Airbnb's New House Rules: What Changes on 20 November and Why Hosts Are Angry

Airbnb has changed how hosts set house rules. Since 20 October 2026, the listing editor only accepts seven standard rules, and every other instruction is now called a "request". For bookings made on or after 20 November 2026, a new policy also applies: requests must be reasonable, and Airbnb has spelled out which ones are not. Washing and putting away dishes, stripping beds, starting a load of laundry or taking the rubbish out of the property can no longer be required of guests.

Many hosts are unhappy about it. On Airbnb's official community forum, the announcement thread has hundreds of replies, someone has started a petition asking the company to reverse the policy and some hosts say they will delist. For listings in Spain, the policy also touches something that has nothing to do with cleaning: what data you can ask guests for, and how you have to tell them, in order to comply with guest registration rules.

What changes and when

There are two dates, and they should not be confused:

• 20 October 2026. Airbnb switches on the new house rules section in the listing editor. Checkout instructions lose their own tab and move into the requests section.
• 20 November 2026. The policies on reasonable house rules and requests and on limiting host-imposed contracts and other requirements take effect. They only apply to bookings confirmed from that day.

A booking made on 10 November for a stay in February stays under the old policy. For a few months, some guests will be on the old rules and some on the new ones, which matters if you send the same automated messages to everyone.

The seven house rules Airbnb allows

Rules are now picked from a fixed list. Two of them are new: the maximum number of overnight guests and locking up at checkout.

1. Maximum number of overnight guests.
2. Quiet hours.
3. Events, allowed or not.
4. Pets, whether they are allowed and how many.
5. Smoking, including vaping and e-cigarettes.
6. Commercial photography and filming.
7. Locking up at checkout, with optional details on where to leave the keys.

Guests must follow these rules. If a guest breaks one during the stay, or says before check-in that they intend to, the host can cancel without penalty. Everything else goes under "Requests", split into "During the stay" and "Before checkout". Airbnb encourages guests to follow requests but does not require it; if a guest ignores one, the host can contact Airbnb.

Which checkout chores hosts can no longer ask for

Airbnb's test is that hosts should not ask for tasks that take significant time or effort, or that a cleaner would normally do. The company gives examples of what is out and what can be asked instead:

There is some room for local conditions. Airbnb lists limiting shower time during drought-related water restrictions, which is a realistic scenario in parts of Spain, and using animal-proof bins in bear country as reasonable requests. The rubbish rule is the one Spanish hosts will notice most: in many buildings the bins are on the street and there is no communal bin room, so whoever cleans will now have to take that bag down.

Other restrictions that got less attention

The cleaning chores made the headlines, but the policy includes other changes that will affect day-to-day hosting just as much:

• No new rules after booking. Not by message, not on a sign in the home and not in person. Anything that is not in the right section of the listing at the time of booking does not count. The classic sheet of "apartment rules" stuck on the fridge no longer carries weight if it says something the listing does not.
• No fines or penalties. Hosts cannot impose them. Damage is handled through AirCover, as we explain in our guide to claiming Airbnb damage as a host. If the owners' association or the local council can fine guests for something, the host gives notice in the local rules section; the host can ask the guest to reimburse a fine through the Resolution Center, but Airbnb does not collect it.
• Advertised amenities cannot be restricted. If the listing offers a pool, air conditioning or a barbecue, hosts cannot limit its use, and any charge for it must be included in the price at booking.
• Contracts in four cases only: when required by law or a community association rule, for optional amenities, for stays of 28 nights or more and for Luxe listings. They are uploaded as PDFs and anyone viewing the listing can read them.
• Wi-Fi without a data form. Sign-in portals that ask for an email address or other personal data are banned outside hotels and resorts.

The listing editor flags requests that break the policy, and the host receives an email with guidance and the option to appeal. If the issue is not fixed, guests may see an alert on the listing, such as "includes cleaning requests", and persistent violations can reduce search visibility.

Why so many hosts are unhappy

The most common complaint is about money. The cleaning fee does not always cover the cost of turning a property around, and for hosts with same-day check-outs and check-ins, a guest who leaves the dishes done or the sheets in the washing machine saves time the cleaning team does not have. Several hosts on the forum argue that some basic tasks are needed to keep the place hygienic and to look after the property.

Others see a change of model. As reported by TechCrunch, one host with twelve years on the platform believes Airbnb is moving towards a hotel model and losing what made it different, and warns they could delist if the restrictions stay. The official thread also raises questions the policy does not answer. Can a host mention in a review that a guest left the kitchen in a bad state? Can hosts who charge no cleaning fee ask for more help?

The change has its supporters, and not only among guests. Some hosts on the same forum say a home with few rules and professional cleaning is the better experience, and that anyone who does not want guests in their home should not list it. Travellers had been complaining for years about paying a cleaning fee and then finding a list of chores at checkout. Airbnb had already moved in this direction: in 2023 it said more than 260,000 hosts had reduced or removed their cleaning fees, and since 2025 it has shown the total price including fees by default in search results. The company now says its community told it that house rules could be confusing, onerous and hard to manage.

What it means for a holiday rental in Spain

For a listing in Spain, the most sensitive part of the new policy is not about dishes. It is about personal data. Airbnb's policy bans hosts from asking guests for personal data at any point during the booking or the stay, including contact details, ID documents, financial data, background checks and biometric or health data. It also bans requiring a third-party app or registration on another website to get into the property.

The exception that matters here is the legal one: Airbnb allows hosts to collect data or require registration elsewhere when it is necessary to comply with applicable law. Spain's Royal Decree 933/2021 requires anyone providing accommodation, holiday rentals included, to record guest data and report it to the authorities. Its Annex I includes the ID document number, phone number and email address. For the full obligation, see our guide to guest registration with SES Hospedajes.

The exception comes with conditions, and Airbnb may ask for evidence that they are met:

• The host must explain in the requests section, before booking, what information is required and why.
• The host cannot collect more data than the law requires.
• The host is responsible for storing the data securely and deleting it.

In practice, this has several consequences:

• Online check-in for the guest registration form still works, as long as it is disclosed in the listing and limited to the data required by RD 933/2021. Airbnb has not published Spain-specific guidance, so keep the reference to the regulation handy in case the platform asks.
• Asking for a photo of an ID card or passport "just in case" is out. RD 933/2021 requires the data to match the ID document shown or provided, but it does not expressly mention a copy. Checking the document in person is allowed if the requests section says so, without keeping a copy unless an exception applies.
• Smart locks with an app can be offered, but if the guest asks, the host must provide another way in. If you are choosing a model, our smart lock comparison covers which ones support keypads or codes.
• Maximum guests is now a standard rule. If more people appear on the registration form than on the booking, you have a binding rule to point to.

Here is a sample text for the requests section, to adapt to your case:

Spanish law (Royal Decree 933/2021) requires us to register guests and report their details to the authorities. Before arrival we will send you a link to complete the registration with the data that regulation requires. We only use it for that purpose and we do not keep a copy of your ID document.

If you send the check-in link through scheduled messages, as described in automating Airbnb check-in, make sure the message reminds guests of a request already shown on the listing rather than adding a new requirement.

What to review before 20 November

1. Open the listing editor and check which requests are flagged.
2. Move checkout instructions to "Before checkout" and remove washing up, stripping beds, laundry and taking rubbish to the street.
3. Remove any mention of fines or penalties from the listing, the house manual and signs.
4. Check that signs in the home and the welcome guide do not contain rules that are not on the listing.
5. Add the guest registration notice to the requests section, stating what data is required and why.
6. Move owners' association or council rules that can lead to fines into the local rules section.
7. Review automated messages: they cannot introduce new rules after booking.
8. Recalculate your cleaning fee to reflect the extra time your team will spend at each checkout.

Frequently asked questions

Do the new rules affect bookings that are already confirmed?

No. The policy applies to bookings made on or after 20 November 2026. Earlier bookings stay under the previous terms, even if the stay happens later.

Can I still charge a cleaning fee?

Yes. Airbnb is not removing it. What changes is that a guest who pays it cannot be asked to do what a cleaner would normally do.

Can I still ask for ID details from guests in Spain?

Yes, when it is needed for guest registration. You must say so in the requests section before booking, explain why and not ask for more data than the regulation requires.

What happens if a guest ignores a request?

Requests are not mandatory. You can contact Airbnb, but you cannot cancel for that reason. Cancelling without penalty is only allowed when a guest breaks one of the seven standard house rules.

Sources

• Airbnb: Important changes to house rules (20 October 2026).
• Airbnb: Reasonable house rules and requests.
• Airbnb: Limiting host-imposed contracts and other requirements.
• Airbnb Community Center: announcement thread and host replies.
• TechCrunch: Airbnb limits chores for guests, sparking backlash from hosts.
• Royal Decree 933/2021 of 26 October.

Written on 22 October 2026 based on the policies published by Airbnb, which may change before or after they take effect. This is not legal advice: if your case has specific circumstances, check the official terms or ask an adviser.