We have about 340+ reviews and a 4.91 rating. We have just had a second case of a guest who complained about cleanliness, refused immediate offer to rectify and then demanded a refund. In both cases, we just went with CS rote response, a “split the difference” approach which cost us a rather minimal refund, all things considered. I am wondering if others have experienced this. It seems a rather simple hack for any guest who uses Airbnb a lot to simply make a complaint and Voila! you get some kind of refund on your stay. After the first incident, I was informed by Airbnb that they do track how ofter guests make complaints and angle for refunds. Not sure if that ever really results in any action on Airbnb’s part.
I take a time-stamped video of my STR before each check in and save for a month. I would just let the guest know that I have a video and request photos of the problem.
I also send a message when guests first check in to make sure everything is ok and if it’s not to let me know so that I can rectify the issue. If they don’t reply, I can show Airbnb that I gave them the opportunity.
Airbnb is always going to side with the guest and you have to stand up for yourself if a guest is going to scam you.
If the guest writes anything like “If you don’t approve, I’ll write a bad review” that will immediately support your case.
Always keep your conversations in the Airbnb messaging. I don’t allow texts or phone calls. If a guest texts me, I copy the text and put it in their messages and then reply.
Basically, this scam has been going on for a long time. You don’t have to say yes, just because some customer service person starts out with that request, especially if you can point to a video, a message you sent, etc.
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I’ve had a couple sets of guests that waited until the review to make vague or bogus complaints. But they were smart and didn’t contact me to get a refund for taking it down, because they knew that would be extortion and they would not get anything.
But we have so many good reviews that these stand out as unusual, so I just left them up, replied constructively to them, and never offered the guests any money back.
I have a review now that I’m going to try and get removed - they claimed we have “many roaches” in their review but 1) never contacted me about it during their two-week stay where they stayed inside the house most of the time, 2) no other guests have said anything about it and the next guests gave us a glowing review, and 3) I was there just a few nights later (before these guests posted the review) and didn’t see anything.
If they refused the offer to rectify and are scamming, why did you give them a refund? I don’t understand rewarding bogus refund seekers. Just encourages them to do it again next time.
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With your track record and a documented (denied) offer to immediately rectify the cleanliness issue which sounds like something that can be fixed right away it should be obvious that it is s a scam.
I dread the thought of having such a situation myself one day but that’s far from ‘normal’ and should not be rewarded even by the apparent abysmal customer support from Airbnb.
Since I don’t know the specific problem your guest has, I can’t provide any additional help but hope you get it sorted in your favor.
They had some “photos” of minor dust and a picture of hair on the tub edge. I’m a reasonable person… Could the cleaner have missed an obvious hair on the tub? Could the guest just put a hair on the tub? No way to know without going down there with the cleaner and easily fixed but she claimed it would mean she would have to “vacate” the premises and wasn’t willing to have it fixed. Life is too short to wrangle over what turned out to be about a 10% refund. Path of least resistance.
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I understand that this way it will be dealt with the fastest way possible. Can’t blame you, although it does reinforce the attitude of the guest to continue with this ‘strategy’.
May I ask how you are planning to word this in the review for her? I strongly hope that such behaviour deserves to be put into a review, no?
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even if I have to provide refunds, I make sure I ask them for proof and explanation.
Anyone who asks for an unjustified refund or compensation gets 1* review for wasting my time. There are a lot of entitled people who want everything to be perfect. I have had somebody asked for compensation because they couldn’t use the pool because it was raining 3 out of 5 days of their trip 
I enjoy leaving honest 1* reviews for such guests
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I wonder why this is supposed to be an issue? Were they afraid to get wet?
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This is worth 0% of your effort worrying about. At 700/4.98 reviews I have never had a single “bogus angling for a refund” issue but if I did it wouldn’t have an impact on my business.
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