Airbnb guest in US finds rules on 'every surface' of house

Every Airbnb listing comes with a set of rules. You find the usual ones about pets, and not throwing parties or making too much noise during certain hours of the night.

But one guest in the United States found rules virtually everywhere around the house she rented through the short-term home-stay platform, according to US media.

In a Tiktok video she posted on June 27, Becky Levin Navarro walks viewers through the house she rented in Wimberly, Texas.

She points out several items marked with signs. They are laminated, and have been stuck to beds, cabinets and even a pot of cactus.

One of the signs on a cabinet says it is antique and fragile, and that it should not be touched or have its knobs pulled.

Another sign found on what appears to be a room divider says it is "10,000 years old, and will break" if anyone looks at it "the wrong way".

The words "do not touch" were also printed on a label stuck to a pot of cactus.

One sign was even highlighted in yellow.

Although Airbnb has a general set of rules for its listings, hosts are able to write their specific requests as well.

"The rules displayed all over the house just killed me," Ms Navarro wrote in the video caption. "It seemed like every room and every surface had a note. It almost felt like it wasn't a vacation with so. Many. Rules."

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@beckypearlatx/video/7249545434803244334[/embed]

Ms Navarro did not identify the specific property she was renting. But it appears to be from Hill Country Premier Lodging, a vacation-rental management company based in Texas, according to news website Insider.

Ms Navarro's video has chalked up more than 5.3 million views and almost 10,000 comments.

Most people ridiculed the rules, saying the owners should not list the property if it houses too many valuable items.

One user, @stellamagz, said "someone was excited to use their new laminating machine". Another user joked that "you just know they have cameras in there watching you".

But others said some of the rules were reasonable, because some Airbnb guests are known to damage properties and the items within.

In April 2023, reports emerged of an Airbnb owner in South Korea who was left with a US$1,570 (S$2,100) utility bill. A couple from China, who were unable to cancel their booking, had left the gas on and taps running for 25 consecutive days in an apparent act of revenge.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.