Airbnb's Plan to Address Cleaning Fees

Airbnb cleaning fees are a common source of frustration for both hosts and guests. These additional charges, designed to cover the costs of preparing a rental property for the next guests, can be a contentious issue. Hosts often feel uncomfortable levying these fees, and travellers are equally averse to paying them. However, changes are afoot, as Airbnb is gearing up to make cleaning fees more transparent and incentivise hosts to either reduce or eliminate them, though they won't be eliminated entirely.

Understanding Airbnb's Cleaning Fees

Cleaning fees on Airbnb are one-time charges that hosts impose to cover expenses such as laundry and cleaning between guest stays. These fees are separate from the base rental price and any service fees or optional add-ons.

An analysis conducted in June 2022, based on 1,000 Airbnb reservations with check-in dates in 2022 or 2023, found that the median cleaning fee for a one-night stay was £75.

However, the actual cost of cleaning fees can vary significantly. According to Airbnb, on average, these fees represent less than 10% of the total reservation cost for properties that impose them. In contrast, analysis revealed that cleaning fees often accounted for about 25% of the total price paid. Shockingly, nearly 40% of listings had cleaning fees ranging from 20% to 29.9% of the list price, and some fees even exceeded the nightly rate.

The Annoyance of Airbnb Cleaning Fees

Beyond the cost, what makes cleaning fees particularly irksome is how they are presented to users. Airbnb's search page prominently displays the nightly rate, downplaying the overall price, which is presented in a lighter font and is thus easier to overlook. Moreover, the nightly rate frequently does not correspond to the total price.

For instance, a listing with a £40 nightly rate could amount to £90 due to a £40 cleaning fee and a £10 service fee. Conversely, another listing with a £60 nightly rate might be a cheaper option at £73 in total because of a £13 service fee and no cleaning fee. This discrepancy can lead travellers with a £50 budget to opt for the £40 listing, only to discover they'll end up paying more than if they'd chosen the £60 option.

To address this issue, Airbnb is introducing a toggle that enables travellers to display search results that include the total price, factoring in all fees. Users who do not activate this toggle will still see only the nightly rates. This toggle is currently active in the Airbnb app and will become the standard display format across all platforms in early 2023. It is worth noting that the toggle will default to the "on" position, permitting users to opt-out of showing the full price if they prefer.

In November 2022, Airbnb made adjustments to its search algorithm, ranking listings based on the best total price rather than solely considering the nightly rate. This change aims to encourage hosts to reduce or eliminate cleaning fees.

The Future of Cleaning Fees

It's important to note that some Airbnb listings do not charge cleaning fees. Airbnb reports that 45% of listings worldwide do not impose these fees. However, in 's analysis, only 15% of the available listings did not have a cleaning fee. This disparity can be attributed, in part, to the fact that it is focused on listings, while Airbnb's figure encompasses global listings where such fees are less common.

Dennis Shirshikov, an Airbnb host in upstate New York, shares that he prefers to include the cleaning fee in the final price for two reasons. Firstly, he believes it could enhance guest satisfaction, and secondly, he thinks it might prompt guests to leave the property in better condition.

Airbnb has cautioned hosts that excessive cleaning fees could create unrealistic expectations among guests, who may assume they can simply leave the property without cleaning up, similar to a hotel room. Shirshikov corroborates this, sharing that guests who pay a cleaning fee are sometimes less inclined to leave the property tidy.

At present, cleaning fees serve various purposes. For hosts who undertake cleaning themselves, these fees often cover the cost of cleaning supplies. For others, the fees are passed on to professional cleaning services. Sébastien Long, founder and CEO of the Texas-based short-term rental company Lodgeur, states that the average cleaning fee of £75 is relatively low. According to Long's estimates, taking into account staff wages, supplies, and replacement items, it costs approximately £22 to prepare a hotel room for new guests. If hosts outsource the cleaning, the cost can amount to £175 for cleaning a two-bedroom apartment, comprising £100 for the cleaning company, £50 for laundry services, and £25 for supplies such as coffee or mini toiletry bottles.

Cleaning expenses for Airbnb hosts can be higher than for hotels due to various factors. Hotels often enjoy economies of scale, including the use of commercial-size laundry machines. In contrast, Airbnb listings are typically spread out geographically, leading to inefficiencies in travelling between properties. Additionally, short-term rentals tend to be larger and have more space to clean, including kitchens, compared to hotel rooms.

However, some hosts exploit cleaning fees to extract additional money from travellers, effectively overcharging for cleaning services. Airbnb has advised hosts to utilise the cleaning fee solely to cover cleaning costs, not as a means to generate extra income.

Beyond this, some hosts charge cleaning fees while still requesting that guests clean up after themselves. Airbnb plans to make changes in this area as well. In addition to introducing more transparent cleaning fees, Airbnb intends to require hosts to detail cleaning requirements in their listings before guests make reservations. Moreover, guests will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the checkout process.

Airbnb has also clarified that checkout requests should be reasonable. In future Airbnb stays, if hosts are agreeable to these changes, guests might not be expected to vacuum or strip the beds. Instead, they would only need to turn off the lights, dispose of trash, and lock the door.

Despite these updates, Shirshikov is still unsure about the extent to which users will activate the toggle.

"I'd want to see how many people actively turn on the full price display," he says. "Unless guests use it, it won't mean much for how we do pricing."

Airbnb is taking steps to address the issues related to cleaning fees, aiming to make the booking process more transparent and convenient for travellers. These changes