning fee ($100.00) at time of booking. I did state to the host, after check out, that I thought the checkout instructions were a bit much etc… her response was that due to back to back bookings (as one person checks outs, another checks in later that day—6 hours later), so they ask their guests to help her cleaning crew get the unit ready for the next guest (s). EXCUSE ME, I’m your guest, I’m not part of your cleaning crew!! I’ve stayed at other Airbnb and/ or Booking.com listings and have never encountered a checkout instruction list as I did in this one. Other listings had basic check out instructions, rinse off dishes, turn off lights, A/C etc…but to require sweeping, stripping of all beds, start a load of laundry of all towels ( bath & kitchen), removal of all trash (kitchen, bath, bedrooms) and placing in downstairs outdoor trash bin..etc. just to make a few. What really got me was the “help our cleaning crew get the unit ready for the next guest,” response.”

[Paula]

Hi @Colleen553 ,

It's great to see so many Hosts offering their views on the situation. Please let us know if you've had a chance to read through them, and hopefully, this is helpful for your future interactions with the Host.

Keep us posted.

[Colleen553]

Yes, I've read them all and wrote a reviews for the host.