UK Cleaning Standards

[Ros0]

Hi all

After two rounds of renting out both rooms on a longer-term lodging site, I have decided to reserve the second room I have in my house solely for short-term/AirBnB lettings but any time I try and read up on the requirements for cleaning it is all US based and adhering to their standards.

UK-based hosts - what measures are you taking in between guests.

I haven't had this room back on AirBnB since the loft extension was completed and the two 'downstairs' rooms were completely refurbished solely for renting out - I opted to use another site to let out to longer-term lodgers but in a post-COVID environment, it seems a lot easier to only have one long-term lodger in the larger room, and to keep the smaller room for much more transient guests.

I have seen great suggestions like hand-sanitiser in the room, masks - all doable now that stocks seem to be plentiful, and I keep the shared areas clean myself.

Anything else I should be doing?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Ros0 cleaning standards exist for most countries including the uk. They are available on Airbnb.co.uk.  That said the enhanced cleaning protocol is a) over the top and b) doesn't seem to be required by most guests - none have asked us about it.

[Ros0]

That's useful to know... what have you provided in the room extra to the 'old days'?

[Marit-Anne0]

@Ros0 hand sanitizer is all I have provided and all I have seen provided during my stays this summer holiday. 

But would your long term lodger be happy with the added exposure from transient guests ? I would not if I were your long term lodger.

[Ros0]

Yeah I have discussed it with him and currently (as I haven't reactivated the room yet - I want to get some new phots having changed the layout a bit) it is being used occasionally by a friend when she is training at the National Tennis Centre nearby and he has no issues with that provided obviously anyone booking is honest enough to disclose whether they have symptoms etc. 

I would never have thought of just landing this on him with no warning!

To be honest he was expecting to stay with a short-term guest I had previously let the small room out to but they moved out before he moved in so he knows people might be coming.

I never have instant booking on, and that seems to be even more sensible now seeing as people are already living here. 

[Helen350]

@Ros0 I used to have a doctor stay with me one weekend a month. He still stayed during full lockdown. I asked if he would mind the presence of Airbnb guests once Airbnb was allowed again, & if he felt at risk?... "Not at all", he said, "Not at all!"

- Tho' this was actually a hypothetical question! Because of the UK government 'Only TWO households can mix under one roof' regulation, I now only host ONE single or couple at a time. My previous lodgers left during lockdown at various stages, being keyworkers, they were allowed to be here, but their contracts are over now.

I actually would like to return to the mix of 1-2 long term lodgers AND Airbnb in my 3rd room, or in my case at weekends when Mon-Fri lodgers are not there... But sadly, I guess this would be against Covid regs! - I'm assuming the 'TWO households' rule means Mon- Fri lodgers will never count as my household, cos they are part of their own household back home, not mine! So I could only host a 7/7 lodger, which my house is less suited to... So it's just ONE Airbnb for me for now....

So I presume YOUR lodger stays 7/7? - If he has another address, then any Airbnbers would constitute a third household....

Re cleaning, I just do 'normal' cleaning. It's a private house, full of clutter, not a hotel! I charge £20 a night/£30 for couples.... That does not allow for extra cleaning! - If guests require sanitizer, they can bring their own!!! - I don't actually see the POINT of sanitizer; I have liquid soap in (shared) bathroom & kitchen.

When the hoo-ha was at it's height, I kept a  food container of disinfectant on a shelf by the bathroom door with a  sponge & disinfected door handles, taps, loo flush etc. I don't always bother now, I've forgotten about Covid! - Guests can use the disinfectant sponge if they wish, but of my 26 guests post 4 July, only the first one seemed to care... - It's a HOUSESHARE! - Live like a local! 

- You could peruse the gov.uk website for cleaning advice??

[Ros0]

@Helen350 Ahhh yes good points. He is 7/7 and my friend was part of my initial 'support bubble' as lockdown eased so yeah anyone staying would be an extra household - so probably best to shelve the idea for now ...

But your advice on the cleaning is very much how I have operated COVID, cleaning the shared areas and providing liquid soap etc.

I have not had the room up on AirBnB since the loft extension was completed because the room was always snapped up elsewhere so I can leave it as a spare room for now for my friend and see how the restrictions go (although really not anticipating anything changing much for a year).

[Helen350]

@Ros0 If your lodger is 7/7, then you & he are only ONE household... - So you could host one room on Airbnb? -  If your friend visits, then he or she would have to visit when there were no Airbnbers booked, or when your guests were out??? - Could work?

[Ros0]

That could indeed work... !

[Debra300]

@Ros0 , @Helen350 ,

Please teach me some English, and explain what you mean by referring to the lodger as "he's 7/7".  Is your use of the term referencing the July 7, 2005 date of the bombings in London? 

[Ros0]

I assume @Helen350 meant 24/7 or 7 days a week and not Monday to Friday.

She references Mon-Fri in her post so assume it was just a typo. 

We apparently both understood each other perfectly (which is what really matters) and if you read the entire exchange of posts it is actually quite clear.

[Sarah977]

@Ros0  Honestly, having two unrelated guests sharing a house with common spaces is not okay as long as this virus is happening. Someone having symptoms isn't the point. There are tons of people who are infected and can easily infect others, who may get very ill or die, who have no symptoms at all.  If you rent a shared home, you are part of the problem that can contribute to the spread of this virus.

That people are in denial about this, or think it's not that big a deal, is why the virus is still raging.

As far as cleaning goes, I'd just use common sense. Wash all surfaces well, then disinfect them either with a bleach solution (1 part bleach, 9 parts water) or 70% alcohol. There's many disinfecting products available, but those 2 do deactivate the virus and are cheap. Remove anything that can't be cleaned or washed, like throw pillows that don't have removable, washable covers. 

Things we may not have washed in the past, like bed headboards and foot boards now should be sterilized. Don't forget things like light switches, doorknobs, stove knobs, etc. Basically anything people might touch.

Virus particles can hang in the air just from people's breath for 3 hours before settling, so no one should go in to clean after a guest has left until then. Handle used towels and bedding carefully- put it directly into a plastic bag without shaking it around to transport to the washing machine.

[Ros0]

@Sarah977 

Thanks for your response.

Forgive me but I am unclear on the current situation in Mexico, and for now, it makes more sense to stay within the UK regulations.

It might be worth noting that despite somewhat half-hearted support from the government with regards to lodger/tenant protection, my new lodger had to move out of his previous place.

In a perfect world I would not have to re-open up my rooms for lodging. This is not a perfect world. My previous lodger gave his notice having stayed with his girlfriend for the first 6 months and so I found someone in need just as my additional income had dried up. Serendipity? Maybe.

In a perfect world I would be working my freelance shifts but unfortunately those will not be returning any time soon. So needs unfortunately must and I have had no choice but to establish one new household with lodger, and one support-bubble household with best mate.

As @Helen350 points out, the UK regulations as they stand permit me to socialise indoors with a maximum of two households - in this case a long term lodger and a member of my support bubble. It would appear introducing the smaller room back onto AirBnB would constitute a third household, but you appear to have glossed over the fact that I have decided to postpone that for now.

While I would like to believe your words came from a position of guidance (and I am giving you a huge benefit of the doubt here), your words are somewhat accusatory and I do take exception to your assertion that I am in some kind of denial and that I am part of the global pandemic issue.

I take this very seriously indeed. 6 months ago, overnight my work income stopped. I do not go out unless I absolutely have to. I cover my face, I clean the shared areas of the house constantly, and I am abiding fully and willingly by my country's regulations.

As such, please rest assured I will not be contributing to the global pandemic by listing my room on AirBnB for the foreseeable future, and thank you for persuading me that actually I am probably better off using SpareRoom going forward as it has yielded me far more income since getting the loft extension and completely refurbishing the rooms specifically for renting out than AirBnB ever did when I had just one spare room listed.

I wish you all the best with your situation in Mexico and hope we all find a way out of this global pandemic.

[Sarah977]

@Ros0 Sorry if you felt I was being personally accusatory- wasn't my intention at all. I was just stating the facts,and good to hear you are taking this seriously. I'm just so frustrated with those who seem to think that it's no big deal. I knew someone in my town who died from COVID, and his whole family was infected. I know another guy, he is my neighbor's gardener, and has worked for me as well- he has been sick with all the virus symptoms for three weeks, but won't go to the doctor, because he can't afford it (thank goodness there are those lucky enough, like you, to live in countries with socialized medicine, where no one declines to seek medical care if necessary).

I also understand that many are hugely suffering financially, so they have to do what they can to find some income. I just want everyone to be responsible and "get" how dangerous this virus is, and that we can stop the spread, but it takes the cooperation of all, worldwide. 

[Ros0]

@Sarah977 

“Good to hear you are taking this seriously” 

Could you be any more patronising do you think? Do you seriously believe you are the only person that has been affected by this? 

Who made you judge and juror over everyone? I do not answer to the likes of you.

Kindly trot on and be judgemental some place else.