The short-term accommodation rental service Airbnb is introducing new rules for hosts that will ease the requirements for cleaning properties before guests leave. From 20 November 2026, as a general rule, hosts will no longer be able to require travellers to wash and put away crockery, strip the beds, run the washing machine or take rubbish outside the property. The changes will apply to bookings made on or after that date. The company will also step up monitoring of the house rules and warn users about listings with unreasonable requirements.
- Airbnb’s new rules will come into force on 20 November 2026.
- The restrictions will apply to bookings made from this date.
- Landlords will not normally be able to require tenants to wash up, change the bed linen or take rubbish out of the property.
- Hosts must provide details of all the rules before a booking is made.
What cleaning tasks will Airbnb no longer allow hosts to require guests to carry out?
Company. Airbnb On 20 October, it announced updates to its accommodation rules to make the responsibilities of hosts and travellers clearer. The main principle of the new policy is that guests should not be required to carry out work that is normally the responsibility of cleaning staff.
According to Airbnb’s official guidance, hosts will generally be prohibited from imposing the following requirements:
- Washing up. You cannot expect guests to wash the dishes they have used and put them away in the cupboards.
- Laundry. Travellers must not be required to remove bed linen or put a load in the washing machine.
- Taking out the rubbish. Landlords must not require tenants to take rubbish outside the property.
- Restrictions on domestic amenities. It is not permitted to prohibit the use of air conditioning or other amenities specified in the advert.
The rules allow for certain exceptions depending on local conditions and the type of accommodation.
Things Airbnb hosts can still ask guests to do
These new features do not exempt guests from the need to treat their rented accommodation with care. Property owners will be able to leave simple instructions that do not require much effort or time.
In particular, Airbnb allows hosts to ask guests to put dirty crockery in the sink, gather used towels in one place and sort rubbish into the appropriate bins inside the property.
Homeowners can also remind guests to switch off the air conditioning and other electrical appliances before leaving, and to lock the doors when they go out.
In some cases, the platform will allow for exceptions. For example, in regions where bears live, guests may be asked to dispose of their rubbish in special, secure bins. And in areas where water is scarce, there may be reasonable restrictions on its use.
What are the consequences of breaching the new Airbnb rules?
The company is introducing a mechanism to verify hosts’ details directly whilst they are editing their listings.
If the system detects a guideline that contravenes the new policy, it will flag it and ask the property owner to amend the wording. The property owner may also be sent an email explaining the breach. They will then have the option to make changes or lodge an appeal.
If the issue remains unresolved, Airbnb may display a specific warning to potential guests regarding cleaning requirements. In the event of a prolonged breach of the rules, the listing’s visibility in the platform’s search results may be reduced, or other measures may be taken.
At the same time, a warning will not appear automatically for every error: the company has put in place a procedure for reporting and rectifying breaches.
All accommodation rules must be communicated before booking
Another change concerns the way hosts inform guests of their requirements.
From now on, Airbnb is combining the main house rules and additional requests into a single section of the listing. Hosts will be able to set standard rules regarding the number of guests, quiet hours, hosting events, pets, smoking, commercial photography and locking the doors when guests leave. All additional requirements must be available before a booking is made.
Property owners will not be able to impose new mandatory rules after a booking has been made, whether through private messages, signs in the flat or verbal instructions.
The new policy also prohibits hosts from imposing fines on guests themselves. At the same time, liability for damage to property and breaches of the established rules is governed by separate Airbnb provisions.
Will Airbnb scrap the cleaning fee?
The new policy does not provide for the abolition of cleaning charges. Hosts may, as before, set an appropriate fee, which is included in the total booking cost. At the same time, it is precisely the combination of additional cleaning charges with the requirement to carry out household chores that has become one of the reasons for dissatisfaction amongst the platform’s users.
Under the new rules, guests should not have to spend a significant amount of time on tasks that are usually carried out by professional cleaners, regardless of whether a separate cleaning fee is charged.
When will the new rules come into force?
Airbnb has confirmed that the updated policy will come into force 20 November 2026.
An important point: this will apply to bookings made on or after that date, rather than automatically to all stays after 20 November. Therefore, the date on which the booking is made is the determining factor for the application of the new rules.
The update will apply across the Airbnb platform regardless of the country in which the accommodation is located, subject to the exceptions set out in the policy and local requirements.
