But, as another commenter said, they can be used as a way to encourage longer stays, as with most places you only pay a single cleaning fee regardless of the length of your stay. But, again, it's just a fact that these rentals are usually just cleaned between guests (as opposed to a hotel when cleaning is done daily so it can be rolled into the nightly rate).
I think getting shocked by cleaning fees is like getting shocked that there is a sales tax.. Every time you go to the store.
Showing the total with cleaning fees at the end is inconvenient and user hostile, but in no way a "scam".
As someone else in the thread pointed out, some locales do require that AirBNB and similar list prices with the fees included, and they comply in those regions. And not including tax is kind of a con when the rate can vary between states, cities and even parts of cities. Nobody can be expected to know the particulars everywhere they go, while businesses are legally required to know in order to collect.
>Nobody can be expected to know the particulars everywhere they go, while businesses are legally required to know in order to collect.
Which is why they tell customers exactly what the total is and fee/tax breakdown before purchase.
I think scam implies that something is deceptive, but not everything that annoys me is a scam. If users are completely aware of something and expect it, it is hard to claim they are being duped, in my opinion.
No it can't because the hosts are trying to charge a fixed fee per reservation.
AirBnb hosts have had their hands on the scale for too long now because the company is terrified of a mass exodus of hosts (many of whom act just as entitled as your average landlord, who will beat every penny out of you). It used to be a much better service for the users.
FWIW I think pretty much every vacation rental I booked pre-AirBnB (or, for that matter, pre-Internet) charged a cleaning fee in a similar manner.
However, in my market customers only see the total, calculated to an avg nightly price. So it all works out and is fair for everyone.
At least last time I booked on AirBnB it was clearly displayed as part of the total reservation price if you entered dates.
Oh right, averaging.
How much should the price increase per night to cover the cost of cleaning?
So either too low for people staying one night or too high for people staying multiple nights. Why is it better?
AirBnBs have definitely normalized a significant per-stay charge that isn't the norm in the hotel/inn business.
Averaging
If you don't like it, fine, just don't use it. But pricing it to what people actually use, is fairest for everyone.
And a less charitable interpretation is that it's a scam because it's deceptive advertising to show a lower nightly rate.
I'm willing to pay a cleaning fee (though really it should be rolled into the cost of the stay) but not also be required to do the cleaning myself.
So yeah, the law and custom both cover this angle.
If you can't efficiently get cleaning services for your rented out room, maybe you should get out of the hotel business!
But those paying cash, no taxes, low salary abusing people, should remain in business?
What an insane take.