Please accept Airbnb’s new terms by may 10, 2025… or get kicked off

A date to remember: May 10, 2025

By this deadline, all hosts must comply with the new rules — or face being delisted from Airbnb. Literally.

The real goal: more commissions, fewer workarounds

👉 Here is the link to the details of Airbnb's new policy

While wrapped in a narrative of “transparency for travelers,” Airbnb’s real intent is clear: eliminate all methods of avoiding its service fees.

To do that, Airbnb is locking down three key pressure points:

• The listing and its fee breakdown
• The Resolution Center (for additional charges)
• The booking modification tool

A property manager overseeing 14 units in Marseille shared: "We've been balancing advertised prices and SMS-arranged extras for years. But this time, Airbnb isn’t playing around. We received the email with the new rules on April 14."

The new rules, decoded

Mandatory fees: must be included in nightly rate

All mandatory charges must now be included in the nightly rate and shown at the time of booking on Airbnb. This includes:

• Utilities (e.g., gas, electricity)
• Extra guest fees
• Pet fees
• Tourist taxes
• Management and destination fees
• HOA fees
• Any applicable tax

If there's no dedicated field, they must be built into the price per night.

Note: If you use a PMS or channel manager, you can still collect certain fees outside the platform — but only if they’re included in the price breakdown visible to the guest at checkout.

Optional services: resolution center only

Extras like parking, pool heating, or mid-stay cleaning must:

• Be clearly mentioned in the listing description or house rules
• Be paid via the Resolution Center

Important: These charges currently remain non-commissioned. But Airbnb can change that policy at any time — so stay alert.

Booking changes: only through Airbnb

Any modification — dates, length of stay, guest count — must now go through Airbnb’s platform.

• No more side deals via SMS or email.
• Only guests can initiate changes.
• External payments (cash, wire, checks) are strictly forbidden.
• Offering a discount to book off-platform? Prohibited.
• Canceling to rebook directly? Also banned.

In short: Airbnb is sealing every loophole to make sure every transaction is trackable — and commissionable.

Word is, Airbnb already uses algorithms to scan messages for suspicious keywords like "wire transfer", "discount", or "book directly".

Guest contact info: not before, not after

You can no longer ask for a guest’s email or address before or even after booking — unless the guest requests it.

• All communication must take place through Airbnb’s messaging system.
• Rest assured: Airbnb verifies guest identities.

Links, apps, third-party tools: mostly banned

Airbnb prohibits anything that pulls guests out of its ecosystem. This includes:

• Links to direct booking websites
• Digital welcome books requiring guest sign-up
• Third-party apps for check-in access
• External services (e.g., breakfast ordering or spa reservations)

Exceptions: Smart home tools (Sonos, Nest, smart locks) are allowed if optional and don’t require sign-up.

Good news: there are plenty of check-in solutions using keycodes or smart locks that don’t require any special app on the guest’s end.

Review requests: Airbnb only

You are no longer allowed to ask guests to leave a review outside of Airbnb. The company wants feedback to benefit its platform — and only its platform.

Security deposits: phased out

Directly collecting a damage deposit? Not allowed. Airbnb wants you to rely on their in-house insurance — AirCover.

Some vague exceptions exist, but it’s best to contact Airbnb directly if you still want to enforce a financial guarantee.

What happens if hosts don’t comply?

Here are the risks faced by hosts:

• Anonymous or automated reports
• Message-scanning algorithms already activated
• Cross-checked guest surveys (e.g., “Did you pay anything off-platform?”)
• Full listing removal or even account suspension

And in most cases, there’s little recourse. Airbnb has more than enough listings to keep the platform running without rule-breakers.

And what about hotels?

Hotels are given more leeway:

• They can still require damage deposits
• They can collect payments off-platform for some optional services

Airbnb is clearly courting hotel professionals — and going after Booking.com’s market.

TL;DR: Comply… or find another playing field

Behind this update is Airbnb’s clear push for a fully captive ecosystem. Payment control, centralized communication, zero tolerance for off-platform dealings — the company is moving into full Big Brother mode, as some critics call it.

From May 10, 2025, these rules will apply to every host. And as always, Airbnb expects hosts to be aware of its terms — no excuses.

Here’s how to adapt:

✅ Restructure your pricing to be all-inclusive — even for small fees
✅ Prepare compliant message templates for guests
✅ Use the Resolution Center extensively (while it’s still fee-free)
✅ Consider a hybrid strategy with other platforms or a direct booking site… but tread carefully.

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