Short-term home rental company Airbnb will enable users to view the total prices of accommodations.
It says it is responding to the increasing reports of hidden charges like cleaning fees. As a result, the platform can improve user experience.
Airbnb will roll out the new feature in December. Additionally, it would share more updates in the future.
How would the Airbnb total price filter work?
Photo Credit: www.theverge.com
In June 2022, the personal finance website Nerdwallet surveyed 1,000 US rental properties on Airbnb.
It found that 34% of the listings charged cleaning fees that were 20% to 30% of their base fees. Also, Airbnb published a blog post in May 2021 that said it displayed all fees for each listing.
In December, it will launch the toggle for displaying the total price in regions without existing price display requirements.
The full price will appear in the search results, filter, listing page, and map. Moreover, and include all fees before taxes.
Before confirming bookings, guests may look at the total price breakdown that shows Airbnb’s discounts, tax deductions, and service fees.
The platform also said it would prioritize the total price in its search ranking algorithm. In other words, listings with the best full prices and the highest quality will appear first.
On the other hand, Airbnb will give Hosts pricing and discounting tools so that they can set competitive prices.
It would also request Hosts to set reasonable rates and show them to guests before booking. Unfortunately, the company has not explained how it would enforce these guidelines.
Airbnb requested that guests be responsible for treating the properties as if they owned them. For example, they should switch off the lights and avoid leaving clutter.
Catherine Powell, Airbnb’s Global Head of Hosting, said she assigned a team to review the company’s fees and services.
Conclusion
In December 2022, Airbnb will let users see the total prices for rental properties. In turn, the company hopes it could prevent hidden fees for customers.
Many people prioritize affordability nowadays due to rising inflation. Perhaps the new feature will improve user experience.
Other apps have been rolling out new features. Check those out by reading other Inquirer Tech articles.