Over 23,000 signatures, international media coverage – and still no response from Airbnb.
An update on our campaign – 30th October 2026.
Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who has signed, commented on and shared this petition.
In just over a week, we’ve gathered more than 23,000 signatures, with support from hosts and guests around the world. The response has been extraordinary.
Our campaign has also attracted considerable media attention, including coverage in The Times, The Boston Globe, CBS News, Sky News, WIRED and other international publications.
I was particularly pleased with the balanced reporting in The Times, which gave proper consideration to the concerns of hosts while also acknowledging the legitimate frustrations of guests who have encountered excessive cleaning demands.
You can read the article here:
Where do things stand with Airbnb?
I have written formally to Airbnb’s senior management, asking them to reconsider the restriction on requiring guests to wash their own dishes. I have also raised the issue through Airbnb’s Community Centre and attempted to engage with its communications team.
Unfortunately, despite the scale of support and the growing media interest, I have yet to receive a substantive response from Airbnb.
I find that disappointing, although perhaps not entirely surprising. Many experienced hosts will recognise the frustration of trying to make their voices heard when Airbnb introduces changes to its policies.
Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that the company will recognise the strength and reasonableness of our position.
What are we actually asking for?
It is worth restating our central argument, particularly as some media coverage has characterised this dispute as hosts wanting guests to undertake cleaning duties.
That is emphatically not what this campaign is about.
We support Airbnb’s efforts to protect guests from excessive checkout requirements. Nobody should be expected to undertake professional cleaning duties at the end of their holiday.
But there is a fundamental difference between cleaning a property and washing the dishes you have used.
Washing up after yourself is not an unreasonable demand. It is an ordinary responsibility associated with self-catering accommodation.
We are simply asking Airbnb to recognise that distinction and allow hosts to set reasonable, clearly disclosed expectations.
What happens next?
I intend to continue pursuing a direct response from Airbnb’s senior management and policy team, while using the growing support for this petition and the media coverage to bring our concerns to a wider audience.
I am also seeking opportunities to engage with established host organisations that may be able to help secure a meaningful discussion with Airbnb.
The new policy is due to take effect on 20 November, so there is still time for Airbnb to reconsider this particular restriction.
I cannot promise that we will succeed. Airbnb is a very large organisation, and changing its corporate direction will not be easy.
But I do believe that a collective voice of this size deserves to be heard.
How you can help:
Please continue sharing the petition, particularly with fellow hosts and anyone who believes that self-catering accommodation should involve a reasonable degree of personal responsibility.
Every additional signature helps demonstrate that this is not simply the complaint of a handful of disgruntled hosts.
A new international voice for hosts:
One particularly encouraging development has been the establishment of Hosts Alliance, a new independent association founded by hosts in France in response to Airbnb’s latest policy changes. The organisation aims to bring hosts together internationally, giving us a stronger collective voice and encouraging booking platforms to consult the people whose properties and livelihoods are affected by their decisions. Its first campaign supports the concerns raised in this petition, and membership is free and open to hosts worldwide. I welcome this initiative and encourage fellow hosts to take a look and consider joining:
Our petition is focused on securing a change to a very specific proposed change, but Hosts Alliance offers a nascent opportunity to address the wider problem of inadequate host consultation over the longer term.
I will continue to keep you updated on developments, including any response from Airbnb.
Thank you again for your remarkable support.
Harry
Keep Self-Catering Self-Catering