I have 259 reviews with a 4.93 host ratings, and have never had any serious issues with a guest–until now. The guest was booked for 2 nights, and then notified me 12 hours before check-in that he made a mistake on the dates and wanted to cancel the booking. I told him that I have the most flexible cancellation policy on Airbnb, and suggested that he change the dates to sometime in the future, but that I wouldn’t offer a full refund. The Airbnb support staff also pleaded with me to offer him a refund since his trip was a surprise anniversary visit for his wife. I told him, and the Airbnb support staff, that even though it was an unfortunate situation, it wasn’t my fault, and I didn’t see any good reason why I should be the one to lose out on funds when the apartment could’ve booked by someone else. I told the guest that I would refund the $90 cleaning fee since they wouldn’t be staying in the apartment, and was considering splitting the difference and giving him a 1 day refund, when he then sent me an angry message threatening a negative review. I alerted the support staff to the threat, and said I would still give him a refund for the cleaning–but only if he cancelled the booking. He refused to cancel the booking, and just left a review. I haven’t seen it, but I imagine it’s not good, and still waiting to hear back from Airbnb if they’ll delete it. I imagine they will since he never stayed in the apartment, but just wondering if others have had this problem and how you’ve dealt with it.
Do you have a screenshot or recording of the “give me money or receive a bad review” message. If yes that violates Airbnb review content policy. Airbnb will remove the negative review after you submit proof of the threat.
Yes–it was done within the Airbnb messaging, and I pointed them to it. At the time, they said that if he left a review they’d need to make a decision based on the content of the message.
Stay on this like a dog with a bone. You’ve got documentation & the policy text. Call & pester them until they remove it.
Thanks for the advice!
That’s already Airbnb policy if the guest never checks in. Also, if you have Flexible cancellation, then he only pays for the first night if he cancels. Sorry, but screw him. He could’ve simply cancelled and paid for only 1 night and got refunded for the cleaning fee and the 2nd night, but if he didn’t cancel before check-in, then he had to pay for both nights. What a dummy. Didn’t Airbnb tell him that?
What? He booked the wrong dates for a surprise anniversary trip and he only figured out the dates were wrong 12 hours before check-in. Sorry, but that’s bullshit! There’s about a 99.9% chance he’s lying about something.
That’s extortion. It’s clear ground for Airbnb to remove the review. And you have it in writing.
Remember the old scam where guests try to cancel then agree to change the dates to future dates outside the cancellation policy. Then they can simply cancel that stay too.
Sounds like something a man might do. “Hey, honey, I booked a few days off work starting tomorrow so we could do something nice for our anniversary, maybe get outta town?”
“Our anniversary is next month, not tomorrow. You get it wrong every year.” 
What’s stupid is that he would’ve only had to pay for one out of the 2 nights if he cancelled before check-in. By not cancelling, he had to pay for both nights.
I seriously hope you’re totally kidding because let’s face it, any man that would make that mistake would also pay the full amount to cover it up. 
Two of my daughters phone me every year on my birthday. The third calls to wish me a happy birthday every year 4 days later, on her dad’s birthday. His is Oct.15, mine is Oct. 11. She could never remember which was which. 
Still waiting to hear back from Airbnb support about the issue, and they’re surprisingly silent. I’m sure they’ll delete the review since the guest never showed up and his threat is within the Airbnb messages, but it’s still odd (or maybe obvious) how Airbnb was so quick to respond to the guest’s problem and yet lagging to respond to my 2 requests that his review (whatever it may be) violates Airbnb review policy and should be deleted.
Devil’s advocate here. I’ve had reviews from people who haven’t stayed but they haven’t been negative. They have been more along the lines of “XXX was helpful when we had to cancel…”
Because the review is about the guest’s experience with the host would this be against policy? Just wondering…
Curious @jwschroeder99, did you get an autogenerated msg from ABB to review the guest? That would expedite this process most likely. Otherwise, you’ll be waiting 2 weeks.
I would be considering it. I’d write something factual,“X never stayed, but also never canceled. X demanded a full refund 12 hours before they were due to check-in.”
Thoughts on the stars folks, or should he not review at all? I’d like to know as a host not to deal with this person.
I like the review idea. Food for thought, would it be more accurate to say, “Although guest was eligible for a partial refund, he chose not to cancel the reservation.”
I don’t like this wording. There has to be a smoother way to make it clear the host didn’t elect to cancel & collect the partial refund. I think future guests may misinterpret the comment about demanding a refund.
Reminds me of crossing the border from Tijuana to San Diego after a week of a camping/surfing trip. I’m driving and my ex and I had/have different last names. Border guard asks me “Who is he to you?” I say “My husband.” Border guard pokes head in car, looks at then-hubby and says “Oh yeah, when’s your wedding anniversary?” Ex panics, nods head furiously and says “October!! October!!” At which point the border guard says “Oh yeah, you’re married and I don’t do domestics. You better start shopping now.” In the meantime, I have my head in my hands and I’m rolling my eyes. Because dummy picked the wedding date!
In this case, the policy violation is about extortion. The guest very specifically told the host if they didn’t get a refund, they would give a negative review.
Still waiting to hear back from ABB, but they’re curiously silent. No response to my messages about the problem. I’m assuming they’ll delete the review without me having to leave a review.
Call. Keep calling. Don’t wait. You received review extortion in an ABB Message and then they left a crap review. Get it taken down.
I appreciate all the support here. I called ABB and they said I need to wait the 14 days until the review is posted, and then get back in touch with them. I think I’ll take some of the suggestions above and expedite the process and leave my review. Thanks for help on the wording from previous posts.