That super reasonable price you see for the three bedroom cabin in upstate New York? Yes, it’s not as reasonable once Airbnb asks for your credit card information. The Rental Market Company has long faced complaints of “hidden charges” which end up increasing the cost per night.
Here’s the good news: Airbnb is righting its wrongs, CNN Business Reports. The company is introducing a new feature that will show the total cost in your search results, including cleaning fees and other service charges. Airbnb originally announced plans to review its pricing system in May 2021 following customer complaints on social media.
“I heard you loud and clear, you feel like pricing isn’t transparent,” said CEO Brain Chesky tweeted Monday. “We started as an affordable alternative to hotels, and affordability is especially important today. In these tough economic times, we need to help our hosts deliver great value to you.”
Updates to its pricing and discount tools “will also allow hosts to set more competitive prices,” Chesky said. “Hosts have told us they’d like our help in better understanding the final price guests pay and what price to charge to stay competitive.”
As for those annoying guest checklists — which can ultimately lead to extra charges if you don’t complete every tedious task — Airbnb is now providing “tips” for hosts so these requests don’t get out of control.
“You shouldn’t have to do unreasonable checkout chores like stripping beds, doing laundry or vacuuming,” Chesky added on social media. “But we think it’s reasonable to turn off lights, throw food in the trash and lock doors, just like you would when leaving your own home.”
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