Hi All…I have a small basic home I rent out in Snowdonia North wales U.K.
For the past 4 years I’ve been lucky enough to host some lovely people…but…my time has come and have just had the guest from hell. I a nutshel she has made up so many lies about my accommodation and my character( she fell and I didn’t help her,just told her to stop moaning! matteresses just bits of old foam,holes in the wall ,and on and on).
Basically Airbnb have been extremely ubnsupportive,publishing these lies despit many attemps from me to ask for evidence,and now down gradred my stars telling me to try harder!
I feel very let down by themBasically I believe they are responsible for libel and defamation as they are the ones that have published these lies.I did ask them to send an agent to view the evidence but of course got no reponse.
rely they have a duty of care to protect us from abuse like this?
Anyone in the same boat?Anyone know about taking them to small calims court for libel and defamation?
Thanks! Sally.
Been there done that!
Disgusting guests, booking for 6, arrived with 12. Treated my heritage home with antique furniture like a cheap and nasty backpackers.
I took lots of photos of the appalling mess they left and screamed my complaints on Facebook! Asked every day about what was happening. Got $250 of the $500 I claimed and their review removed! Mine stayed on their profile.
Great to know you got the review removed…that’s my main concer.
Thanks for that!
I no longer expect to receive any support from Airbnb. I use them as my marketing arm and payment. I plan on adding new platforms in a few months.
@sallybach – say hello to Robin Clark the guitar/dulcimer player there in Snowdonia, from Ken Hulme in Florida!
Airbnb is nothing more than a marketing company that advertises your property for you. Best to only think of them as such.
Their Host Protection ‘insurance’ is worthless. They really don’t have any other responsibilities like protecting you from libel or abuse. The best recourse appears to be “attacking” them on social media – report truthfully and unemotionally the events and what they have or have not done on Twitter and Farcebook. Air seems to be more responsive to “issues” in public…
Thanks Ken! Good advice.
Everyone gets bad clients now and again. It doesn’t matter if you’re a car salesman, a lawyer, a vet, a plastic surgeon, a host…
Airbnb has no responsibility whatsoever to remove a daft review. You can keep pestering if you like, but is the time it takes worth it? You might decide that it’s better to let it go and write her off as a nutjob.
With four years worth of good reviews potential guests will soon suss that this one was peculiar. I wouldn’t give it a second thought. 
Thankyou so much Jaquo…I think that is reassuring advice. I’ve already made myself ill and sleepless over this.Have spent a lot of time e-mailing and phoning Airbnb getting nowhere.SO----am now going to take your advice,close my laptop and take the dog to the beach!
All the best and thankyou! (Life’s too short for this!)
I agree with Jaquo for the most part, one negative review out of years of good ones shouldn’t have much affect on your overall standing. Ignore Airbnb’s messages about your ratings just like they ignore you.
Now, a few other notes about your post.
Airbnb is just publishing them, they didn’t state them. I don’t know the standard for libel in the UK but here in the US, it’s not easy to win a libel case. You’d have to sue the person who posted the review and then prove with a preponderance of evidence that she lied, had malice and that there was actual damage to your reputation or business. That’s a lot of work and expense for very little benefit.
Let’s think logically here. If Airbnb sent an agent to investigate after every contentious review, how high would our fees be?
Yes, we have a forum member who has sued both Airbnb and the guest who libeled them in a review. You can search the forum to read about their experience. The posts were by @PuppyLover
Thankyou KCC
I decided that you and Jaquo are right-so closed my lap top and took the dog out!
Thanks so much for this advise-I will take it and sail on!
Many regards-Sally.