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RR, usually we’re pretty much on the same wavelength but this time is different.
I agree that chucking them out would have been pretty heartless (I have that image in my mind of the kid building a snowman) and I can understand that you’re not keen to sully a new listing with a bad review.
But…
I can’t see how that could possibly be good for business.
What you’re saying (suggesting) is that guests can behave more or less as they like and that the poor hosts just have to put up with it in case they get a bad review.
This listing has 2 reviews, it was in my best business interest not to risk a bad review over the extra person.
I am not suggesting that hosts just suck up bad behavior in every situation, but this is a business and in business you analyze the risk vs benefit of all decisions.
So to a degree sometimes this host will suck it up and overlook something if need be.
The last time I left stars like that for a guest, we got an immediate fall in reservations for like 2 months. I don’t know if it was coincidence or AirBnB just not liking their hosts to be harsh on guests .
@RiverRock I would add that letting it go while they are there and during the 14 day review period (or less of you expect a good review and then review then earlier) does. It preclude you from following up with an additional person charge afterwards. Of course this would require you to actually have an additional person charge. This is why I recommend having a higher charge for UNAUTHORIZED people (and pets).
I was hoping for a good review but so far no review at all. I doubt she will review me it has been my experience that if I do not get a review in the first couple days it likely is not coming at all. Also thinking back the more entitled a guest is the less likely they are to review at all, because hey it’s not about them after all.
I already had the unauthorized pet fee in the rules and after this I added:
unauthorized humans will incur up to $100 per night fee or cancellation of reservation at hosts discretion
I think this is going to be an issue for this listing going forward, the place is 600 SF and would handle a couple plus a kid or two easily. I may start to allow couch sleeping kids or third adult for a fee going forward. I do like couples though, they eat out for the most part:)
What I love is when guests write the review almost immediately they leave. Most guests fly here and I imagine that writing a review is something they can do to pass the time in the airport.
This is an interesting topic I don’t recall being discussed before. About 85% of my guests leave reviews and I’d say (though I don’t keep records) that 70% of those review in the first two days after check out. I’m really kind of surprised since most my guests are on the road and I’d think the last thing on their mind is review writing. The young guests who seem to be using the app are the best.
Yeah it is! Now that the percentage of reviews isn’t a requirement, I am not sure about how many review, but I’d also guess around 85%. I’d say 50% of those review that afternoon and then another 25% within the first 2 days, so similar to @KKC.
There is a small percentage that review on the last day. I think it’s because they really ramp-up the “you have 1 day to leave a review” messages. I know they do to me if I’m waiting until the last day.
Out of 200 reviews, only 2 of them came in between the first 2 days and the last day. And I believe both were prompted by my leaving a review.
On another note, it seems my new listing bump is gone. About 10 days it seemed to last. Only 2 reviews I am on the second page for some searches and for a date late January I could on find it at all
Oh, relevant point! I review the guest first and on the first day 95+% of the the time. So the guests being prompted is probably very much a factor of wanting to see what I said. And if a guest reviews me first I get on it straight away. In looking over the last two months I see one guest of 27 that I reviewed didn’t review me and one guest I didn’t review also didn’t review me. My 6 day xmas guest hasn’t reviewed yet.
I’m sure many hosts in the low % of reviews category are the sort that never review first and then time runs out.
Well, I can’t say the same. I do tend to wait until they review unless I feel positive that it’s a 5-star. I am more likely to review right away if they review me right away. I think that people who want to give 5-stars are “inspired” to do so and so review quickly. Sometimes I can’t really tell what’s going with guests and so I will wait until the last day. I do review all of them eventually though.
Even though I recently got my 200th review (!), that is between 3 listings. One listing still only has 36 reviews and it happens to be the one that seems to attract the most drama, so I have been guarded with it as it grows
If I had your stats, I would operate more as you do!
What I’ve noticed about review time is that most guests typically review in the first day or two after they check out.
However, we have a number of regulars who are here multiple times a year. They’re more likely to wait days or even nearly two weeks to review. I always review them (right away), and they know that we appreciate their reviews, even if they take a while to do them.
I review the first day, I have already forgotten last weeks guests. NEXT! and I message guests just after checkout that I will be reviewing them as soon as I get the prompt and would appreciate it if they could take a moment and do the same.
I think maybe, but not absolutely positive. There was a notice they sent out in the summer saying that review percentage was no longer a requirement and it is no longer calculated under any of the opportunities. If I have time in a bit, I’ll look for the notice.
I think they mentioned 50% because in some areas some hosts only had a 50% review rate and that was keeping them from being superhos.
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