The changes announced by Airbnb will come into effect later next month. ( Reuters: Dado Ruvic )
Airbnb will ban hosts from requiring guests to complete check-out chores such as stripping beds, washing dishes or taking out rubbish, under new rules.
The changes announced on its website apply to bookings made on or from November 20.
Some Airbnb hosts have reacted angrily to the changes, with several threatening to move to other booking platforms or change their prices.
Airbnb guests will no longer have to strip beds, wash dishes or remove rubbish when checking out, under new rules to be introduced next month.
The changes have sparked anger among hosts, with some warning the crackdown could drive up costs and push smaller operators off the platform.
The short-term rental platform announced the changes on its website. They apply to reservations booked on or after November 20.
The changes come amid complaints from some travellers about being charged cleaning fees, which can cost hundreds of dollars, while also being expected to complete a list of chores before leaving a property.
The company said while cleaning fees would not be abolished completely, hosts could not require guests to perform tasks that took "significant time and effort or would normally be done by a cleaner".
Guests have complained that some of the tasks requested by hosts are onerous. ( Unsplash: everdrop GmbH )
"House rules help guests understand what hosts expect, but we've heard from our community that they can be confusing, onerous and hard to manage," Airbnb said in a statement.
"So we've redesigned them to make them easier to discover and clearer to set, alongside a new policy that keeps requests reasonable, with no surprises."
Hosts can still ask guests to complete simpler tasks, such as placing used dishes in the sink and gathering used towels.
They will also continue to set their own cleaning fees.
Hundreds of hosts have criticised the new rules on Airbnb's online community forum.
Townsville Airbnb host Nadia Di Martino, who operates three listings from her Kirwin home, said the changes were "infuriating".
"I think that many hosts will either have to increase their prices and then pay someone else to do the whole cleaning," Ms Di Martino said.
She said she did the cleaning herself and did not charge guests a cleaning fee, but asked them to wash their dishes before checking out.
She said she understood why Airbnb had acted, because some hosts had imposed excessive check-out chores.
But she said she was now considering leaving the platform and renting her rooms to students instead, or would ban the use of cooking facilities.
"I think that I would rather probably just … have permanent flatmates. I think it will be more comfortable for me," she said.
Nadia Di Martino shares her home with Airbnb guests. ( www.airbnb.com.au )
Kendra, a host from South Carolina in the US, warned the policy could drive smaller hosts away from the platform and increase costs for guests.
"It's going to incentivise soulless, basic rentals and raise cleaning and liability costs that guests will ultimately bear the burden of," she said.
Mindy, from New Mexico, accused Airbnb management of being "so out of touch with the people cleaning vacation rentals", while Becky, from Canada, said she had "never been so upset by a policy change".
The changes apply to Airbnb reservations covered by the platform's global policy, including bookings in Australia.
Hosts will still be able to set house rules, including check-in and check-out times, limits on the number of guests, smoking restrictions, pet rules and quiet hours.
Airbnb said guests were still expected to leave properties in a reasonable condition and may be held responsible for damage or excessive cleaning caused by their stay.
