will adding a cleaning fee result in guests being less tidy and respectful?

[Dawn150]

Hello,

I have been hosting since Jan.1 and do not charge a cleaning fee. I have also removed most filters to book as often as possible. Currently, I am flooded with single night stays. Guests checking out and then new guests checking in on the same day. I want to add a cleaning fee and my husband, who is a frequent business traveler on Airbnb, thinks I will get more guests who are less tidy and respectful of the space. Would I be wiser to simply increase my rate and not add a cleaning fee? Anyone care to share your experience with this...or thoughts. 

Thanks, Dawn 

[Letti0]

@Dawn150  I have entires homes. I charge a cleaning fee, but I am not sure it's the cleaning fee I think it's the age groups. I have had major clean up issues with the young 20+ year olds especially 80% bad - 20% good not washing a dish or pot and using everyone they can find and even some of the early 30's age group is like this I'd say 40% bad - 60% good. When mama or grandma comes along the places is always left with dishes washed  and things left tidy, fortunately we get lots of mama's and grandma's tagging along ;D 

[Dawn150]

Thanks Letti, I have a studio apartment in the lower level of my house and we live upstairs. Most guests are mature and responsible ...I am just exhausted cleaning Every. Single. Day ..need to put a value on my time. 

[Letti0]

@Dawn150  Your entiled to pay yourself a living wage for cleaning. Charge the guest. 

[Lisa723]

I charge a cleaning fee and I don't think it makes guests less tidy. You could also consider changing to a two-night minimum.

[Dawn150]

Thanks for the input Lisa, I will likely go with a two night minimum next spring/summer.   While building my business, I opted to accept one night stays to accummalate more reviews and it is certainly working ..Cleaning fee goes into effect now! 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Dawn150   If you are in the area where the average stay is 1-2 days then cleaning fee is desirable. If you are in the area where people book 7 days or longer then it is not so important.

We have 2 nights min and most of our bookings are for 2 nights. We have a cleaning fee between 10-30 € depends of the size of a unit. Most of our guests are very tidy and leave everything very clean. We don't offer weekly discount and cleaning fee is actually a price difference between short and longer stays.

[Dawn150]

Thanks for sharing your experience and I believe a cleaning fee is appropriate,  especially for short stays.. 

[Paul154]

Good question @Dawn0.

I hate cleaning. I wish I knew the secret handshake that attracts  the cleanest, lowest impact guests as possible, but I just don't. Unfortunately, we rent to strangers and it's a crap shoot.

The best I do is to charge a reasonable , but low-ish cleaning fee. I am seeking "realistic" guests. I.E. I want guests who understand that cleaning is an expensive aspect to renting. Charging a cleaning fee helps remind guests that their Mother does not live here.

@Dawn150 , it is clear that you have proved one "fact". If you don't charge a cleaning fee you will get many one-nighters! 

We will drive ourselves crazy trying to get only clean guests. The best we do is charge a cleaning fee inline with our competitors. That way, we won't get bias working against us.

Good luck

[Dawn150]

Righto Paul..... The thing I find is that cleaning fee's are quite broad. My space is 735 sq.feet and I see cleaning fees from $20 up to $75. Now to find the best price for my space and for my time spent without turning people off.

[Lyn3]

Hi @Dawn150 Your accommodation looks stunning!  When you have been really busy, perhaps you might like to consider giving yourself the occasional day off by blocking out a night or two here and there in your calendar. This works for me 🙂 

[Dawn150]

Thanks for the reminder Lyn...That is one thing I love about Airbnb, I can block out nights whenever I choose. I have a friend coming to stay a night in Sept. and we'll just hang out in 'her' space like friends on a short holiday. And...I don't even have to drive anywhere;-) 

[Pete69]

Sometimes I feel the need to explain to guests that AirBnb doesn't allow hosts  to have a curved rate scale for shorter stays. I can't bake the costs of all the cleaning work and the faster wear and tear on linens due to cleaning into my price. So think of the "cleaning fee" as really a "shorter stay fee".

[Dawn150]

I like that term Pete....'Short stay fee'. Besides, once people come inside Ruby's Guest Suite, they wish they had booked more nights. I had a recent guest leave a comment in my guest book that said. "Time doesn't exist here, how refreshing"        OH MY HEART;-)

[Sandra126]

@Pete69, the minute it changes name to ''short stay fee'' I will start charging one. Don't like the cleaning fee, don't have one, but I love charging less for more than one nighters. Not possible, alas. Don't need a weekly discount.