Airbnb hosts can no longer make guests strip beds and wash dishes under new rules
The updated policy will apply to all reservations booked on the accommodation site on or after 20 November.
Airbnb hosts can no longer require guests to strip beds and wash dishes under new rules
Washing and putting away dishes are among the chores Airbnb says guests should generally not be expected to do.
Airbnb has revised its rules to restrict what property hosts can ask guests to do, including in relation to cleaning.
Under the updated guidelines, hosts may now establish seven standard house rules and may also include other "reasonable" requests.
Airbnb says guests, who must pay a cleaning fee, should not be asked to carry out tasks normally handled by a cleaner, such as washing dishes and stripping beds.
The new rules will apply to all reservations booked on or after 20 November on the accommodation marketplace.
"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 told the BBC.
"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 new requirements on the Airbnb website, hosts are generally barred from asking guests to do 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 allowed in some situations. For instance, guests may be asked to limit shower time if there are local drought-related water restrictions.
A property's rules will be shown more prominently to guests going forward and will also appear in reservation reminders.
Contracts will only be permitted in limited circumstances, including when required by law or homeowners association rules.
The company said hosts will not be able to impose fines, but they will still control their house rules and requests.
If a host's request does not comply with Airbnb policies, it will be flagged, and the owner can appeal if they disagree.
For years, guests have complained about unreasonable tasks they were required to complete before leaving, especially since they must pay cleaning fees.
TikTok videos from Airbnb hosts Cassie and Jon, showing them closely inspecting their rental property in the US state of Georgia after guests depart, have recently gone viral because of their attention to detail.
In one video, the couple accuses guests of "disrespecting the house rules" for leaving a television remote out of place.
They have faced criticism for their strict rules and high standards, but said in response that their content had been misinterpreted.
Their videos have also inspired other content creators to parody strict hosts.