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
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
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
