Airbnb Host Requesting to Add Cleaning Fee

KingJuf on 27/06/2024 - 16:56
Last edited 27/06/2024 - 17:49

Hey all,

So I just booked a short 3 night stay in Melbourne, found a relatively good deal for a 2 bedroom apartment (under $150 per night) so I decided to book, then I immediately got a message from the host explaining they forgot to add the cleaning fee and want to add it as an additional fee.

I asked them how much the fee is and they responded ‘our usual fee is $200’.

Is it just me or is this fee excessive on top adding it after guests have booked?

On the fence now about booking it as their are closer places to CBD for the same or less than this property.

Thanks!

EDIT: just seen another property listing of theirs, the reviews say cleaning fee was excessive and also doesn’t appear to have cleaning fee added to the listing.

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Comments

  • Muzeeb on 27/06/2024 - 17:00
    +94

    Airbnb sucks balls for so many reasons you have just discovered one of them.

    • mhz on 29/06/2024 - 10:39
      +8

      I disagree, there are some bad hosts and you have just found one of them. My wife and I use Airbnb quite a lot to find accommodation in places you would not normally find a hotel. A couple of weeks ago we stayed in a converted Tobacco Kiln in the King Valley, Vic and it was awesome. There were no hotels around the area.

      • mrvaluepack on 29/06/2024 - 11:00
        +8

        Good value for larger groups but sucks for just a family of 4. Risk of cancellation just before trip is the biggest factor.

        • sauce2k on 30/06/2024 - 18:53

          This the worst

      • serpserpserp on 29/06/2024 - 22:17

        Mountain view hotel in Whitfield is alright

  • pharkurnell on 27/06/2024 - 17:04
    +29

    Is it just me or is this fee excessive

    not just you…

    on top adding it after guests have booked?

    They waited till it was booked… so many times the person booking it has plans, and many times cant change those plans so will just dishout the extra bux..

    Tell em to insert it in their anus and go elsewhere

    • KingJuf on 27/06/2024 - 17:21
      +18

      Yeh if they insist on charging the cleaning fee I will definitely go elsewhere. It also appears to be a company hosting this property who have other properties in the area as well. On top of adding the cleaning fee they were trying to sell me another property next door incase I had other families coming lol

      • outlander on 27/06/2024 - 17:38
        +21

        Tell them you'll pay them in cash on the day. Then don't.

        • Cletus vandamme on 30/06/2024 - 01:09
          +1

          Yeah but through a voice call with no paper trail.

    • matt_will_fix_it on 29/06/2024 - 20:26
      +7

      If you try a new booking for that property, have they fixed up the listing and it includes the cleaning fee?

      If it doesn't, then they didn't "forget" - they just try to scam all people that have booked with extra fees.

  • EFC94 on 27/06/2024 - 17:08
    +21

    Book elsewhere, $200 also seems somewhat excessive for a 2 bedroom apartment. Our cleaner comes for 2 hours a fortnight for $90 and it's a 3 bedroom house.

    • ar7ist on 29/06/2024 - 15:29

      What does the service include?
      Any suggestions on where to find a cleaner like this?

      • infinite on 29/06/2024 - 16:23

        $40 to $60 an hour is the going rate for most domestic house cleaning services anywhere. Just call around until you find the right price.

  • Drakesy on 27/06/2024 - 17:11
    +59

    This is why i stay at hotels now.
    Last time i was in melbourne (3 months ago) there were Airbnbs going for $175 a night + fees. Found a 4 star hotel for less and had a much better experience than fluffing around with keys/cleaning fees etc.

    Airbnb has literally just made hotel's jobs easier.

    • subywagon on 27/06/2024 - 18:27
      +6

      I got burnt by a hotel a couple of months ago not returning the deposit. I kept msging them for a few weeks and they kept saying that it would arrive and that there was no issue. I contacted the bank for a reversal. Still waiting for an outcome.

      On top of this it was way worse in person compared to the photos and filthy but it was late and we were tired with no where else to go.

      • DazMon on 28/06/2024 - 20:38
        +1

        Why did you get negged?

        • subywagon on 28/06/2024 - 20:54
          +3

          haha no idea. hotel owners maybe?? lol Don't really care. I was just stating that people should be careful because hotel's and motels can be dodgy too… lol

          • DazMon on 29/06/2024 - 17:28
            +1

            @subywagon: I made you +1 now, yesterday you were -7?

            • subywagon on 29/06/2024 - 17:49

              @DazMon: Guess more sane people read the comment? Who knows lol

      • MITM on 30/06/2024 - 07:31

        Did you use a debit card for your deposit? Takes ages to return compared with a credit card.

        • subywagon on 30/06/2024 - 19:59

          Yeah, I think it's debit. It was through a salary sacrifice card which passed it on to Mastercard. We were told up to 45 days, but could be extended. I think we are in the late 30's now.

  • Ozbar Gain on 27/06/2024 - 17:29
    +41

    Normally when you select your dates on AirBnB and get a quote it will include a breakdown of the nightly fee, service charges and cleaning fee.

    I suspect the host didn't input their cleaning fee on their regular pricing on purpose so that he can add it later on after the booking request is sent… Scummy bugger.

    Book with someone else

      • KingJuf on 27/06/2024 - 17:50
        +19

        Does not look like it, look at my edit to post. Appears they have done the same with another listing and reviews complaining about excessive cleaning fee.

        • Gervais fanboy on 27/06/2024 - 18:12
          +2

          Ohh damn, thanks for that.

        • MITM on 30/06/2024 - 07:33
          +1

          Name & shame. Who are theses superb hosts ?

  • Ghost47 on 27/06/2024 - 17:32
    +14

    Tell them you're cancelling and going to a hotel.

    • Ridiculous Panda on 29/06/2024 - 16:24
      +9

      Never cancel yourself in such a situation. Let the host cancel the booking. If they don’t have a genuine reason with evidence, airbnb will block their calendar for those nights so they won’t be able to accept another booking.
      Source: i am an airbnb host

      Edit: just read the same advice below

      • serpserpserp on 29/06/2024 - 22:19
        +1

        Won't hosts do everything in their power not to cancel then?

        • Ridiculous Panda on 29/06/2024 - 23:03
          +3

          Yes.. unless they have a genuine reason why they can’t have any guests on those days like a major maintenance issue or something.
          There are also other platforms similar to airbnb. A dodgy host can cancel on you if they receive a booking with a higher rate from one of them. But cancelling often hurts the rating so yeah I never cancelled a booking in 6 years of hosting.

  • JimmyF on 27/06/2024 - 17:36
    +12

    Is it just me or is this fee excessive on top adding it after guests have booked?

    Yes it is…

    Tell them to cancel the booking as the fee wasn't disclosed up front. See if they back down.

    • KingJuf on 27/06/2024 - 17:45
      +22

      Yeh they asked me to cancel it, I suspect it impacts their cancellation rate or something so I will push it back on them.

      • JimmyF on 27/06/2024 - 18:28
        +23

        Yeh they asked me to cancel it, I suspect it impacts their cancellation rate or something so I will push it back on them.

        You are correct, it impacts them. Plus if they cancel they can't resell those dates on the Airbnb platform.

        Airbnb closed this loophole a few years back. As people had been cancelling cheap bookings during busy times and then relisting them at crazy prices.

      • 1st-Amendment on 27/06/2024 - 18:40
        +31

        Yeh they asked me to cancel it

        Sounds like a scam. Notify Airbnb of this bait and switch tactic.

    • KingJuf on 27/06/2024 - 17:58
      +3

      Now after insisting they cancel it they have offered the cleaning fee to magically meet my budget which was under $500 . So cleaning fee is basically halved.

      • JimmyF on 27/06/2024 - 18:33
        +11

        my budget which was under $500
        So cleaning fee is basically halved.

        I would have told them your budget was $400 and you booked as it didn't have a cleaning fee.

        At a guess, they have been using Airbnb for a long time, so should know the system. Have a read of the reviews, as it sounds very bait and switch by them. 'forget' to list the cleaning fee then slip it on after you book thinking it is a good deal.

      • bmxr on 27/06/2024 - 19:09
        +30

        Please report them after your stay so they don't scam more people.

      • El cheepo on 28/06/2024 - 00:31
        +9

        They didn’t forget…
        I would (politely) argue to not pay at all or they can cancel themselves.

        What kind of host “forgets” such a basic regular thing as cleaning fees?

        They are just trying it on with people and hoping for no push back.

        • KingJuf on 28/06/2024 - 00:58
          +6

          Yeah sucks though dont really want to deal with host like this for my family trip. If they can make up prices for cleaning fees then whats next after I checkin/checkout.

      • jojo13 on 28/06/2024 - 07:21
        +2

        That is still way ttttoooo much for a cleaning fee; and they are not allowed to add any extra pricing after you have booked it. I know, I use to do airbnb.

    • infinite on 29/06/2024 - 16:26

      OP should also take screenshots of the unlisted cleaning fee demand and send them in to AirBNB. They'll ban people from being hosts for trying to pull scams like that.

  • BoltThrower on 27/06/2024 - 17:40
    +1

    Politely tell them it's a deal-breaker, while reassuring them you're clean and tidy.

  • Milkywayss on 27/06/2024 - 17:40
    +6

    I would just say I’m not happy to pay the fee and let them cancel the booking if they want

    • KingJuf on 27/06/2024 - 17:59
      -1

      Now after insisting they cancel it they have offered the cleaning fee to magically meet my budget which was under $500 . So cleaning fee is basically halved.

      • jojo13 on 28/06/2024 - 07:26
        +11

        I still wouldn't be staying there anyway…they are total aceholes. They are just greedy. Make sure to give feedback that covers all that.

      • infinite on 29/06/2024 - 16:27
        +1

        Don't even consider staying there. It's almost guaranteed that the cleaning fee scam is not the only the only one they'll be pulling on you.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 27/06/2024 - 18:06
    +19

    F airbnb. Was a viable option like 10 years ago. How unreal is it that hotels recovered and became the better of the two options again… by doing nothing lmfao

    • KingJuf on 27/06/2024 - 18:24

      I didn’t have any issues a few months ago when using airbnb in Asia. Maybe been a good 6-7 years since using in Australia though.

      • coffeeinmyveins on 27/06/2024 - 20:22
        +7

        you can barely fart in an airbnb now without being charged a cleaning fee for it

      • ddilrat on 29/06/2024 - 22:15

        I've only ever had issues in Australia actually

    • 1st-Amendment on 27/06/2024 - 18:47
      +8

      Agree 100%. When Airbnb started it was casual landlords offering genuine deals or spare rooms, now it's full of professional Airbnb' ers who charge hotel rates for average and unreliable services with all sorts of crazy fees mixed in. With hotels you generally know what you are getting and they have a front desk, dedicated customer service and cleaners, and a reputation to uphold.

      It's a lot like Taxis and Uber. Uber has also turned to utter shit compared to what it was 7 or 8 years ago. Taxis have somehow become the preferred option again without having to change a thing.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 27/06/2024 - 18:48

        taxis

        True but there are a heap of dodgy ones too still just like the old days

        • evocable on 29/06/2024 - 22:05

          Yep after the last few taxis I've caught I'll never use one again. One charged me 3x the rate uber charges (airport run) and another didn't even have a meter and just wanted to haggle a rate instead… At least you know the price of an uber up front

          • MITM on 30/06/2024 - 07:39
            +1

            @evocable: Didn’t have the meter on in Australia? That’s a free ride in my books as he had no proof he drove you to your destination.

          • 1st-Amendment on 30/06/2024 - 17:09

            @evocable:

            and another didn't even have a meter

            Well that's illegal, you should report them or other people will continue to be scammed by this person.

            At least you know the price of an uber up front

            If they show up that is. The last two times I watched the driver accept the ride, drive around the block a few times then wait up the road and then contact me to request I cancel, which I would've been charged a fee for.

            The scammers are gaming the system just like cabbies of old and Uber are ignoring it because they need the drivers. The service is getting noticeably worse.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 27/06/2024 - 20:21
      +10

      How unreal is it that hotels recovered and became the better

      The same reason Uber has become crap, and the same reason Netflix and other streaming services have become crap.

      Shareholders and investors expect continuous exponential growth after the initial honeymoon period of a startup, and this is what happens.

      Airbnb was a great concept, amazing when it first started, and it's even in the name, however they lost sight of that in favour of money because of investors. Actually it's worse than that. AirBnb has actually destroyed real estate markets in many cities over the world because of landlords using it to make money.

      • bobz79 on 29/06/2024 - 14:37
        +1

        ‘Enshittification’ is coming for absolutely everything :-)
        https://www.ft.com/content/6fb1602d-a08b-4a8c-bac0-047b7d64a…

      • 1st-Amendment on 30/06/2024 - 17:28
        -1

        AirBnb has actually destroyed real estate markets in many cities over the world because of landlords using it to make money.

        Has Airbnb done that or has it been restrictive development policies that prevent the market from producing more supply to keep up with demand?

        This is a common confusion, that the capitalist lever is ruining markets when it is in fact restrictions imposed by socialist do-gooders that has have caused the issue (Zoning controls, NIMBY policies, highly restrictive and expensive building standards/controls etc)

        Using Airbnb as an example, if property development wasn't constrained by mountains of red tape, then the extra demand created by Airbnb would likely be fulfilled by new properties being built to match demand. And that would self equalise over time along with prices. But because property is highly controlled, ie not a free market, supply is artificially being prevented from expanding to meet increased demand, thereby causing extreme price rises and pain.

        So it's not investors causing this issue, although they are driving the growth, it's the artificial restriction of supply by government interference that really causes the issues.
        We all want growth, that is how life improves for everyone. A bigger pie means more to go around.

    • kiitos on 28/06/2024 - 14:09
      +1

      True, but having house amenities like kitchen, laundry and space is attractive.

  • coffeeinmyveins on 27/06/2024 - 20:19
    +5

    found a relatively good deal

    Yeah, that's why. 100% they do this all the time.

    • payless69 on 28/06/2024 - 07:00

      I ask all accom providers: Choose diligence OR my middle finger!

  • altomic on 27/06/2024 - 22:26
    +17

    "hi, thanks for booking. before you leave could you wash the sheets and towels, mop the floors, regrout the shower, clean the gutters, and french polish the dinning table. also we forgot to add the $200 cleaning fee"

  • plmko on 27/06/2024 - 22:29
    -1

    $200 isn't even how much it costs to clean my multi room office for a week

    Think about that.

    • valuer on 29/06/2024 - 14:58
      +3

      Hotel rates include cleaning. Think about that.

  • emblurr on 28/06/2024 - 00:15
    +3

    Mike Ehrmantraut "Agreed amount"

  • payless69 on 28/06/2024 - 03:32
    +2

    Kind reminder: Drip pricing IS illegal!
    The ACCC ruled this because of travel agents rorts.
    Tell them TFB!
    Hat an airbnb landlady trying to extort 5 bucks out of me in cash for not using her drying room and hang my socks outside in the sun.
    I offered her a bank transfer which she declined.
    Then she managed to rubbish me on her feedback.
    I reported her to airbnb but they did nothing.

  • RoweDizzle on 28/06/2024 - 07:18

    Tell them half way through the visit you have an appearance fee, which coincidentally, is also $200. Your cancellation fee is $2000 if they decide to go down that path.

  • cheapass88 on 28/06/2024 - 08:17
    +1

    Accept and make sure you make it $200 worth of dirty

  • SlartiBartFozz on 28/06/2024 - 12:30
    +1

    AirBNB is more expensive than hotels for this reason. If you are staying for 3+ nights, it starts to become economical as the cleaning fee might be less than the higher daily cost of a hotel.
    But I've never paid more than$120 for airbnb cleaning. $200 is excessive.

  • TightAl on 29/06/2024 - 10:10

    Airbnb's expecting guest to do dishes/strip the bed/remove rubbish.
    Brother ewww

    • Ridiculous Panda on 29/06/2024 - 16:35
      +1

      I clean the dishes after using them even in hotels.
      I host an airbnb and politely ask guests to take out the rubbish before they leave. Unlike hotels who have in-house staff, the cleaner will only attend the place before the next booking. Sometimes the gap is a few days or a week. Can’t leave a full bin for that long and not reasonable for someone to drive there just to do that.

      • MITM on 30/06/2024 - 07:48
        +2

        Host asked us to put the bins out on bin day midway through our stay. Fair enough, we were asked to enjoy the accom as if it were our own home. ‘Twas Xmas time, 3 families in one BIG house. When we left we took bags of rubbish to the transfer station as we drive out of town.

      • cloudy on 30/06/2024 - 19:50

        Why would you only ask cleaner to come before the next book instead of right after a guest leaves?

        Imagine if the last guest left a cuppa coffee there and it sits there for a week or more before a cleaner comes…sounds a bit yuck even if the cleaner gives it a wash

    • try2bhelpful on 29/06/2024 - 20:17

      I don’t have a problem with doing any of that. Not exactly difficult to do.

  • belongsinforums on 29/06/2024 - 11:38
    +1

    airbnb been trash for a while now

  • carlJack on 29/06/2024 - 13:32

    Any other option if you want a kitchen?
    Edit: Also any recommendation on where to stay in Melbourne? Going there in Aug with wife and kid.

    • try2bhelpful on 29/06/2024 - 20:42

      Haven’t used the Citadines in Melbourne but might be worth becoming a member and see what the rates are. They are right on Bourke St and, generally, come with kitchens. We’ve stayed at Citadines before and they are pretty reasonable.

      Dress warmly.

  • Jaystea on 29/06/2024 - 14:06
    +1

    Play their bluff. Don't cancel. Just say you're not paying it. It costs them more to cancel than for you to pay it - so they'll cancel your fee. Just make sure to take before and after photos so they you're not stuffed with a "destroyed the airbnb" cost.

    • KingJuf on 29/06/2024 - 15:42

      Im not keen to give them even a dollar tbh after this experience who knows what they will come up with. They have asked me to accept the reduced fee through airbnb but I haven’t responded yet.

      • aceaceace1234 on 30/06/2024 - 20:07

        I agree with Jaystea. In the meantime, find another accommodation with free cancellation just in case the host does cancel.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 29/06/2024 - 15:26
    +1

    Pay cleaning fee….
    Still need to clean and do dishes before leaving…

    • KingJuf on 29/06/2024 - 15:44

      Tbh they need to absorb it in their fees, I try my best to leave all places I hire including hotels in a decent condition but understand there will always be cleaning to do like rubbish, bathroom, laundry for linen. But definitely not $200 worth of it thats for sure.

  • R1ngSt1nger on 29/06/2024 - 16:38
    +2

    We have a short-term rental in country Victoria and we charge $350 for the cleaning fee, and we make a loss on that. The house is large though, with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

    We have no shortage of people booking the house, it's a reasonably popular holiday destination. However, we do disclose our fees up front, and have never allowed a booking and then ask a guest for more money after the fact, due to "our mistake".

    In this case, the host may have genuinely made a mistake, but, as a business owner, you should absorb the mistake. The guest booked in good faith.

    OP - You can stick to your guns and say "no, I'm not cancelling the booking… if you want to cancel us, then you do it, otherwise we'll see you on xx/xx/xxxx at 2:00pm".

    If the host cancels, Airbnb will block their calendar, so they won't be able to get any bookings on the date that they cancelled on you, and Airbnb will also charge them a guest inconcenience fee which ranges from $50 to up to thousands. It all depends on the value of the booking. In your case, the inconvenience fee could be up to around $450, and Airbnb will find you suitable alternative accommodation (at similar price).

    The host will also lose superhost status (if they have that) and they'll appear lower in the search result algorithm.

    I wouldn't let a host bully me into cancelling a booking due to their mistake, in the same way that I wouldn't allow a guest to bully me into cancelling their booking and go against our cancellation policy.

    • mhz on 29/06/2024 - 17:42
      -1

      Seriously how do you get to $350 for a cleaning fee for a 4 bedroom house? You are everything that is wrong with Airbnb!

      • R1ngSt1nger on 29/06/2024 - 18:48
        +3

        Here's one of her invoices. It's rural Victoria with limited options.

        https://imgur.com/a/iYk67a3

        I'm not everything that's wrong with Airbnb, I make a loss from the cleaning every single time.

        • NMC on 30/06/2024 - 18:03

          7 hours! Your cleaner is taking the piss.

    • JimmyF on 29/06/2024 - 17:56
      +1

      In this case, the host may have genuinely made a mistake, but, as a business owner, you should absorb the mistake. The guest booked in good faith.

      How does one make a genuine mistake like this and forget to disclose the cleaning fee up front?

      I see endless listings like your own that have the cleaning fee already built in, so this 'forgot' it seems like a scam.

      and we charge $350 for the cleaning fee, and we make a loss on that.

      I don't have a issue with your cleaning fee as you disclose it up front, but WOW say @ $60/hr that is 6 man hours of cleaning!!?? WTF are they doing!?

      I wouldn't let a host bully me into cancelling a booking due to their mistake, in the same way that I wouldn't allow a guest to bully me into cancelling their booking and go against our cancellation policy.

      Correct, its poor form. If they made a real mistake, you just got to wear it and learn for next time round.

      • R1ngSt1nger on 29/06/2024 - 18:55

        I tend to agree with you. To turn off a cleaning fee would involve a deliberate action of turning a toggle switch off in the management portal. It's much easier to make a mistake on the nightly pricing as it's a simple matter of changing a number, but a cleaning fee is more than one step. So yes, this could potentially be a bait and switch type thing.

        Our cleaner is $50 an hour + GST and has herself plus another staff member, so 3.5 hours each (in the case of the invoice I linked above), and the linen on top also costs a lot. Everything is tank water in the area, so laundering is expensive. The house is huge and takes a long time to clean. In the early days, we used to clean it and it would take us longer than 7 hours, but we're not professionals.

  • DingoBilly on 29/06/2024 - 20:29
    -1

    Has airbnb ever been good?

    Over the last 5 or so years I've never found them to be cheaper than a hotel. Guess it's better if you want the more local experience but otherwise it's just more expensive and much more hit and miss.

    • rumblytangara on 30/06/2024 - 09:34
      +1

      Most my experience has been outside Australia, where it's been fantastic.

  • Dabbler68 on 29/06/2024 - 22:11

    It certainly sounds like an intentional "mistake". I think you would be better off refusing to pay anything and hope that they cancel on you.

    If you go ahead with staying there (at whatever deal), be prepared that they may claim on you for breakages, leaving it too dirty, or dishes left in the sink, etc justifying a claim for extra billing.

  • thierry on 30/06/2024 - 00:30

    you should report this to airbnb - and let the company handle it. they can't charge you a fee after booking. I've had very good experiences with customer support.

  • hasher22 on 30/06/2024 - 02:31
    -1

    Airbnb still a thing? Every article and reviews and posts are mostly negative.

    I get it, you get to have the whole place to yourself and feel like home.

    But I assume majority would be happy with a hotel.

  • MITM on 30/06/2024 - 07:59

    AirBNB is good for groups and/or unique locations -the experience. Hotels have no soul, and there’s usually bogan pretenders, even in high end.

  • EBC on 30/06/2024 - 18:17

    I had a similar thing but they messaged me after the fact saying I needed to pay extra for linens (towels and sheets for the beds).

    I just ignored them and everything was fine (the place had towels and sheets). But I still gave them a bad rating for it.

  • OzHan on 30/06/2024 - 22:14

    Why would you book AirBnb? Unless in areas where you can't find any hotels or larger groups than 4 people. you can book apartment hotels for not much more $$ and cleaning fee is included.

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