This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
Does anyone have experience to share with guests reacting to bad reviews? Can guests leave a comment to the review you leave for them?
After a year of hosting many lovely people I just had to leave a mediocre review for one guest (poor communicator arrived and departed hours after arranged time causing great inconvenience), and a bad review for a couple of students who left the place filthy and broke things.
In the first case, I think they were expecting a bad review and they didn’t leave a review, I reviewed them on the 14th day, giving a 3 for communication and a neutral comment explaining what happened. I blocked their phone number, and haven’t heard anything back.
In the second case they waited until the damage deposit was released because they knew they had broken stuff I suppose but then they left a good review. I left a bad review explaining I was disappointed that they left the place in a careless filthy state and they broke something without telling me and I gave them 2 stars and no recommendation.
Can they still try to contact me thru the app I really don’t want to have anything more to do with them.
Anybody have other stories about repercussions for bad reviews?
Hello @lililou1 , yes, in the same way that as hosts we can respond to reviews that guests have left to us, guests can respond publicly to the review that has been left to them. In order to not be contacted or to receive reservations from those guests in the future, you can block the user going to their profile and clicking on the flag and follow the steps offered to explain why.
After clicking on “report”, I have to choose between - they are spamming me - they are offensive - or other. When I click on “other” it does not take me to a block option. It says either - they are hosting in my neighbourhood (? what does that have to do with anything?) or “something is broken on this page”. And it does not ask me if I want to block future messages. I guess I’ll have to contact support and find out why.
what’s the black mark on their profile?
in this case they had just set up a new account and have no other activity on their profile so I doubt they really care I suppose they will just set up with a new email.
I preferred an accurate guest count and he preferred a “clown car” model of accommodation. He had 5 nice reviews, then mine which described his sneaking 6 people into my 4-person 400 s.f. listing.
He replied by saying it didn’t matter because they didn’t use more beds than were present. He’s a doctor, and probably a highly stable genius, so I’m sure that logic made sense to him.
I had a guest leave me a 5 star review but after he had seen my 3 star review of him, he retaliated:
Contacting ABNB suggesting that I discriminated against him … this led to a letter from ABNB Legal documenting their non policies. … This was absolved after I documented the 5 star review and text messages he (and his girlfriend) had sent me advising how great a time that they had and that they’d definitely be back.
Left a lengthy response to my review of him, filled with more lies and disparaging comments.
ABNB were of no assistance in removing it, even after I pointed out the comments he made were obviously false, in contrast to his public review and private comments. It was initially upsetting but after analyzing it, I concluded he did himself more of disservice because any host comparing my review with his comments would read between the lines.
After all the ABNB stuff got settled, I did send him an ABNB message telling him that his post review actually made him look less desirable to hosts; that ABNB had dismissed his discrimination allegation; and that his post review and false allegation erased any doubt I might have had of leaving a bad review of him. I then thanked him for his 5 star review of me.
I do charge extra based on the number of people (more laundry! cleaning! utilities! damage! noise!
I regularly have people questioning this it’s so annoying. The reasoning is, the apartment has 4 walls what difference does it make how many people are inside?
Yikes that is exactly the kind of story I was interested in hearing, wish I had seen this before leaving a 2 star review of these girls.
HH_AZ what was the grounds of “discrimination”? His stay was over what was he trying to get, the review removed? What was the worst that could happen, Airbnb sending you a letter? That wouldn’t bother me. But being exposed to suspension would!
I think next time maybe I’ll tone down the bad review to avoid this sort of thing.
I should have kept it to 3 or 4 stars with a factual comment on the damage and cleaning that would have been enough to alert future hosts.
I don’t know if he was trying to get the review removed. I assume so, and when ABNB wouldn’t because there wasn’t anything untrue or incendiary, is when he decided to go all in with his post review.
Attached is the initial note I received. I assume it was religious because he brought up that he was Jewish during our initial meeting. It came up when I pointed out that I had placed a fresh baked lemon cake in the refrigerator for them … He thanked me but asked if I wouldn’t mind removing it, as they had some dietary restrictions because of the Jewish holiday. I responded that it was not a problem, and then advised him of a nearby Jewish synagogue. That was me being a helpful host …not something I’d ever classify as “negative commentary”. That was the only in-person communication I had had with the guest. The rest was all via messenger or text.
My response to the note from ABNB was detailed with all the correspondence and his Review of me. Fortunately, ABNB also found it hard to believe that a person who felt negative commentary directed at them would provide all the compliments and positive review, let alone state that they were looking forward to returning. And as I noted, it was more than a coincidence that this resentment was only realized AFTER I had left a review.
I was a relatively new host, and the letter did bother me, because I may be many things but anti-Semitic is not one of them. But the lies he wrote in his post review upset me even more, and I become angry with ABNB that they would allow such blatant lies remain. But as I stated, after some time, I realized that review is primarily going to be seen by his prospective hosts (not my prospective guests); and anyone that is using Chrome tool, to evaluate me will see the disparity in the initial review he left versus the things he called out in his post review of my review of him.
Hi
My name is Greta and I work here at Airbnb.
I’m writing to let you know that your previous guest, XXXX, contacted us about some discomfort that they had while staying in your listing. More specifically, they felt that some negative commentary was directed at their religion and ethnicity.
We know how much work hosting can be, and we’re grateful for the time and effort you put in. We’d like to take this as an opportunity to remind you that by hosting, you’ve agreed to our Hosting Standards (www.airbnb.com/hospitality) and our Community Standards (www.airbnb.com/standards).
Please take a minute to read these important parts of the commitment you’ve made as a host:
(1) Welcome
Guests who choose Airbnb over hotels typically do so because they enjoy the warmth and friendliness of their host. Keep this in mind when welcoming your guests and introducing them to their new surroundings. Be sure to communicate all expectations up front so that everyone is aligned on the rules ahead of time.
(2) Communication
Hosting is an opportunity for you to open your home, and your guests may be worried or nervous about being outside of their comfort zone. Patience is often an essential skill in helping someone to feel at ease. If an issue arises during the reservation, show your guest that you’re willing to take the time to talk it out.
(3) Inclusion and Respect
Airbnb exists to create a world where everyone can belong. Hosts aren’t allowed to treat guests differently for exclusionary or discriminatory reasons. Understand that guests in unfamiliar surroundings might be more sensitive to feelings of prejudice or exclusion. Read more here: www.airbnb.com/help/nondiscrimination.
Thank you for your review of these important points. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if I can answer any questions. Simply reply directly to this email to get in touch.
Just like the ones who ask for a discount because “I’m only going to stay a couple of hours”
Like I’m only going to have to clean for a couple of minutes on check out!
Yes then can and so what? Let them and just delete it. Obviously you’ve chosen to block them but I’d simply ignore their message in the future if this happens again.
I rated a horrible guest and gave a honest review and he wrote back since he rated me 5 stars and all but I read it and tossed it. Didn’t even bother responding as they treated me with no respect and decency.
So my advice is, review honestly and if they write back, read their review and throw it away.
If they harass, you block. That’s my plan at least but luckily I have yet to try and block someone.
I wrote my first reaction to a guest review yesterday. He gave me 4 overall, and 3 for value, mentioning that one of the rooms was small, so maybe “people should bare that in mind when booking.”
I replied that it was clearly mentioned in the listing, perhaps he had booked the wrong place?
I suspect his motivation was that the other couple wanted to stay an extra night, what cash price could I do, as a nearby hotel was £40. I said I couldn’t go lower than £60, best to go to the hotel.
I don’t mind sleeping on my settee for £120 a night, £99 during the week, but for £40, I’d rather have my bedroom back I don’t think he liked being turned down.
No one does, do they? I’ve had the same where people don’t like being called out on their bad behavior so they post their petty reviews, which in turn leads to hosts letting guests get away with stuff which in turn leads to more bad experiences for everyone.
Oh yes a guest can leave a loooooong response to a bad review that a host has left. I just experienced this a few days ago. The mentally unstable guest copied and pasted the untruthful review she left for me under my 5 sentence review!! Luckily she has violated AirBB extortion policy so I’m working on getting it removed. Although it’s a masterpiece of craziness!!!
I don’t think he liked being turned down.
