The short-term home rental service Airbnb is introducing new rules for owners of apartments and houses. Hosts will be prohibited from requiring guests to perform complex household tasks before checking out, including washing dishes, doing laundry, and cleaning that is usually performed by professional cleaners.

The new rules will apply to bookings made starting from November 20, 2026. The company announced the changes on its official website on October 20. Details are also reported by ABC News and CBS News.

The company explained that it had received complaints about excessive demands from property owners. Some hosts required guests to clean the property themselves before checking out, even though guests were also charged a cleaning fee during booking.

What property owners will no longer be able to require

According to Airbnb's new policy, hosts are generally prohibited from imposing on guests responsibilities that require significant effort or time.

Specifically, owners will no longer be able to require:

  • remove bed linens from the beds;
  • starting the washing machine and washing used items;
  • washing dishes and putting them away in cabinets;
  • taking out the trash outside the rented accommodation;
  • performing other complex tasks that are typically part of the housekeeping job.

However, it does not mean a complete abolition of any household requests. Hosts may still ask guests to leave used dishes in the sink, gather towels in one place, sort trash into appropriate containers inside the accommodation, or turn off the air conditioner before leaving.

Airbnb also made exceptions based on local conditions. For example, in regions where wild animals may appear near the property, owners are allowed to require that trash be left in special secure containers.

Hidden rules and additional penalties will be restricted

Another change concerns booking transparency. All house rules and host requests must be stated in a dedicated section of the listing, available before the booking is completed.

Hosts will no longer be able to add new mandatory rules after booking via private messages, signs in the property, or verbal instructions.

Airbnb also prohibits owners from setting their own fines for guests. If a rule violation or property damage occurs during the stay, such situations should be resolved through the platform's mechanisms.

To simplify booking, the company has introduced seven standard categories of rules. These cover maximum number of guests, quiet hours, hosting events, pets, smoking, commercial photography and videography, and the requirement to lock the property upon departure.

If a host does not comply with the new policy, Airbnb may require them to modify the listing, issue a warning, or lower its ranking in search results. In case of unresolved violations, guests will see a special notice about additional cleaning requirements.

Will the cleaning fee be abolished

The new rules do not abolish the cleaning fee. Owners will still be able to include it in the booking price. However, they will no longer be able to require guests to perform cleaning tasks, except in certain justified situations.

According to CBS News, some property owners have opposed the changes. They worry that additional cleaning costs will have to be passed on to renters, which could increase accommodation prices.

Meanwhile, Airbnb expects that clearer rules will reduce conflicts between guests and hosts and help avoid unpleasant surprises during checkout.

For travelers, it is important to note that the check-in date does not determine the application of the new policy; it will apply specifically to bookings made from November 20. Therefore, the company recommends carefully checking the house rules and additional host requests before paying.