Leaving a Bad Review for a Guest - Ugh!

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With apologies, I am starting yet another string about leaving a bad review for a guest and venting a bit too…

I feel so utterly disrespected. How do you communicate with a 20-something who knows everything?

For the first time in a really, really long while, (I’ve been a host for almost 5-years) I’m going to give a guest a bad review. To begin with, she requested a preview before booking (not SOP, plus I had guests in the house). I advised her to read the rules, this listing description, view the photos and the many reviews… she booked.

Then it started… apparently, she doesn’t know how to use a Google Map link (which I messaged to her in advance so that she could get directions to my house), or how to use Airbnb link on her itinerary - “Get Directions.” Then she proceeded to send me a bunch of texts with screenshots of the itinerary (which of course shows the Get Directions link) to explain why she couldn’t figure out how to get the address to my house.

She uses texts instead of Airbnb messaging, which she sends at all hours.

She ignored the House Rules; slept on the blankets; didn’t bolt the front door; doesn’t recycle or properly discard items, despite the information being posted at the trash bins.

On multiple occasions, she said she would meet me and didn’t show up (once, I cancelled plans to meet with her. Thirty minutes AFTER she was to arrive, she let me know that she wasn’t coming).

She took one of my pillows when she left, even though she brought her own. When she didn’t respond, I opened a Resolution Center incident for the missing items (pillow, protective cover and pillow case). After she didn’t show up, she scolded ME for insisting that she bring it back in a timely manner. Finally, because she couldn’t figure out which one was mine, when she finally returned the pillow, she left me with both of hers to dispose.

I’m so mad could scream… which is so far outside of my easy going character.

How to write an impactful review?

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Guest lacks the commitment needed to follow basic instructions. Can not recommend.

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The guest struggled to use the app and find her way to the listing. Ignored rules around disposal of rubbish/recycling and securing the house at night. On several occasions she disrespected my time by not meeting as arranged. I had to open a resolution about several items of missing bedding. I cannot recommend this guest due to a failure to engage and follow basic rules.

Are you sure she hasn’t got ADHD?

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If you’re a parent, or have had experience as a schoolteacher, these factors help a lot. I tend to treat most guests (and especially young ones) as though they are wayward teenagers and I am their head teacher/mum/ granny/ probation officer/or similar.

Maybe experience as an animal trainer would be helpful too :slight_smile:

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I just had a group of young guests stayed, everything else was good, left the place clean, but they left with the stove burners on with flame, my cleaning lady walked in and shocked. I don’t know if I should give them bad review and not recommend them. Any suggestion will be appreciated.

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Yes bad review. Those guests could have burnt down your whole place! Terrible.

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Thanks! I thought so too.

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I wonder if she had taken the other pillow from a previous stay. Otherwise you’d think she’d know which was her own!!!

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Why wouldn’t you review bad guests who left burners on in your home creating a risk that your listing could have burnt down.

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Lol! Prison officer?

:lion: Lion tamer?

It’s true though, these roles all prepare for setting boundaries with guests.

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Poor girl, she just can’t concentrate.

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Yes absolutely. If you have a condition like ADHD you need strategies to live with it. You can’t randomly lean on strangers. So many people, especially adults, are undiagnosed.

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Yes, you and I would think that, but based on my interactions with her, I think daddy pays for everything, and she is simply unthoughtful and just doesn’t care.

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NEWS FLASH!!! UPDATE UPDATE!!!
Just as the deadline is approaching to complete her review, I just got a call from Airbnb saying that she wants a partial refund, because she “didn’t feel” comfortable… Nearly two weeks after she checked out, she decides that she doesn’t feel comfortable!!! I pointed out to Airbnb how much time had passed and that at anytime during the month that she stayed, she could have said something - not nearly 2-weeks later!! They said that they just wanted to get my side of it. Ugh!! Looked up “sense of entitlement” and it describes her perfectly! Wow! what a piece of work!

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What a nut.

If you haven’t left your review already, you might want to strike anything that mentions information related to a resolution center claim. That can be grounds for removing your review.

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Thanks for the heads-up! Yes, I know about that, from reading this site. :wink:

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Here is what I have so far…

“G” was nice enough, but I think we view the purpose of Airbnb differently and what it means to respect and share someone’s home. She didn’t follow the House Rules; left the house unlocked; didn’t properly discard items or recycle despite the information being posted; had difficulty using the Airbnb link on her itinerary to get directions. She doesn’t respect boundaries and isn’t considerate of other people’s time. She sends texts (instead of Airbnb Messaging) early in the morning – sometimes before 7 AM. “G” took one of my pillows, leaving hers behind. Later, she scolded me for asking for it back in a timely manner. She couldn’t or wouldn’t look at the labels to figure out which to return (hers was feather, mine was synthetic), so she left both of hers for me to discard. This was just the tip of the entitlement iceberg…

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Leave out that she was “nice enough.” There isan’t a rating for the guest’s personality for a reason, it’s irrelevant. Don’t speculate on how she views Airbnb. Just stick to cold, hard facts. I’ve also leave out the entitlement dig at the end.

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Is this better…? Would you leave in “…the iceberg?”

No recommendation for “G”. She didn’t follow the House Rules; left the house unlocked; didn’t properly discard items or recycle despite the information being posted; had difficulty using the Airbnb link on her itinerary to get directions. She doesn’t respect boundaries and isn’t considerate of other people’s time. She sends texts early in the morning – sometimes before 7 AM. “G” took one of my pillows, leaving hers behind. Later, she scolded me when I asked for it back in a timely manner. She didn’t know which one to return (hers was feather, mine was synthetic), so she left both of hers for me to discard. This was just the tip of the iceberg…

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I like this one better. Iceberg comment is okay and doesn’t sound like you are trying to insult her.

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