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I truly think my dogs can be better judges of people than I am sometimes.
If a review said, “Even my dog (cat) didn’t like them…”. I would NEVER rent to that guest ever and probably try to block them from messaging. It would be the death toll for all future rentals to that person. BOOM it is finished forever!
I think I have the last minute review. Thoughts? @aelilya @JohnF @JDD @muddy @dpfromva and the rest of you cheerfully opinionated folks:
Guest repeatedly broke House Rules and had poor communication skills. We keep it really simple – check in and check out times; clean up after yourself in the kitchen; no food in the bedrooms; and no smoking. Flagrantly ignored repeated polite requests to abide by said rules. Even the cat didn’t like her. Better suited to a hotel.
Get it from them, I’d use way too many “fucks” etc.
JF
That’s why I’m venting on this forum. 
It’s good!
You’re probably doing this … but just in case, definitely use her name.
I personally would like some YELLING caps. Why? Because “that’s all you had to say” and she’d be blacklisted for me, so I wouldn’t want to miss the deal killers.
A tiny tweak or two/removed some words…take or leave as yours is good & these are just “preferences”:
“Suzy communicated poorly, ignored checkin/checkout times and REPEATEDLY BROKE house rules,. It’s simple - clean up after yourself; no food in the bedroom; and NO SMOKING. Flagrantly ignored several polite requests to abide by these rules; NOT a good house guest.”
<edited out cat comment per @JohnF suggestion>
Yes, that’s pretty standard. I’ll often even tell my guests if I see them start to wash out their coffee cup and cereal bowl before heading off to the beach, “Oh, you can just leave it- as you can see, I have dishes of my own to wash- one more cup and bowl is no big deal- go enjoy yourself”. And my guests will sometimes wash my dishes as well, when they are doing theirs.
But I’ve read enough posts by hosts who say they don’t really expect guests to do any clean-up, that I can see a guest having all 5* ratings even if they left a huge pile of dirty dishes in the sink and a stovetop swimming in grease.
Before the pandemic guests would sometimes come into my part of the house to meet the dogs. I’ve given reviews that said “the dogs loved them so you know they are good people.”
Enough to get it bombed. You can’t speak for the cat, even though we know you do
JF
I wondered about that. Glad you brought it up. I think you’re right 
If it’s important to @casailinglady to say something about it, is there a more objective way that would not jeopardize the review or does it just need to “go”?
Unfortunately, it was poor choice of words given the shit going in the world right now, but yeah, I am right.
Yes, she can use her eighty seven years experience (just a couple more than me ) in IT to simply destroy those individuals, but not via Airbnb.
JF
You mean my ninja social media skillZZZZZ to taunt and needle and basically destroy?
Too much unpaid trouble.
Are you sure about the cat? Because Bella really didn’t like her and she (person) knew it.
How about “Even Bella the cat, normally seeking attention from all my guests, kept her distance.”
A fact, rather than conjecture about the cat’s thoughts.
Reversing the relevance reviews stance from Airbnb……can a guest point out the relevance of Bella pesky paws dislike?
We all want this review to STICK and follow her EVERYWHERE and make every following host to refuse her.
I listen to my animals when they want to tell me things, but other hosts that are not tuned in may not get the comment.
I should have been clearer (especially for new hosts reading this thread looking for real help). I like the line about the cat being the entire review, really like it, but I would never use it, and for the reason the others stated: It could get the review removed. The cat’s experience was not the author’s, or whatever.
I entertain myself by writing scathing, economical, comical reviews as first drafts for my own horrible guests. Then once I’ve calmed down I write something professional that will stick.
So, yeah, “Even the cat didn’t like her” would be a first draft that, sadly, would get pitched.
Miss Bella Marie Pesky Paws didn’t even want to take treats from this guest. A very rare situation indeed.
I recently received 5 stars but a tersely positive review from a guest who was part of a couple. Bella liked her but she wasn’t keen on him and all he wanted to do was pet and scritch her. He was miffed and told me so. I was lmao inside.
Oh, I, too want it to stick. She was so … insidious that I was just aghast and amazed at the sheer chutzpah.
Well, I understand, but Bella Marie Pesky Paws, Bengal Cat Diva Extraordinaire believes this is her house…
What about @muddy’s response of “even normally friendly cat avoided the guest” as a nod to those who will get it.
I think with all the rest of what you have (whichever version), you’ll have made your point.
I know the Bella situation, when viewed by other cat persons, communicates that this person’s energy was off & drives home your personal experience of her being a $#$%&@.
But you don’t want to lose that review & we all know how unpredictable CS can be. I’m sorry. I wish you could just write,“FECKING ARSE!”, but then I suspect that would definitely be removed 
Can someone explain the “doing a last-minute review” and “retaliatory reviews” part? Since a guest can’t see your review and vice-versa until both parties have reviewed or the window passes…?
You have 14 days from the time ABB sends you the notification to review that guest or host. Since reviews are a double-blind system, meaning that neither is posted until both reviews are written OR the 14 days has passed. So waiting until the last minute IF the other person has NOT posted a review means that they can’t post one (that will most likely be negative as well) and your review stands. They may be able to reply to it, but I’m not sure about that.
Guests can leave retaliatory reviews. Meaning - say you book for 10 nights knowing you need that 11th night and you have a history of asking to pay for that night in cash instead of through ABB. (This really happened). You ask for that 11th night in cash when you walk in the door. Now some hosts may immediately say “Yes,” others will wait a couple of days to see how you are as a guest. Others will immediately say “No,” as I did with the 10 nighters a few years ago. The husband tried to bully me - every meal I ate at a table away from them, he’d ask. Every time I’d see them in the kitchen or in the hallway, he’d ask. I continued to say no. I sent him special rates via ABB Messenger and he’d refuse them. They were awful guests. And he was a bully.
Long story short, he left a polite and positive written review BUT dinged me on stars, with polite wording. He was also a host! So he knew that his retaliation for my not giving in to him might cost me Super Host status and would definitely bring down my average in points and possibly hurt my business.
I said they were better suited to a hotel or separate unit and dinged them on stars, too. I was fairly new and should have said “Guests were drunk before noon, rude, kept asking for another night in cash and wouldn’t stop asking even though it’s against ABB policy to do that.” AND I should have canceled them after Day 2 with an “I’m not comfortable with these guests,” citing the drinking, smoking outside, and requests for cash payment for the last night."
I’ve had 1 guest give me 5* for everything except a 4* for location because of Spring Break traffic even though they came from a Spring Break destination and were told about the traffic repeatedly in Messages and in person. I even bought organic coffee for her. 
I had another guest give me 4* for value because of the ABB Fees. When I told her afterwards that hosts don’t set fees and we also pay them, she was wildly apologetic.
Now I make sure to talk to new ABB guests about the review system (conversationally) and star rating system. They’re glad to know about it.
So, I’m waiting until 13 days and 58 minutes to post the review I have saved. Maybe the guest is doing the same, maybe not. But my review will have a bigger impact upon her as she only has 2 reviews as a guest and I have over 50 reviews as a host. Plus, I tried to cancel her before and during her stay, so I have a shot at getting hers removed. Maybe.
This is so weird to me. I have hosted at least 800 stays from different people and no one has ever, to my knowledge, marked me down on value due to Airbnb fees. I’ve had some 4 star for value but it’s been a long time and the way the reviews are set up now it would be too much work to got back and see how long it’s been. My price is higher now than it was back then but I keep upgrading the room and amenities. Do you suppose it’s because I have short stays so the total amount of fees is so small that they don’t notice?
Side note: I don’t really look at my reviews regularly any longer. I went to look at them just now wondering about “value.” I saw that a guest from last weekend gave me a 4 overall and 4 for Check in. The written review said “Well kept place very nice and comfy.” Her message the morning of check out was “Good morning, we are all set. Thank you for having us and the place was beautiful.” Message at check in was “good afternoon, we have arrived.” So I have no idea what the issue is with check in. It might be a sort of retaliatory review because she had booked for one (despite explicit instructions in my listing to make sure you reserve for 2 if there are 2) but referred to “we.” So I messaged her to change it which she did. It didn’t seem like an issue but maybe she resented the $5 2nd person fee. I have 3 pm check in and 10 am check out. They checked out at 9:58 am so maybe they don’t like my early-ish check out time. Bottom line is I don’t really want to host them again. One 4 star review, no biggie. But I don’t want another one. It was my first 4 star in almost 3 years.
I’d already said I would host again since obviously I hadn’t seen her review when I did mine. All 3 of her reviews are El Paso listings so she must live here or near. Her profile doesn’t have a town listed but her reservation had a nearby community on it. It will be interesting if she books with me again. I’ll either cancel or I’ll accept, quietly host her and then when I review the second time I’ll say “would not host again.”
It was only 1 person with the fees. And she was aghast when I told her about it. She’s stayed with me again and we’re friends as she’s moved to the area.
My favorite button ever.