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Woman On TikTok Calls Out Airbnb Tenant’s Entitlement When She Realizes That She Has To Do Chores Despite $125 Cleaning Fee
Airbnb was started by a couple of people who wanted to earn some money from letting people sleep in their living room on an air mattress. It slowly turned into a successful business of how easy it was to book a bed, a room or even an apartment, but first of all, because it was cheaper than staying at a hotel.
However, people started to notice that the prices of Airbnb properties have increased a lot through the years and now there is no difference in price between a hotel and an Airbnb. This was very evident for them when they saw a video on TikTok in which a woman pointed out a listing that charged $229 a night, had an additional cleaning fee of $125, but despite that, the guests were asked to do some chores before leaving.
More info: TikTok
RELATED:
It seems that Airbnb hosts aren’t afraid to ask guests to clean up before leaving while asking to pay a cleaning fee as well
Image credits: Open Grid Scheduler
The video was posted by TikTok user melworeit or Melissa from Canada and more than 400k people watched it. The woman wanted to rant about Airbnb hosts becoming too greedy and wanting too much from their guests. She thought this one particular owner’s request was too audacious.
The TikTok user was searching for a place to stay for a mini vacation with her husband at the end of February. While browsing, the woman stumbled upon a place that looked good enough for her and was priced at an amount she was willing to spend.
A woman was searching for a place to stay for a vacation and found something in her price range that she liked
Image credits: melworeit
It was a place that would cost $229 a night and it had a $125 cleaning fee. As mentioned, the price was fine and the cleaning fee wasn’t anything surprising as most places have it. But when looking through the description and additional information, the woman noticed that the host was asking “that guests complete a few checkout duties before departing to allow time to prepare the house safely and on time. Removing garbage, removing bed linens, starting the dishwasher and one load of laundry.”
Image credits: melworeit
It also had a $125 cleaning fee, which is standard practice and it didn’t bother her
Image credits: melworeit
The TikToker said she would have been fine with taking out the garbage and removing bed linens. But she thought that starting the dishwasher and a load of laundry was asking too much, especially when the guest would be paying a cleaning fee.
Melissa understands that it’s not that hard to start the washing machine and it wouldn’t take that much time but it’s the principle that is important here. If she pays for cleaning services, she won’t agree to clean up.
Image credits: melworeit
Image credits: melworeit
At the end, Melissa wrote a comment with an update that she booked a hotel and the video was there for raising a discussion. In a follow-up video, she explained why she would choose a hotel over an Airbnb.
She said she completely agreed with the comment by Orange Girl saying “Please just stop patroning Airbnb ppl… It just contributes to gentrification. Stay at hotels, support ppl in the area, eat local.” This time she was looking at Airbnbs because the place they were planning to go to didn’t have many hotels.
What bothered her was that the host was asking guests to do a few chores
Image credits: melworeit
Even though it wouldn’t have required a lot of effort or time, the woman wouldn’t have done it for the principle of it
Image credits: melworeit
The TikToker expressed her surprise to see the comments section so unified as the majority agreed that Airbnb prices and various fees have drastically gone up. Many people also shared the same opinion with Melissa that the host shouldn’t ask guests to do any chores and that it’s not her who is entitled but the owners of the Airbnb.
However, there were people who saw nothing wrong in that request and they believed that it helps out the cleaner and saves time as by the time they come, the dishwasher or the washing machine’s cycle is over. The woman guesses that the people who are on the other side are the hosts, so that’s why they disagree.
You can watch Melissa’s rant in the video below
@melworeit$700 for two nights ≠ no chores lol♬ original sound – Melissa
Do you think the host’s request was too ridiculous? Would you be willing to do some chores before checking out to help out the host even though you would pay them a cleaning fee? Let us know if you would be as outraged as Melissa or this wouldn’t have seemed like a big deal to you!
While the majority of the comments section agreed with the TikToker, there were people who tried to explain why the host would do this
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Jared Slocum 3 years ago
I think the take away point here is there is a cleaning fee... If you are paying for a cleaning fee then everything should be covered. If your not paying for one by all means asking for that stuff to be done is well with in reason.
arielzeppelin zeppelin 3 years ago
I agree but tbh there's always a cleaning fee....lol and I could see prices going up to hide a cleaning fee if they offered none with chores. My husband and I don't do dirty stuff on their linens/towels or we would clean it up. We tie off the trash and we try to leave stuff as it was even with a special needs kid. But it's because it's nice. It should not be required. I definitely don't need to be expected to be a maid when I'm on vacation ffs. I think if they offered an actual good deal with an option for cleaning or you clean but then you're dealing with a mess of legalities if someone thinks not enough was done. I can't imagine staying at a hotel and being told to clean the linens etc 🤣🤣🤣 If the host/owner can't bother to put the work in (or pay a company to do so) I don't want to use their property. I want to trust they have a standard and they are concise...let alone the entitled lazy attitude. If you can afford to rent out a property you can afford the time/money cleaning it.
Load More Replies...
MoJo1979 3 years ago
I totally agree with her, fair enough to wash the dishes you've used and wipe down mess from surfaces, but asking me to do laundry etc is ridiculous when you're paying a large cleaning fee on top of a high nightly cost.
arielzeppelin zeppelin 3 years ago
Amen. Can you imagine being at a hotel and being asked to do the laundr y and etc? 😂
Load More Replies...
Hayhaypaula 3 years ago
A reduction of cleaning fee should have been offered IF the renters did the requested chores! Hotels don't charge extra for maid service, right?
arielzeppelin zeppelin 3 years ago
I've seen cleaning fees in hotels but many include it in the cost.. regardless it's expected when you're on vacation you don't do that. Respect the property but why should you have to be a maid on vacation? Also most hotels have turned down service which means that they actually clean your room for you every single day.... I think it does sound like an interesting idea to be able to negate a cleaning fee if you're the one who cleans but then there can be problems of if the owner thinks you didn't do a good enough job.
Load More Replies...
Giorgio Pereira 3 years ago
Nah f**k that, don't charge a whole fee of cleaning and ask for half the s**t to be done. I know you are not spending 125 dollars worth of time and when I'm on vacation ALL my time is invaluable.
stacyh 3 years ago
I (unfortunately) live next door to a short term rental, and can guarantee they don’t spend $125 worth of time cleaning. I’ve seen the owners in and out in less than ten minutes between renters, it’s gross.
Load More Replies...
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
It's just like one person said: AirBnB had it's moment but has changed into a scheme where greedy people ruin neighborhoods, drive up rent and make housing in places that are often visited by tourists, unaffordable for people who actually have to live there because of their work. Dutch municipalities have the power to restrict the number of AirBnB locations and even to limit the days that a location can be rented out via Airbnb. In Amsterdam the limit is 30 days.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Unaffordable or simply unbearable. Tourists don’t understand that even vacation destinations have year round residents (who tf do they think work at all the business in the area?). People who have children, people who to get up early and go to work all day, and would just like to relax when they get home—-in their formerly residential neighborhood which is now full of loud, obnoxious, rude, entitled tourists—-the same people who would b***h a blue streak if the same happened in their own neighborhoods, btw. Yeah, can you tell I used to be a year round resident in a beach resort? For ten years. Man, did I look forward to the off-season. Moving away from all that to a non-tourist area has been like getting out of jail (I know it sounds like a dream to live at the beach, but believe me when I say its allure disappears very quickly when the first tourist season rolls around). I don’t have to dread summer or holidays anymore. It’s just as quiet on the 4th of July as it is on the 30th of July or the 30th of November, and I don’t have to fight tourist traffic either. Heaven.
Load More Replies... Honu 3 years ago
If they're actually paying the cleaner $125, that should cover enough hours to launder the linens for a two-bedroom property while doing the other cleaning. Sounds more like that cleaning fee is a revenue generator for them.
James Arvidson 3 years ago
Exactly. Or they're getting ripped off by a cleaning company that throws bodies at each unit. Inefficient way of doing it. 1 person for longer to allow for laundry, dishes cycles. Rather than 2-3 or more people too fast. They miss more and waste time. If you have 2 people do a job you get about 1 and 1/2 people worth of work most times.
Load More Replies...
Wistiti 3 years ago
I usually shop around and lately, I find that for a weekend, it's generally cheaper to stay in a modest hotel.
Kt 3 years ago
I've found this too. When air bnb was just starting out it was pretty good, fairly cheap etc. Now, hotels are much cheaper.
Load More Replies...
Sue Coates 3 years ago
I am a B&B operator and also have my place listed on Airbnb. First, I don’t charge a cleaning fee (because I AM the cleaner), but if I DID, I would NEVER ask guests to do any cleaning whatsoever! You are there on a holiday: the last thing you want is to clean up after yourselves! I want my guests feeling pampered and relaxed. If a cleaning fee is implemented, no one should have to clean up. Period! If they need sheets and towels to prep the room for another guest, have TWO sets of everything: BOOM! Problem solved.
James Arvidson 3 years ago
Excellent response. Thank you for explaining what a real business person, "innkeeper", hotelier, or many other titles would do to run their business. It is a customer service business and a large portion of the service is the experience.
Load More Replies...
Ivana 3 years ago
I don't take the lines off the bed in a hotel and air B&B is selling itself as that so no. I pay you for the cleaning fee, I don't trash the place. You can get the laundry started while you clean the rest of the place. Not sure why people support you doing cleaning when they are charging huge cleaning fees. Honestly, just be happy I do pick up and don't trash places or smoke in the house or anything.
Ein Steinbeck 3 years ago
I strip the bed just so cleaning staff can't be lazy fvcks and pretend they changed it when they did nothing. I consider it a service to the next person who sleeps in that room.
Load More Replies...
Pittsburgh rare 3 years ago
Agreeing with some of the comments, Airbnb used to be a cheap alternative to a hotel, now it's just as expensive and has created major issues for the long-term rental market. I'd rather go to a hotel anytime now.
Jared Slocum 3 years ago
I think the take away point here is there is a cleaning fee... If you are paying for a cleaning fee then everything should be covered. If your not paying for one by all means asking for that stuff to be done is well with in reason.
arielzeppelin zeppelin 3 years ago
I agree but tbh there's always a cleaning fee....lol and I could see prices going up to hide a cleaning fee if they offered none with chores. My husband and I don't do dirty stuff on their linens/towels or we would clean it up. We tie off the trash and we try to leave stuff as it was even with a special needs kid. But it's because it's nice. It should not be required. I definitely don't need to be expected to be a maid when I'm on vacation ffs. I think if they offered an actual good deal with an option for cleaning or you clean but then you're dealing with a mess of legalities if someone thinks not enough was done. I can't imagine staying at a hotel and being told to clean the linens etc 🤣🤣🤣 If the host/owner can't bother to put the work in (or pay a company to do so) I don't want to use their property. I want to trust they have a standard and they are concise...let alone the entitled lazy attitude. If you can afford to rent out a property you can afford the time/money cleaning it.
Load More Replies... MoJo1979 3 years ago
I totally agree with her, fair enough to wash the dishes you've used and wipe down mess from surfaces, but asking me to do laundry etc is ridiculous when you're paying a large cleaning fee on top of a high nightly cost.
arielzeppelin zeppelin 3 years ago
Amen. Can you imagine being at a hotel and being asked to do the laundr y and etc? 😂
Load More Replies... Hayhaypaula 3 years ago
A reduction of cleaning fee should have been offered IF the renters did the requested chores! Hotels don't charge extra for maid service, right?
arielzeppelin zeppelin 3 years ago
I've seen cleaning fees in hotels but many include it in the cost.. regardless it's expected when you're on vacation you don't do that. Respect the property but why should you have to be a maid on vacation? Also most hotels have turned down service which means that they actually clean your room for you every single day.... I think it does sound like an interesting idea to be able to negate a cleaning fee if you're the one who cleans but then there can be problems of if the owner thinks you didn't do a good enough job.
Load More Replies... Giorgio Pereira 3 years ago
Nah f**k that, don't charge a whole fee of cleaning and ask for half the s**t to be done. I know you are not spending 125 dollars worth of time and when I'm on vacation ALL my time is invaluable.
stacyh 3 years ago
I (unfortunately) live next door to a short term rental, and can guarantee they don’t spend $125 worth of time cleaning. I’ve seen the owners in and out in less than ten minutes between renters, it’s gross.
Load More Replies... WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
It's just like one person said: AirBnB had it's moment but has changed into a scheme where greedy people ruin neighborhoods, drive up rent and make housing in places that are often visited by tourists, unaffordable for people who actually have to live there because of their work. Dutch municipalities have the power to restrict the number of AirBnB locations and even to limit the days that a location can be rented out via Airbnb. In Amsterdam the limit is 30 days.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Unaffordable or simply unbearable. Tourists don’t understand that even vacation destinations have year round residents (who tf do they think work at all the business in the area?). People who have children, people who to get up early and go to work all day, and would just like to relax when they get home—-in their formerly residential neighborhood which is now full of loud, obnoxious, rude, entitled tourists—-the same people who would b***h a blue streak if the same happened in their own neighborhoods, btw. Yeah, can you tell I used to be a year round resident in a beach resort? For ten years. Man, did I look forward to the off-season. Moving away from all that to a non-tourist area has been like getting out of jail (I know it sounds like a dream to live at the beach, but believe me when I say its allure disappears very quickly when the first tourist season rolls around). I don’t have to dread summer or holidays anymore. It’s just as quiet on the 4th of July as it is on the 30th of July or the 30th of November, and I don’t have to fight tourist traffic either. Heaven.
Load More Replies... Honu 3 years ago
If they're actually paying the cleaner $125, that should cover enough hours to launder the linens for a two-bedroom property while doing the other cleaning. Sounds more like that cleaning fee is a revenue generator for them.
James Arvidson 3 years ago
Exactly. Or they're getting ripped off by a cleaning company that throws bodies at each unit. Inefficient way of doing it. 1 person for longer to allow for laundry, dishes cycles. Rather than 2-3 or more people too fast. They miss more and waste time. If you have 2 people do a job you get about 1 and 1/2 people worth of work most times.
Load More Replies... Wistiti 3 years ago
I usually shop around and lately, I find that for a weekend, it's generally cheaper to stay in a modest hotel.
Kt 3 years ago
I've found this too. When air bnb was just starting out it was pretty good, fairly cheap etc. Now, hotels are much cheaper.
Load More Replies... Sue Coates 3 years ago
I am a B&B operator and also have my place listed on Airbnb. First, I don’t charge a cleaning fee (because I AM the cleaner), but if I DID, I would NEVER ask guests to do any cleaning whatsoever! You are there on a holiday: the last thing you want is to clean up after yourselves! I want my guests feeling pampered and relaxed. If a cleaning fee is implemented, no one should have to clean up. Period! If they need sheets and towels to prep the room for another guest, have TWO sets of everything: BOOM! Problem solved.
James Arvidson 3 years ago
Excellent response. Thank you for explaining what a real business person, "innkeeper", hotelier, or many other titles would do to run their business. It is a customer service business and a large portion of the service is the experience.
Load More Replies... Ivana 3 years ago
I don't take the lines off the bed in a hotel and air B&B is selling itself as that so no. I pay you for the cleaning fee, I don't trash the place. You can get the laundry started while you clean the rest of the place. Not sure why people support you doing cleaning when they are charging huge cleaning fees. Honestly, just be happy I do pick up and don't trash places or smoke in the house or anything.
Ein Steinbeck 3 years ago
I strip the bed just so cleaning staff can't be lazy fvcks and pretend they changed it when they did nothing. I consider it a service to the next person who sleeps in that room.
Load More Replies... Pittsburgh rare 3 years ago
Agreeing with some of the comments, Airbnb used to be a cheap alternative to a hotel, now it's just as expensive and has created major issues for the long-term rental market. I'd rather go to a hotel anytime now.
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