Refund for power outage?

[Pete69]

Thankfully I haven't yet activate my listing because we had a power outage in my area from 2 AM to 11 AM. This had me thinking what if this happened when a guest was staying.

Would you issue a full or partial refund?

What if there was a moderate outage of just one or two hours? Knock off 10%?

[Jessica2580]

I've never left any airbnb nasty. I'm pretty respectful and do clean up most things and have a good rating. But, I am curious: what is the cleaning fee for if not for dishes and trash and laundry? With cleaning fees these days that are typically the cost of a night's stay, why would the host expect the guest to clean everything after they have paid that?

[Sarah977]

@Jessica2580  "What is the cleaning fee for"?

Scrubbing and sterilizing the bathroom.

Sterilizing all high touch surfaces.

Vacuuming thoroughly.

Mopping floors.

Cleaning baseboards.

Cleaning window blinds.

Dusting.

Washing windows, wiping down window sills.

Checking to make sure the dishes the guest washed are actually clean.

Cleaning fans, vents, etc.

Checking for and removing any cobwebs.

Cleaning out  drawers and  cupboards.

Washing down drawer and cabinet fronts.

Cleaning light fixtures.

Laundry ( even if the guest puts  linens in the machine and turns it on, they still need to be transferred to a dryer folded, and put away)

Remaking beds, putting out clean towels.

Restocking provisions like toilet paper, soap, laundry soap, coffee, etc.

Cleaning up any outside areas, like patios and yards.

Replacing any burnt out light bulbs, remote control batteries, etc.

I could probably come up with at least 10 more things, but I hope that's enough for you to get the picture.

If you like, think of the cleaning fee as cleaning for your arrival. Would you really want to rely on the previous guest's "cleaning" as adequate for you to move into?

[Debra300]

@Jessica2580 

I will had a few more items to @Sarah977's list:

- cleaning all of the small kitchen appliances (coffee makers, tea kettles, toasters, microwaves, blenders, mixers, air fryer, etc.)

- cleaning large kitchen appliances (refrigerator, freezer, range top and oven, griddle and range hood)

- cleaning the bar-b-que grill

- removing automobile fluid stains from onsite parking

- touching up walls where guests have marked/dinted with their luggage, shoes, dirty hands

- cleaning out the guest's hair from the drains

- cleaning out the lint trap or filter in the dryer, washing machine, and dishwasher 

- cleaning the  buildup from detergent tray in the washing machine and dishwasher

- removing stains from towels, linens and furniture

- disposing of vermin and bugs that were attracted by the open food left behind by guests

Please note that a properly cleaned ABB goes way above just "not being nasty" or good enough for friends or family to pass by.  On average, it takes 8-10 hours to clean our 2 bedroom apartments, and about 6 hours to clean our studio suites.

[Sarah977]

@Debra300  Ah, how could I have forgotten every host's favorite cleaning job- fishing guest's hair covered in soap scum out of the shower and bathroom sink drains. 🙂

Thanks for rounding out the list. I wasn't even thinking about all the kitchen cleaning, as I share my kitchen with guests, so it never gets yucky. 

It takes me an hour and a half of non-stop cleaning to do my small guest room and their bathroom, no matter how clean and tidy they left it. 

[Jessica2580]

If this list were truly what hosts do, then I would agree with you 100%. But, I've stayed all over the world, in dozens of airbnbs. And, this is not the case.

I've watched the cleaning of airbnbs in person when their cleaner arrived later than check in. I've been friends with hosts. My own mother cleaned houses and rentals for a living. So, no one can sell me on the 6 or 8 hr thing. Its more like 2-3 hours ( tops, and mostly because of laundry time) with deep cleans once a month. Most of the items on your list don't happen every time. Some of these things are weekly or biweekly. And the things in the added list happen maybe once a year. The cost of the cleaning service (per hour) isn't incredibly high either and the cleaning fee for airbnb usually covers this cost (or close to it) completely when the cleaning fee is in the range I've seen lately (usually $70-100). That's the reality of it. 

So, that cleaning fee isn't paying for what you claim here (and if it is for your properties, then you must be an amazing host I've never experienced). So, when someone asks the guest to clean the house they paid a cleaning fee for...well you see what I mean. Now, as already stated, I have never been the source of complaint for a stay, but I also will not do all the cleaning during my own vacation after I paid a cleaning fee. The only exception is if the host has a lower cleaning fee and I know it's much less than the cost of the cleaning service, and then and only then will I clean with the intention you're talking about. 

[Sarah977]

@Jessica2580  Yes, I do pretty much every single thing on the list I wrote, every time I have a new guest checking in. So your assumption is totally incorrect. And I don't even charge a cleaning fee. But I do have a 3 night minimum stay and most of my guests stay an average of a week-10 days. And almost all my guests leave their space clean and tidy.

Your idea that the things on Debra's list happen only once a year is ludicrous. Sure, a host might not have to touch up dings and scuffs every time, or wash all the windows, but then they will be doing other things that only need to be done once every two weeks.

I don't understand your last sentence above. No one expects a guest to clean what's on those lists we posted. That's the host's job. We just expect a guest to clean up their personal mess, it's basic respect- wash their dishes, bag up their garbage, don't leave the stovetop swimming in grease. How long does that take if you aren't a slob to start with? 10-15 minutes? 

Sounds like you have been staying in different kinds of Airbnbs than what most of the regular hosts on this forum run, and that your friends who are hosts don't clean like we do.  Consider that they are not necessarily representative of the average conscientious host.

And the cost of a cleaner varies greatly depending on the area of the world or country.

[Jessica2580]

Some of the statements in this last post contradict what you already said. I was replying this way for 2 reasons.

1. You stated that you would be less willing to refund someone who experienced an outage based on the cleanliness of the place when they left (which infers that you expect them to clean it/ you apply a monetary value to it and are willing to reduce a refund based on this). Which is messed up, honestly. Also, you DO charge a cleaning fee. I looked up your listings and every dang one has a cleaning fee, some up to $125.

2. You state that you feel the guest cleaning is necessary and that the cleaning fee should be "cleaning for your arrival" by which you mean cleaning to fill the gap between what the guest cleaned and what remains to be cleaned....again implying that guests should clean these things and this is expected of them/ the cleaning fee is not meant for the cleaning of the entire apt.

So, yeah, a lot of hypocrisy and backtracking here. Guests should only be expected to: leave with all their personal belongings, bag up the trash, rinse and place dishes in the sink, and pile up towels and linens in one location for ease of laundry duties. The rest is on the host and that is especially the case if they charge a cleaning fee that is high.

[Sarah977]

@Jessica2580  I don't understand why you are misinterpreting things. You seem to be responding to me, but as you haven't tagged, I'm not sure.

1. I don't know whose listing you looked at, but I most definitely do not charge any cleaning fee. I list a private room/private bath in my shared home. I have one listing only.

I never said I would be less willing to refund a guest depending on how they cleaned. My post further up was just pointing out that a guest has a better chance of the  host treating them fairly if the guest has been respectful, that's all. If a guest is expecting the host to do the right thing, the guest should be doing the right thing, too, no? That holds true in any walk of life.

2.??? No, I didn't say the cleaning should be considered to be cleaning before your arrival, I said you could think of it like that, because that might help you better understand. How you interpreted that to mean that the previous guest should have done all the housework is puzzling. It meant the exact opposite.

Let's say the previous guest is a respectful person and did what you say you do (which is all I would ever expect a guest to do)- washed his dishes and bagged up his garbage. Would you expect that to be good enough for your arrival and stay at the house? Would you be okay with unwashed floors, an unclean bathroom, hair in the shower stall, something spilled in the fridge, dusty shelves, the previous guest's used tissues and earplugs in the bedside drawer, etc.? All the things a guest is not expected to clean? Of course you wouldn't, nor should you be. That is the host's job. To make sure everything is clean for every guest.

What you say in your last paragraph is exactly what I have been saying. Guests clean up their dirty dishes, don't leave the place strewn with garbage, put the soiled linens wherever the host has indicated. The rest is the host's job. And what the cleaning fees are for. 

You started out asking what the cleaning fee was for if guests did those few things we seem to both agree on that are reasonable. We gave you lists of what the cleaning fee normally covers. What's the problem? 

There's no hypocrisy or backtracking. You just seem to be misunderstanding or wanting to be argumentative.

[Tracey259]

We have had our Airbnb for over a year and half.  Early this morning was the 1st time the power has ever gone out (storm), as of tonight there is still no ETA.  Our guests will be checking out tomorrow.  I am feeling very bad regarding the inconvenience, should I offer a refund or wait until they ask for one?  Does this in any effect your status if they are given a refund?

[Patricia2138]

We had a planned hydro outage 7am to 11 am ...four hours ..I offered the cleaning fee and a late check out ...everyone happy

[Kevin1056]

It's happened twice I didn't give the guests anything... But also the guests really didn't make it an issue. 

If they made it an issue that's another thing.

[Danielle476]

I'll be a voice of dissent and say that yes, guests should be given a partial or full refund *depending on the circumstances.*

Last year my family stayed at a cabin that experienced a power outage for over 24 hours.  We lost heat (no fireplace), water and obviously the electricity.  We had our two young kids so it made it an absolute nightmare.  The host wasn't overly helpful or concerned, to be honest.  When I contacted him to ask about flashlights, candles, etc., he answered that he was 'at work' and would call me later.

If you have a property that may experience power outages, I think at the very LEAST you should have an ample supply of water jugs, batteries, flashlights/lanterns and candles.  If you own a property that experiences them frequently, this should be made clear in your listing so that any potential guest can decide for themselves if it's a risk they want to take.  Personally, I would buy a generator if I owned such a property.  Power outages are obviously not a host's fault, but how they handle them is.  Our priority should always be our guests' comfort and safety.  If one of my guests experiences something that affects their trip negatively, I usually offer a partial refund as a gesture of good faith.  Yes, I have bills to pay too, but to me it's just the cost of doing (good) business.

[Greg89]

 I'm on the horn with Airbnb right now due to california rolling power outages because my guests are requesting a full refund. This is happening all around california.

Airbnb told me that I have an hour to resolve "the situation". I asked what situation that was, since I offered half off. They said "since there is no power, would you be able to provide an alternative source of power, since it is a very essential part of the listing as a lot of your amenities would depend on having power in the listing. If there would be no alternative source of power to be provided, then we would have to cancel the reservation".

I think that's kind of crappy given this happened last minute and I offered half off and my heat, running water are all working. I also have niceities such as oil lamps, fireplace, etc that they can use to make the situation nicer. I offered them 1/2 off if they stay and they decided to call airbnb (expletive here) instead of continuing the conversation with me. Kids today- Me me me.

[Jadan0]

I would simply offer an apology and a discount for any future stays, or a small refund for their current stay! 

[Anna-Marie20]

I'm both a host and a guest and am really surprised to see some of these responses. If you own a property, and the power is out for more than 12 hours, I feel you are absolutely required to issue at least a partial refund for a guest. Am posting this because we're getting ready to head to the coast and just received an e-mail from our host that was very informative, but not very guest-friendly. Said to "prepare accordingly", and puts the onus on the guest to bring flashlights, etc. And recommends "not overly packing perishable food in the event of a power outage", and also tells the guest to call the power company in the event of an outage, and that all cancellation policies will remain in effect in the event of inclement weather. I'm checking on the policy specifics of everything with Airbnb, but have to say that note is enough to make me never rent or recommend this place as the posture seems prematurely host-focused and defensive To all hosts - you are running a business. If you were renting a home for a longer length of time, your tenant would not be required to pay if they didn't have essentials such as electricity or running water. If you don't want to have to sometimes lose money for things that are out of your control, you're in the wrong business IMO.