Guests left a remark in their review after a 3day stay that my listing was inaccurate because it didn´t have a TV! I never said it did have a TV. Also they remarked that the heating was broken, but I explained to them when they came in, that apartment building in Italy shut off central heating in spring and turn it back n in the winter, nothing to do with me. However they concluded it was broken and I was to cheap to fix it. My problem is, that Airbnb has now told me that my listing description is wrong. What should I do?
Well the TV issue should be easy to assess. If it’s not in your listing description or facilities Airbnb should remove the review on the grounds of factual inaccuracy.
With the heating I believe you should put in a rider: ‘the communal heating for the apartments operates between November and March’ or whenever. You could offer an electric heater if it were unseasonably cold I guess, one with a timer.
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We also switch off the heating in the spring and turn it on again beginning of Oktober.
“Live there” is the AirBnB slogan. Well, people over here live without heating. We put on an extra sweater or take a blanket.
If they need heating, they should book an expensive hotel, not a budget apartment.
We put this in the extra description. There is a special section for it, in this section you also disclose camera’s, pets and stair climbing.
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I also write in my listing that there’s heating from the period of xx to xx and no AC either.
Its mostly Americans who don’t understand that we in Scandinavia don’t need an AC and that we turn off the heating for the entire building.
Therefore I write this info several places in my listing.
I have a TV with a Netflix account but no cable TV -which I also specify several places so they don’t miss it.
Even then I have the occasional guest who asks about these thing including where’s the washer although this is mentioned too that I don’t offer that amenity.
You can’t 100% avoid fools who don’t read the listing. Most who don’t read is also Americans and Britons.
You need to put everything worth mentioning in your listing in cases like this.
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Yes the guest may or may not read it but it’s useful for you to refer to in discussions. It’s also vital for dealings with Airbnb.
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Well, they are sort of correct, aren’t they?
You explained the heating situation ‘when they came in’ and not in your listing, correct? To be honest, I wouldn’t book an apartment in Italy with no heating unless it was the height of summer. Our two rentals are in South Florida (much warmer on the whole) and yet we still provide guests with space heaters and blankets just in case. They’re hardly ever used but the comfort of the guest is paramount.
As hosts, we really should avoid excusing ourselves by saying ‘guests don’t read’. It’s up to us to point out any variances from the norm via the Airbnb message system before they book.
For example, we had an inquiry from a wheelchair user. During the course of our online conversations I told her all the drawbacks she might encounter. Very small bathroom, step up to the front door, etc. I even went and measured the front door so she knew the exact dimensions so that she would be able to decide if the wheelchair could go in. In other words, I was getting her agreement, in writing in the Airbnb platform, that she’d be okay with these things.
She booked and left the apartment in great shape and a few days later, one of the best reviews ever.
Once I was looking after a rental for a neighbour and there was no internet to the apartment. When anyone booked or inquired I’d always say ‘you do realise that there’s no internet?’ and if they didn’t respond, I’d badger them.
Many hosts here will tell you to under-promise and over-deliver.
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Have you ever seen Airbnb remove a review? We do offer electric heating because the airco blows out warm air if you want it to. And that worked fine for them. First they couldnt get it work, but after we showed them, it was fine. It is in my description that its block heating.
Right, I was going to lend them coats and sweaters because they are from Brazil and never thought it would be cold here. It was cold unusually for the time of year. Just for 1 day.
No they weren´t sort of right at all. I have it in my description that the heating in the building is turned off. But we made sure that they knew when they came in. We have extra heating that works wit the airco system and we told them to turn that on. That worked fine, but they still said our heating was broken.
Chris you are so right! Some of these people expect the conveniences of a 5 star hotel at the price of a youth hostel.
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Yes, I know.
The funny thing is that most of them are coming from the same country.
Drive around big expensive rental cars and book the cheapest AirBnB’s.
First thing when they come in sometimes even before greeting is:“Whats the wifi password”.
And they always ask for the elevator… when I say there is none, they look at me for carrying their suitcases… I then smile at them, and start walking toward the stairs.
Somehow they all seem to think that AirBnB is a cheap alternative and “Personal touch” means bending over backwards.
Because when they complaint in a review they always mention “personal touch”… carrying their luggage would be an personal touch, making the beds every day would be a personal touch etc etc.
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Which one is that? 