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33 Folks Online Are Roasting Airbnb Hosts For Having The Most Ridiculous Requirements
Since its foundation in 2008, Airbnb has become a popular platform for people to rent short-term stays, most often for vacations or business trips. It was a cheaper alternative to hotels and it provided a cozy and more home-like atmosphere.
In the last couple of years, it seems that people have been changing their minds and don’t like how the service is evolving. Many people have noticed that hosts have started listing various chores the guests must finish before leaving, even though they pay quite high cleaning fees.
The topic was brought up once again by comedian Caleb Hearon who tweeted that he’s done with Airbnb and their ridiculous requirements for guests. He expressed that it isn’t worth it and he will be staying at hotels now.
Image credits: calebsaysthings
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Caleb Hearon was a stand-up comedian in Chicago, but now has relocated to Los Angeles and creates content mainly on Twitter. He also has a podcast with Shelby Wolstein on which they reflect on art, media and culture in a comedic way.
Caleb has 242k followers on Twitter, so a post going viral is not a surprise. One of the most recent ones that reached a wider audience than usual was a tweet about Airbnb.
Clearly they wanted you to pay the fee...and clean up everything better than it was before you arrived.
In that post, Caleb says that he is done with this service because the hosts list the most ridiculous requirements like having a curfew or a list of chores to do. On one of the most recent stays, Caleb was instructed to take out his trash, do his dishes and water the plants. Airbnb was supposed to be an alternative to hotels, but Caleb would rather choose them over an Airbnb stay.
The tweet currently has almost 400k likes and nearly 3k people joined the conversation. Most of them agreed with the original tweet and gave examples of their Airbnb hosts listing the things they can, can’t and should do.
As you can imagine, Airbnb is mostly used by tourists and the purpose of their stay is a vacation. They pay for the service, but the hosts tell them to bring their own sheets, to start the laundry or to throw away the trash. That can make a vacation feel less relaxing as it seems that you didn’t escape your home and you paid someone only to do your own chores.
There were also some Airbnb hosts in the comments and they defended themselves, saying that it is their home and they shouldn’t even be asking for the guests to clean up as it is just common courtesy.
Other Twitter users had a big problem with that view and showed screenshots of the bills they would have to pay for some stays, which included cleaning fees reaching and surpassing $100, so they don’t think these hosts have a right to ask them to do chores.
Hosts would clap back saying that people don’t leave messes in hotels either and it is just nice to collect trash and put your towels into one pile before leaving. They claim that it’s the same, but Airbnb is a better choice because it’s cheaper.
I haven't used the service yet but aren't your hosts usually gone during your stay?
Also, the hosts have to deal with damaged things and get their things stolen, so they want to be compensated for that risk. On the other hand, a lot of people get scammed because the photos don’t reflect reality and they might come to a place where there is a huge hole in the ceiling.
To make sure their homes are kept safe, the hosts might set up cameras, but then the guests feel uncomfortable and creeped out, especially if those cameras are in the bedroom or such a place like a hot tub.
The discussion in the thread seems endless, as for any complaint a guest has, a host has a counterargument. However, there were a few people who had quite a logical explanation to this whole situation.
Colby Howard explains that new Airbnb homeowners just didn’t know what they were getting into. And they definitely don’t know how the service industry works.
It's like you need the stealth suit upgrade or potion for this place
He presents a scenario of a host hiring a cleaning person, but they quit after two months. Or you are at work and get a call that something broke at the house, so you have to fix it if you don’t want to receive a bad review. To make their own lives more convenient, the hosts just put those responsibilities on the guests.
Colby thinks that “Airbnb stands for Air Bed and Breakfast for a reason.” One of the thoughts he expressed probably sums up really well what most guests think: “You’re getting paid to provide a great experience and put up with all the c**p that you yourself give hotels and rentals when you vacation. That’s the deal you made.”
Do you agree that Airbnb hosts are asking for too much from their guests? What were your experiences with Airbnb stays? Do you think people are just entitled and think they think they are too good to take care of someone else’s home? Let us know your thoughts on the topic in the comments!
That is wayyy to much, wouldn't a hotel be cheaper? I'm assuming.
"Excessive paper towel usage"....wow. Is there a bounty for Bounty?
Oh, how convenient, they put the trash in a convenient location for you to recycle! lol
Cleaning the trash $300 Taking out the trash $100....not getting any more clients....priceless.
"I'm a 15yo drug dealer, who gets A LOT of deliveries, and needs WiFi to call foreign contacts. Can I pay you in cash?"
Setting an early alarm my last day of vacation to make sure I can shower before I start the laundry, run the dishwasher, and take the trash to the dump and be out by 10 sharp!
“Oh, and please blow all the leaves off the driveway and patio too. Leafblower will not be provided, you can use your own. If you’re too loud, there’s a $200 noise fee. Thanks for staying at Palm Cabin!”
Five pages... Oh goodie! kindling for the outdoor grill to cook my steaks on!
No...that is what the Cleaning Fee is for. To pay for a cleaner to come in and do it. (Mind you, the cleaners likely only receive $20 each.)
That is illegal, is it not? Contact someone in the City and State to see about having them chat with creating a Life Threatening situation for a tenant. -- I equate this to a landlord turning off the heat in the middle of the winter.
I´m curious. I´ve stayed at airbnbs before but through friends I've stayed with. So I´m curious when it comes to situations like these. Was the airbnb advertised with that warning or do you find out you can´t cook meat after you booked it?
A lot of these were more expensive than a high end hotel, ffs. Why would you spend more money to do someone else's chores?
Sometimes it’s nice when you want a full kitchen, laundry, and/or a multi room house for the whole family. Otherwise, I’m going to the hotel.
Load More Replies...My neighborhood is mostly empty houses. All Vacasa and Airbnb and they stand empty 3/4 of the year while families struggle to find housing and people live in tents on the freeway.
Yes sir! My daughters family can't find a home in the greater Seattle area without being outbid by these buyers
Load More Replies...I'd be fine stripping the bed(s) and leaving the linen in a pile in the room or by the washer. I'd be fine washing the dishes I used. If there's a small amount of trash, no prob to leave it. If there much more, smelly, or many people contributing to the trash, I'd take it out. At a hotel, they do this stuff for you, an Airbnb can be different. Now if we went past the basics, and caused a huge mess and didn't clean it, I'd understand being charged a cleaning fee. If I'm being charged a cleaning fee regardless, then I plan to do little to no cleaning at all. They can earn that fee. Many of the rules these people want are beyond ridiculous and makes me wonder how they even get people in. And a few make it sound like the the owners are also in the home, not just next door! Why stay if the owners are there also? Creepy!
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Load More Replies...A lot of these were more expensive than a high end hotel, ffs. Why would you spend more money to do someone else's chores?
Sometimes it’s nice when you want a full kitchen, laundry, and/or a multi room house for the whole family. Otherwise, I’m going to the hotel.
Load More Replies...My neighborhood is mostly empty houses. All Vacasa and Airbnb and they stand empty 3/4 of the year while families struggle to find housing and people live in tents on the freeway.
Yes sir! My daughters family can't find a home in the greater Seattle area without being outbid by these buyers
Load More Replies...I'd be fine stripping the bed(s) and leaving the linen in a pile in the room or by the washer. I'd be fine washing the dishes I used. If there's a small amount of trash, no prob to leave it. If there much more, smelly, or many people contributing to the trash, I'd take it out. At a hotel, they do this stuff for you, an Airbnb can be different. Now if we went past the basics, and caused a huge mess and didn't clean it, I'd understand being charged a cleaning fee. If I'm being charged a cleaning fee regardless, then I plan to do little to no cleaning at all. They can earn that fee. Many of the rules these people want are beyond ridiculous and makes me wonder how they even get people in. And a few make it sound like the the owners are also in the home, not just next door! Why stay if the owners are there also? Creepy!
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