Airbnb stays can feel a lot more relaxed than hotels. You have a whole home to yourself, a kitchen to use, and no front desk to deal with every time you come and go.

What guests don’t always see is the work that happens behind the scenes. Many hosts handle messages, cleaning, repairs, restocking, and last-minute problems themselves, often while juggling jobs and family life.

Most guests are respectful, but hosts say certain habits keep creating avoidable problems. Some cost extra money, while others can upset neighbors or break the rules of the property.

Here are 12 things Airbnb hosts wish guests would stop doing.

Ignoring the House Rules

House rules often cover parking, quiet hours, smoking, pets, and checkout instructions, and they’re usually listed before you book. Hosts can run into serious trouble when guests ignore those rules because some are tied to local laws, insurance, HOA policies, or agreements with neighbors.

Expecting Hotel-Level Service

An Airbnb usually doesn’t have someone available around the clock to bring extra towels, clean up during your stay, or answer every minor question at 2 a.m. Hosts are usually happy to help with real problems, but expecting hotel-style service can put unrealistic demands on someone who may be managing the rental on their own.

Leaving an Overwhelming Mess

A normal amount of cleanup is part of every Airbnb stay, so used towels, an unmade bed, and a few dishes aren’t a big deal. Overflowing trash, piles of dirty dishes, spoiled food, mystery stains, and other major messes can take much longer to clean and may push back the next guest’s check-in.

Bringing Extra Guests Without Permission

Airbnb listings have occupancy limits for reasons that can include fire codes, insurance rules, and local regulations. If your plans change and you need to bring someone else, ask the host first instead of quietly adding another person to the reservation.

Hosting Gatherings Anyway

A few friends stopping by might seem harmless, but extra cars, music, and late-night conversations can quickly become a problem for neighbors. Hosts may receive complaints, fines, or warnings that put the rental itself at risk if gatherings aren’t allowed.

Skipping the Checkout Checklist

Hosts may ask you to take out the trash, start the dishwasher, turn off the lights, or lock the doors before leaving. These small tasks help the cleaning crew get through the property faster, especially when another guest is arriving later that day.

Damaging Something Without Mentioning It

Things break during Airbnb stays, and most hosts know that accidents happen. Telling the host about a broken glass, stained towel, damaged appliance, or other problem gives them a chance to deal with it before the next guest arrives.

Sending Messages for Questions Already Answered

Many hosts provide a house guide with information about Wi Fi, parking, check-in, check-out, appliances, and nearby places to eat. Checking those details first can save both of you a string of messages and help you find an answer right away.

Rearranging the Furniture

Moving a chair or two during a meal is usually no big deal, but dragging couches, beds, and heavy furniture around can create problems. If you move something during your stay, put it back where you found it before leaving so the cleaning crew doesn’t have another task on its list.

Leaving the Property Unlocked

Leaving doors unlocked or windows open can put your belongings and the rental at risk. Hosts can’t always keep an eye on the property, so locking up whenever you leave is a small habit that can prevent a much bigger problem.

Treating the Host Like a Personal Concierge

Many Airbnb hosts have jobs, families, and plenty of other responsibilities outside their rental. They want guests to have a good stay, but being patient and respectful with requests goes a long way.

Waiting Until the Review to Mention Problems

If something is wrong during your stay, tell the host while there’s still time to fix it. A missing item, broken appliance, or cleaning problem may be easy to handle before checkout, but bringing it up for the first time in a review leaves the host with little chance to make things right.