Airbnb axes junk fees! App now lets users see total price upfront

Airbnb has waged a war on junk fees in a raft of sweeping measures to make its short-term rentals more affordable and convenient.

From today all Airbnb users can switch the app to display the total price of a room upfront so they aren't stung by hidden administration costs right before check-out. 

Guests have frequently gone viral for complaining they had been made to do chores on their vacation - when they had already paid cleaning fees of more than $100. 

Under the new changes, hosts will also be forced to state upfront the chores it expects guests to do upon check-out.

A spokesman said that tasks would be 'clearly displayed on the listing page before a guest books a listing. 

From today all Airbnb users can switch the app to display the total price of a room upfront so they aren't stung by hidden administration costs right before check-out

The firm has announced raft of sweeping measures to make its short-term rentals more affordable

'Guests are also reminded of the listing checkout instructions the day before departure, and listings with repeated low ratings from unreasonable chores will be removed from Airbnb.'

It comes after President Joe Biden announced a crackdown on America's 'junk fee' economy with plans to target surcharges imposed by airlines, hotels and events hosts.

Airbnb was created in 2007 when roommates Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia started renting out air mattresses in their San Francisco living room. 

Originally it just offered spare rooms in households who needed some extra cash. In 2009 it expanded into full properties. 

But the firm has come under repeated scrutiny for the explosion in 'hidden fees' and cleaning chores that guests have been subjected to.

Cleaning costs shot up by 28 percent on average due to increased hygiene protocols, according to a study by Forbes Advisor. 

At the same time hosts have been known to ask guests to strip the beds, do the laundry and even mow the lawn during their stay.  

Last November Chesky accepted the criticism of the extensive cleaning fees.

'You shouldn’t have to do unreasonable checkout tasks, such as stripping the beds, doing the laundry, or vacuuming.

'But we think it’s reasonable to turn off the lights, throw food in the trash, and lock the doors – just as you would when leaving your own home.'

Users have taken to Tiktok to complain they were being made to do extensive chores - on top of paying cleaning fees

The firm also announced that it was returning to its roots by refocusing on renting out single rooms in homes for budget prices. 

Its new feature Airbnb Rooms aims to target travelers on a tight budget amid soaring living costs. 

A new range of filters on the app will let users see how much they would save by renting a room rather than a whole building. 

More than 80 percent of rooms under its 'Private Rooms' feature are under $100 a night, the firm said. 

Chesky said the new rooms function was the 'soul of Airbnb.'

All in all Airbnb introduced more than 50 new features based on feedback from its users. 

These included: improved maps to show where a property is, a new partnership with Buy Now Pay Later service Klarna for US guests and instant rebooking credits for hosts who cancel on their guests within 30 days of the trip.