The key facts

  • The new Airbnb rules apply to all bookings from 20 November 2026
  • Airbnb's new rules apply to all bookings from 20 November 2026
  • Hosts may set seven standard house rules and add 'reasonable' requests
  • Hosts may set seven standard rules and add “reasonable” requests
  • 63.2% of Airbnb listings charge a cleaning fee, averaging £55 (AirROI data)

What has changed

Airbnb has updated its rules for hosts: for bookings made from 20 November worldwide, they can no longer require guests to do the work that cleaners usually do — washing and putting away dishes, stripping bed linen, or taking rubbish off the property. Hosts may set seven standard house rules and add other 'reasonable' requests. The change was reported by BBC News, and earlier, on 21 October, the platform officially announced the changes.

Reactions from hosts and guests

Opinions were divided. Lisa Clewes, a homeowner in Wales, told the BBC that after a dinner party guests left the house 'in a complete mess' — with broken glasses, pots of food and fish guts in the garden; cleaning her three-bedroom house usually takes four hours, and she fears rising costs that could fall on guests. Anthony Marsh from North Yorkshire has cut his Airbnb listings from five to two, believing the platform has 'effectively allowed guests to leave a mess'. On the other hand, guest Jessica Newhook, who paid $250 for cleaning at a family gathering in Florida, described long lists of chores — from washing towels to mopping floors — and called the stay 'not relaxing at all'. Krissi Foskett from Glasgow, co-owner of a cleaning company, noted the difference between respectful guest behaviour and the obligation to 'prepare the home for the next guests': 'If you run an Airbnb as a business, professional cleaning is a business expense.'

Context and differing assessments

According to AirROI, which the BBC cites, 63.2% of Airbnb listings charge a cleaning fee, averaging £55. The update has intensified discontent among some hosts, who were already irritated by the platform's rising commissions last year: some, like Laura Lewis, owner of a directory for people letting out homes, plan to leave Airbnb altogether and develop direct bookings. But not all hosts are alarmed: Matt Prosz, who leads a London community of about 3,000 hosts, believes the changes will improve the guest experience, and that the mutual review system already disciplines both sides — 'Airbnb is trying to remove the silliness, because it's a bad experience for the guest.' It remains unclear whether the rules will lead to a real increase in mess: the opinions cited in the article are based on the interviewees' personal experience, not on platform data.

A kitchen covered in rubbish, empty bottles and mess on the floorImage source, Lisa Clewes
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Airbnb host Lisa says her Welsh holiday let was left 'a complete mess' by a group of guests

A living room with a duvet left on one sofa, oranges and orange peel, open crisp packets, tissues and various other litter scattered on the floorImage source, Lisa Clewes
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Clewes says it typically takes cleaners four hours to turn around her property and fears that guests leaving more mess could mean increasing costs

BBC infographic titled “Airbnb’s new checkout-chore guidance” showing examples of what the accommodation platform considers reasonable requests for guests. Four sections, with red icons of stacked dishes, a washing machine, a rubbish bin and an air-conditioning unit, outline the rules: Dishes - Guests should not be asked to wash and put away dishes, but may be asked to place used dishes in the sink; Laundry - Guests should not be asked to strip beds or start a load of washing, but may be asked to gather used towels; Rubbish - Guests should not be asked to take rubbish off the property, but may be asked to sort rubbish and recycling into designated indoor bins; Utilities - Guests should not be asked to avoid using listed amenities such as air conditioning during their stay, but may be asked to switch them off when leavingImage source, Airbnb
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Woman with short red hair smiling taking a photo of herself against a wall with framed pictures onImage source, Krissi Foskett
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Krissi says there's a difference between being a respectful guest and being expected to help run the business you've just paid to stay in

Two men wearing brown shirts smiling against dark coloured woodImage source, Anthony Marsh
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Anthony and his husband used to list five of their 12 cabins in North Yorkshire on Airbnb...

Inside of a small cabin with a bed in the corner and a long kitchenette with a sink and cupboardsImage source, Gasp image co
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... but will now list just two in light of the new rules

Man and woman standing by a sign near a road, the woman is holding a baby boy and another young boy is stood in front of the manImage source, Laura Lewis
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Laura Lewis says it's a matter of 'basic respect' to wash dishes and take the bins out

Man sitting down on a sofa smiling wearing a white t-shirt and a blue shirt over itImage source, Matt Prosz
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Prosz joined Airbnb's co-host network during Covid and now leads a London community of about 3,000 hosts

A woman with red nail polish stands over the sink washing a yellow plate. She is wearing a patterned top and can only be seen from her waist to her shoulders.