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If I don’t leave a review for my guest, will the guest’s review still post to my page?
I recently had a nightmarish situation with a guest that ultimately ended with law enforcement asking him to leave. A few days later I received an email from Airbnb that the guest left me a review and that I could see the review if I left one for him. I don’t want to leave a review but I also don’t want him leaving a good review. I am concerned I haven’t heard the last of him and intend to take legal action if he communicates with me again, so a five-star review coming from him is not desired. He also has a pending legal case for domestic battery and I have learned much more about his background during and after his stay.
Because Airbnb was involved during the situation, I called and told their agent that if the review is good, I want it deleted and that if it was threatening, they should immediately report it to the police. As I guessed, I was told that his review was all five stars. It is my intention to go to take legal action if he contacts me again, so obviously I don’t want his five-star review. But I am concerned that if I post a review for him using some tactful, yet telling language it will encourage him to contact me directly.
If his review will post whether I review his stay or not, then I must submit one. On this forum I’ve read some very good suggestions on what I can write about his visit. Thanks for the great ideas! I’ve thought of many things I would like to write. Here’s just one: “During Rambo’s visit I began to get the most unusual spam on my personal email account advertising erection drugs and payday loans.”
@sandyb I am sorry this happened to you but part of your responsibility as a host is to warn other hosts of a bad or dangerous guest. How will you feel if you find out that this guest moved on to another Airbnb and physically or sexually assaulted another host? You need to leave an honest and transparent review.
Airbnb said they were going to close his account, but after reading this forum, I am not sure this has taken place. The situation had so many layers of wrong, including overstaying. Maybe something about not leaving the day he was to depart?
What do you guys think if you saw a review of a guest that only said “John Doe stayed 3 nights.” Is that enough of a warning in code that that guest was not good? Ultimately that’s the kind of review I left for my bed bug guest (I posted about it 2 weeks ago.) I was torn about what to say about him so in the end I wrote “X stayed 1 night of his original 3 night booking.” I didn’t want to mention bed bugs and in the end he left me a glowing 5 star review but ultimately I gave him a thumbs down.
So maybe you can leave this kind of review if you’re concerned about irking this guest with an obvious bad review that he’d be in contact with you once again to complain about it.
I’m not following. Why do you think a guest removed by police will leave a good review? Leave the bad review he deserves and keep after Air to remove his review and then his account. A transaction like this has no place on this platform. Call air every day until this situation is resolved.
He left the good review as a way of “making up” with me. He has a pending domestic violence charge and really crossed the line at my place. (He never touched me, BTW) He could have been arrested for not leaving when asked and for the computer hacking, but I was afraid of him and just wanted him out of my house. He underestimated me, taking my being nice as being stupid. I think he was complaining to a buddy about me after he was kicked out and the buddy told him that he had better make nice.
I just called Airbnb and they have removed his review of my place and posted my review of him. In my private Airbnb comment to him, I told him not to communicate with me again.
It’s funny, I get the most glowing reviews from guests who did things like: Lose their key. Were total slobs who left stains on everything. At least they have a conscience!
All reviews are subjective. Some host who doesn’t live in the same house they are renting may be glad to rent to this guy. If he left bed bugs I would definitely mention it in your review though.
@sandy2, I just had a young couple of several nights; they were so sweet and reassuring that they would take good care of my place that it was quite a shock to find towels so stained they have now to be used as rags; sheets with pink marker stains, and a toiled so filthy that it splattered to the pristine shower curtain (vomit? diarrhea?).I clean the apartment with my husband, so I get to experience first hand the mess left behind (and worse, I’m the one who cleans the bathroom and does the laundry). I can only assume that in their youth they don’t know any better…
@dcmooney Nancy, you mentioned some medical troubles a couple of weeks ago and I have been away from the board so I haven’t read any follow ups on your condition – are you ok?
@sandyb you can block him on airbnb so he cant see your listing or get in touch with you on this platform ever again. the problem is he has your real phone number and knows how to get in.
I got a glowing 5 star review from a guest who stole my laundry basket and towels. I charged him for the replacements and was sure I would get a terrible review.
Yes, the review will show after 14 days. I do not understand why you would want a 5 star review to show on your account, regardless of source. Still leave a negative review. Be honest, but brief. Don’t use innuendos. Just say the guest was removed by police.
