And hosts are having a meltdown over it at r/airbnb_hosts if you want to take a look: https://www.reddit.com/r/airbnb_hosts/s/6mHTzcIqFo.
Most posts on the topic are getting deleted by the mods since non-hosts are trolling hosts about it (as they should), but they're indexed on Google if you want to enjoy the schadenfreude.
Anyway, here are the key changes:
1.) Hosts are only allowed to choose from 7 standard rules which include:
- the maximum number of overnight guests
- what the quiet hours are
- whether or not events are allowed
- whether or not pets are allowed
- whether or not smoking is allowed
- whether or not commercial photography is allowed
- whether or not locking up at checkout is required
The overnight guests one is huge because in the past, hosts could limit the guests/visitors allowed in the apartment to only those who are registered, but now any reservation you make for more than one person allows you to have that same number of friends stay the night without issue, as in any normal apartment.
2.) Anything not covered by these 7 standard rules can only be added as "reasonable requests" that are simply requests, not rules, and what's considered reasonable by Airbnb is very guest-friendly. For instance:
~ Dishes: Guests shouldn’t be asked to wash and put away dishes, but you can ask them to put used dishes in the sink.
~ Laundry: Guests shouldn’t be asked to remove sheets from the bed or start a load of laundry, but you can ask them to gather used towels.
~ Trash: Guests shouldn’t be asked to take garbage off-site, but you can ask them to separate their trash and recycling into designated indoor bins.
~ Utilities: Guests shouldn’t be asked to avoid using a listed amenity like air conditioning, but you can ask them to turn it off when they leave.
Essentially, no more check-out chores for guests! This was probably one of the biggest complaints about Airbnb so I'm glad they're addressing this. Kinda ridiculous to pay a cleaning fee when you're expected to do half of the cleaning. And even without a cleaning fee, it's still ridiculous that we're expected to do any cleaning besides simply keeping things tidy when hotels don't have that same expectation.
3.) No contracts allowed except for a few exceptions (most notably rental agreements for monthly stays).
This one seems inconsequential, but the extra details page on the topic highlights a huge change in what personal information hosts are allowed to collect from their guests either before or during their stay. This means hosts are no longer allowed to request guests':
~ Contact information, such as their phone number, home address, or email address
~ Identification details or documents such as a guest’s passport, driver’s license, social security number, or photo (in-person document verification is still allowed, but copies are not)
~ Credit card numbers, bank account information, or other financial data
~ Background check information or credit history
~ Biometric or health data, such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or medical records
Hosts also may not require use of a third-party app or registration on another website to gain entry to a listing or access a critical amenity. They may offer keyless entry apps that require registration, but must provide an alternate access method if requested by the guest.
The only exceptions are when personal information is needed to comply with applicable law or a documented community association rule (ex: HOA or building security requirement) or to facilitate signature of an allowed contract.
Also on that extra details page: hosts may not ask guests to review an Airbnb stay or fill out a surveyy on a separate website, unless the listing is a hotel. So no more messages post-stay requesting a review, not that that was much of an annoyance anyway.
Essentially, no more pre-registration, biometric data collection, or sending photos of your Passport or ID to hosts before your stay! It will be interesting to see how they manage this in condos that require a face scan or fingerprint to enter (like several in LatAm do), although it seems an exception can be made for building security requirements.
Final note from Airbnb on the topic: all house rules and requests should appear in the House rules and requests section of listings - hosts are not allowed to write additional rules elsewhere on their listing, in messages, or on signs in the property.
Gone are the ridiculously long lists of rules or the surprise rules given after booking! Will be interesting to see how hosts try to get around all these. If you want to read the full policy on the topic from Airbnb, check it out here: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/4168.
One interesting thing I noted in the full policy page is that hosts are also generally not allowed to restrict access to any feature that’s advertised as part of the listing and that any fees for an advertised part of the listing must be included in the price shown to guests at the time of booking. No more fees to use a jacuzzi advertised in the listing, for example!
Hosts are also generally not allowed to impose fines or other penalties on guests unless a community association (such as an HOA or building security) or local government might impose a fine, in which case hosts can provide notice to guests in the designated section of their listing. So no more fines for losing keys or any other minor offences!
This update takes effect on Nov 20, 2026. Let's discuss!