Changes to guest checkout obligations at Airbnb properties are set to take effect on November 20, 2026, as the platform moves to restrict the cleaning tasks that hosts can require from guests. Under the new policy, guests will no longer be obligated to strip bed sheets, wash and put away dishes, or take out the trash before leaving a property. The decision applies to bookings covered by the company’s global policy and aims to provide clearer guidelines on what requirements can be included in house rules.
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Airbnb: what chores hosts will no longer be allowed to assign to guests
According to the community policy update published by the company, hosts will not be permitted to assign guests tasks that require significant time or effort, or that are typically handled by professional cleaning services. These prohibited tasks include stripping bed linen, washing used dishes and putting them away in cupboards, and taking rubbish outside the property. However, hosts will still be allowed to ask guests to leave used dishes in the sink.
The change comes after years of complaints about certain hosts requiring guests to carry out cleaning tasks despite already having charged separate — and sometimes hefty — cleaning fees. In some cases, those fees reached into the hundreds of dollars. Since April 2025, cleaning costs are no longer displayed as a separate line item for guests, as they may now be incorporated into the overall nightly price.
The seven core house rules and what counts as a reasonable request
Under the revised guidelines, hosts can set up to seven core house rules, which must be displayed in full during the booking process. These include check-in and check-out times, the maximum number of guests allowed, smoking restrictions, quiet hours, and whether pets are permitted. Additional requests may also be added, provided they are considered reasonable based on local conditions.
For example, in areas with water usage restrictions, guests may be asked to limit the length of their showers. Similarly, in rural areas where wildlife is present, it may be considered reasonable to require that rubbish be placed in animal-proof bins. The company clarifies that the assessment of such requests depends on the specific circumstances of each location.
What the company says about the new policy
An Airbnb spokesperson told the Guardian: “House rules help guests understand what hosts expect of them. However, we’ve heard from our community that rules can be overly demanding and difficult to manage.” They added: “That’s why we’ve redesigned them to be easier to find and clearer to define, while also introducing a new policy that ensures requests will be reasonable and free of unpleasant surprises.” With this new policy, the platform aims to draw a clear line between standard guest responsibilities and tasks that amount to a full professional clean of the property, ensuring that host expectations are fully transparent before a booking is completed.
