Short-term rental owners have lashed out at the platform and threatened to quit after the company introduced new changes prohibiting them from asking guests to carry out certain cleaning tasks.
Airbnb hosts are threatening to quit the platform following the company’s new guidelines preventing owners from asking guests to carry out certain chores before they leave.
The changes, which apply to all bookings made on or after 30 November, prevent guests from being asked to do chores that “require significant effort or time” or would usually be carried out by a cleaner.
Under the new rules, guests cannot be requested to strip the bed, take trash offsite, or wash and put away dishes.
Airbnb hosts blasted the news, with even loyal users of the platform threatening to take their listings down.
“This may be it for me … 10 years, 1,100 reviews, 4.97 [rating],” one Reddit user said.
Another said: “Hope I don’t have to host again any time soon! Good luck everyone.”
A third host questioned the ban on requesting that guests wash the dishes, stating that was one of their only rules.
“For Airbnb to flat out say that is an unreasonable rule is mind-blowing,” they said.
Another told hosts to “dump [Airbnb]”, given they were becoming “way too intrusive” in property owners’ business.
The changes came as short-term rental accommodation has come under the microscope as jurisdictions look into ways to free up housing supply.
Earlier this year, the City of Sydney vowed to look into a potential suburb-by-suburb ban following a motion by the Greens.
Under the proposal, restrictions would apply to properties not used as the owner’s primary residence, and may be applied under specific conditions, such as the rental vacancy rate falling below 3 per cent in certain suburbs.
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