Airbnb has updated its rules to limit what hosts can ask guests to do before they check out, including restrictions on cleaning-related tasks.
Under the new guidelines, hosts may set seven standard house rules and add other requests deemed "reasonable." Guests who already pay a cleaning fee will no longer be required to complete tasks normally carried out by a cleaner, such as stripping beds, washing dishes, or taking rubbish offsite.
The changes apply to all reservations booked on or after 20 November on the platform.
"House rules help guests understand what hosts expect, but we've heard from our community that they can be confusing, onerous and hard to manage," Airbnb said in a statement.
"So, we've redesigned them to make them easier to discover and clearer to set, alongside a new policy that keeps requests reasonable, with no surprises."
According to the updated requirements published on the Airbnb website, hosts are generally not permitted to ask guests to complete tasks that "require significant effort or time, or would typically be performed by a cleaner, including stripping the bed, taking trash offsite, or washing and putting away dishes."
The company said exceptions may be granted in specific circumstances. As one example, guests could be asked to limit shower time if local drought-related water restrictions are in place.
Property rules will also be displayed more prominently going forward and will appear in guests' reservation reminders.
Contracts between hosts and guests will only be permitted in limited circumstances, such as when required by law or homeowners association rules. Hosts will not be able to impose fines, though they retain control over their house rules and requests.
If a host's request is found to violate Airbnb policies, the issue will be flagged and the host may appeal the decision.
The rule changes come after years of complaints from guests about excessive pre-departure requirements, particularly given that most bookings already include a mandatory cleaning fee.
The new policy has drawn renewed attention to a broader debate about host expectations on the platform. Videos posted by Airbnb hosts Cassie and Jon, who closely inspect their rental property in the US state of Georgia after guests leave, recently went viral for their level of scrutiny.
In one video, the couple accused guests of "disrespecting the house rules" for leaving a television remote out of place. The pair have faced criticism for their strict standards but said their content had been misinterpreted.
Their videos have since inspired other content creators to parody hosts with similarly stringent requirements.
