I am new to HE, but my sense was that (to copy the title of a popular recent post) cleaning fees are not appropriate. I thought HE asks that no $ change hands. I’m not sure of this, and I’m happy to hear other views.
But for non-reciprocal exchanges we then find ourselves (i) paying for cleaning and just eating that cost, and (ii) while that might be acceptable, not all non-reciprocal guests have been completely satisfied with the level of cleaning we have achieved so far.
Has anyone ever tried an optional cleaning fee, to set the expectation that, if not paying the fee, it won’t be like it was professionally cleaned? Or does that not make sense?
I think we are just not as focused on it as others can be, and we don’t really have the time for lots of additional cleaning. But it makes it really confusing as to how to arrange the best experience for all guests, which we would like to do.
Thank you for starting this discussion
Yes, the principal of home exchanging means that money’s not exchanged between hosts and guests for the accommodation but we have not banned cleaning fees.
About your question, personally, I haven’t had any issues with cleaning with my guests or my hosts as I think most members in the community have the common expectation that the homes won’t be spic-and-span as the homes have been lived in.
But what I have started doing when I have really little time to do the extra bit of deep cleaning, is mention to my guests that the house won’t be as clean as I would have liked it to be due to time constraints and they were thankfully very understanding.
Hi,
I am also new to home exchange.
I was hoping that it would work as please leave the home as you found it i.e clean floors/brushed hoovered or washed if necessary, bathroom kitchen, cooker clean.
I see there are quite a few cleaning fees and sometimes quite expensive
Yeah, I do love HE so far, but recently I’m also very frustrated with 3/5 cleaning scores, both as a guest and as a host. We pay a cleaner without charging guests $200 to clean. We do our best. But this is a lived-in house. We leave it a hundred times cleaner than we use it. When travelling we get all the sheets and towels in the wash, and make the beds if time allows. But we are on vacation and not professional cleaners. I’m really looking for advice. Perhaps offering options is best. E.g. “This is not an airbnb, but a lived in house. We will always leave if it for you much cleaner than we ever make it for ourselves. If you would like an additional, professional cleaning, you can optionally pay…”. And, as guests, always offer to pay for cleaning?
Normally the community is used to exchange their main residence.
Professional renters with huge fees give us a hard time.
Some members prefered to run away on another website where fees are stricly prohibited.
Did you exchange with people who list a second home (and rent it)?
I try to avoid them.
They don’t have the real exchange spirit.
As far as i am converned i wrote that for people requesting fees, we will claim for the same amount so the total is zero.
And we clean the place before leaving.
I understand that this topic can be controversial, but I think it’s worth considering different perspectives.
In reciprocal exchanges, I usually don’t pay for or receive help with cleaning, as I believe the exchange should work for both parties.
However, in GP exchanges, especially when I’m not in town and there are consecutive exchanges, I ask a 60 euros fee. This amount is exactly what I pay someone to clean, wash, change everything, and leave the house spotless. My home is always very clean, and all my guests have thanked me for that. Moreover, they don’t have to worry about cleaning; they just leave and let the task to the professional team.
As a guest, I don’t mind paying for cleaning and laundry help if it’s requested. Also I offer to pay, because I know how much cost to prepare all when you are far and have to pay someone. I understand that maintaining everything can be expensive, especially when staying for 2 or 3 nights.
Community spirit is in communication. It’s important to say, “Look, I can’t pay, but I’ll leave the laundry in the machine and the apartment clean, since I see you’ll have new guests tomorrow.” Communication always helps.
Personally, I believe that a good conversation is beneficial for everyone.
If we are able to do the cleaning on our second home we do so. If not we charge ÂŁ50 which is the exact cost the cleaner charges us for cleaning and laundry. WE give guests the option of pre pay via us or direct to the cleaner via BACS or PayPal personal.
It is somewhat confusing but as a recent guest said to me “I’ll clean but I’ll also pay a cleaning fee as we all have different expectations of cleanliness”.
So I have stayed at places where they never even swept the floor and I had to do it myself. And I have come home to a house that was relatively messy. No fun after a long trek home.
So I have tried an in between approach. I say that I am leaving the house very clean (like a nice hotel room clean) and I expect it returned in that manner. If they don’t want to clean then they can pay a fee for me to arrange a housekeeper. I pay for a housekeeper before and after and it is not appropriate (to me) to end up in another place (reciprocal) where it seems like they just got up and left and never even cleaned. If there was a standard (like you would expect in a hotel room) great or even if they said hey we won’t have time to clean do you still want to stay (of course we’ll ahead of making commitments) then OK. But to make things easier there should be a basic standard that HEX should set forth and that guests/hosts should adhere (unless otherwise agreed) or they get called out on reviews. Sweep (preferably mopped), wipe down all, no huge dust bunnies hanging about, clean kitchen and bathroom is not asking too much. I have a paragraph dedicated to this in my profile now. Wish I did not need to do so but there was such a variation that it was necessary (to me). I have no problem paying (or charging) a cleaning fee to have a clean place but I understand some don’t hence it should just be addressed up front (maybe dedicate some space on profile for this issue). BTW, I have said before deliver it back as clean as you found it but guests have not done so and hence it may just e easier to always charge a cleaning fee if I want a consistent result.
I have also stayed in second homes and they were much cleaner than first homes and no fees. So I do not think that is the genesis of the problem. It is just a matter of different expectations so it needs clarifying I think (Home Exchange says places should be delivered like XYZ and delivered back in the same manner unless otherwise agreed and encourage exchangers to discuss the issue before finalizing an exchange).
Hi again everyone.
I am Pat, in Istanbul.
I do NOT charge a cleaning fee.
I have policies that I ask guests to agree to that include leaving the home as clean as you found it.
I even have a policy about linens, bedding going into the washing machine - and ONLY if I am away for a long time, the machine should be run and the linens/bedding hung to dry.
If I am coming back home after a guest, and there is no guest in between, I run the washing machine.
My policies are stated in my home description.
I always welcome a million questions and am happy to answer all of them.
I think one of the best things about Home Exchange is that we can communicate clearly based on our personal habits, level of neurosis and things like time constraints.
In an addition, I have never had anything stolen, broken or found my tiny home dirty. People are pretty respectful and kind.
I am following this conversation because we’re new to HE and are wondering about the cleaning fees that some members charge. I have checked various properties and most of them specify how much they will charge regardless of the length of the stay.
We host people to use private rooms/baths at our home and we stay here when they come. Whether they stay for one one day or more, after they leave, we always clean up after them. We wash all the bed sheets and linens and hire cleaning crew to clean the bedrooms and bathrooms.
I thought it appropriate to ask for a small contribution towards cleaning and I mention this in the description of our home. But thus far, only one guest out of 4 had offered to pay something.
I had hoped that by not specifying a cleaning fee, that they would at least offer. Is it wrong to ask?
Hello. If the hosts did not state the characteristics of the property, it is not appropriate to ask for a cleaning fee. I think the exchange should be as written. I do not offer to pay the fee if I am not asked. I do not charge a fee when guests come. I pay the cleaning staff, so that guests can enjoy their vacation without generating more expenses.
I’m a mom of 3 small children. When we’re traveling it adds a bit of stress to the exchange if I feel I need to do a 2 hour cleaning, mop the floors, scrub down the bathrooms and dust (I think also my level of cleanliness standards is a bit high) so I’m always more at ease when I can pay a cleaning fee instead. We leave the house tidied and everything in its place but I know a cleaner will come and do those other jobs listed above so the sink and toilet are clean and sparkling for the home owner. We’ve also started using a cleaner and having a cleaning fee and I can always be assured my guests will have professionally cleaned towels and bed linens and the house is spic and span for their visit.
I think hospitality stays are a bit different to whole home exchanges. I’m new and have hosted a couple of times one of them hospitality. As far as I can see hospitality stays are often short duration and only a few people. In this instance I am would only expect guests to leave the places they used tidy after them. We’re sharing the house so I have to clean anyway. The whole home is different but I don’t want anyone under pressure on their last day in my home, so strip beds, basic wipe down of kitchen and bathroom surfaces, quick vacuum of floors and garbage out is what I ask. I don’t ask cleaning fees but would organise a cleaner if guest requested this. When I go to another home I try to leave as found but getting bedlinen laundered is a problem if I’ve flights to catch, so I wouldn’t swap with someone who required this.
I think the most amazing thing is to be open to conversation and to understand the individual needs of each family. Offer help, suggest putting the laundry in the machine before leaving, or offer to pay if that works for you.
Everything can be discussed in a way that suits both parties best. The less HE intervenes in this conversation, the better. When there are too many rules, people start to find unimaginable ways to avoid them.
I think it’s okay to pay, okay to receive, okay to negotiate—whatever is discussed and agreed upon by both parties.
