Airbnb’s updated rules bar hosts from fining guests or blocking amenities advertised in a property listing, setting limits on how owners can respond to guest conduct and what access a booking includes.
The rules also define a short list of checkout requests hosts can still make. These include leaving used dishes in the sink, collecting used towels and sorting trash and recycling into designated indoor bins. In places where bears are active, hosts may ask guests to use animal-proof trash containers. Hosts may also ask guests to limit shower time when local drought restrictions apply.
For checkout, Airbnb distinguishes small requests from work that takes significant time or effort or is usually done by cleaners. The policy identifies bed stripping, taking trash off-site and washing and putting away dishes as tasks hosts generally cannot require.
Hosts cannot block access to features listed in a property description, such as air conditioning, Airbnb says. The company also bars fines and other penalties. The rule ties guest access to the features the listing promises. For damage caused by guests, Airbnb identifies AirCover as host damage protection.
Airbnb cited guest expectations and review quality as reasons for curbing checkout requests that add unexpected work. The company said the burden of surprise tasks at the end of a booking can affect the guest experience and reviews.
The policy comes amid housing debates around short-term rentals in Europe. Deutsche Welle reported that protests in European cities have focused on housing shortages, with demonstrators arguing that short-term rentals such as Airbnb have pushed residents from their communities.
The European Commission (EC) presented an Affordable Housing Act framework on Sept. 9. The proposal gives authorities a way to assess housing-related measures they may adopt under national law. It does not itself impose new restrictions on Airbnb or create a new right to restrict short-term rentals.
EconoTimes previously covered Airbnb’s limits on lengthy checkout cleaning requests. The updated rules apply to reservations booked on or after Nov. 20, 2026.
