Passing on Covid Cleaning Costs

1

Dear Forum members

I have looked to see if this topic has been addressed before but can’t find anything specific

I have a few bookings that were made well before the virus changed the world. I have always cleaned my property very thoroughly but yesterday I did my first "Covid clean”. It took 2 of us 4 hours! (This is a 2 bedroom apartment with an open plan kitchen sitting and dining space with a terrace overlooking the lough ) I have significantly reduced the amount of crockery, cushions and throws etc

I have recently increase my cleaning fee from to help cover the costs ( I am clearly going to have to pay someone to help me)

So question to the forum - would you ask the guests who booked prior to the outbreak to pay the extra fee ( we are talking £30)? These are mostly short stays ( 3 days) so not much rental income at £60/n.

I would welcome the groups thoughts

Thank you

2

No - as an incoming guest who has prepaid in full I would see this as your tax deductible cost and not an extra fee for me to come up with. I could see a complaint to Airbnb resulting in issues for you.

5 Likes
3

Simply no. Like everyone else you’ll just need to suck it up.

As @Debthecat says, if I were a guest and you slapped an extra fee on me I’d not be happy, irrespective of how low it is.

JF

1 Like
4

No, you can’t charge them after they already booked. At this point all you can do now is raise your cleaning fee for future bookings.

1 Like
5

Thank you all - I think we have consensus

3 Likes
6

Obviously you can add it to your listing going forward @CJD

7

No. This is no different than a guest who books before you raise your nightly fee. You would not ask that person to pay the difference between your old rate and the current rate.

8

I would encourage all hosts who are open to increase your nightly rate 10 to 20%. I made the analogy in another thread: When there has been a late freeze, we all understand we are going to have to pay more for produce at the market.

We have had the industry equivalent of an arctic freeze on April 30. Inventory is down and hosts’ operating costs are up.

3 Likes