Based on @EVedder 's recent experience, Airbnb definitely will remove some reviews, although since we didn’t see what the guest wrote or the stars, we don’t know why. The problem I’m now seeing is that Airbnb is only stating they’ll remove a review if the guests writes some irrelevant information (i.e. the example they gave where a guest says the host has a dirty couch, but the guest never checked in so couldn’t possibly know that). What they fail to address is the stars. I’m sure the review system still forces guests to fill in the star information, so what if they put 1-star overall and 1-star in every category and simply say “I don’t recommend this listing.” in the review. It doesn’t violate the new policy, but the stars still aren’t relevant whether they are 1-star or 5-star, so why even allow the review?
Agree! They may just slam us with the stars and only say something very basic about the listing but that is enough to ruin our stats. Much better of the review is not able to be given in the first place. So much time wasted on dealing with this rubbish.
Update on EC claim: Airbnb have decided to pay the guest the money for the reservation and they will also let me keep the money as they can see that I tried to give the guest alternatives. I also included the little blurb I have in my house rules about guests needing to have their own travel insurance as we could not act as insurers for them.
So AirBnB paid you out of pocket vice fron the guest?
Airbnb paid us both.
Because then hosts scared of retaliation reviews will stop refunding guests. Airbnb love when you refund a guest for no good reason.
I wish that Insider was still around, so he could give us the reality of the new policy.
And how it actually works and the training given.
If it was $200 or less for you I am not surprised at all. Otherwise, I am surprised.
Old reviews…exactly my thought. Shit on (professionally) clean sheets, etc etc in the review. Because I would not lie to the guest’s insurance company to pay for holes smashed in door etc. Got a 1* in every category, and this is still holding me back big time. Although the recent hair in bath (one hair) I got a 3.
This is interesting but I don’t think it’s true. Under that new policy, it talks about removing reviews that include “things out of host’s control” and “people in the neighbourhood”. I just got an awful review from a woman (who asked for her money back and I stupidly gave it) because the night she arrived there was a guy peeing in the entrance to the building. Needless to say that’s an awful thing to happen but it goes under both those new review categories and despite my complaints to Airbnb (which occurred yesterday, ie after the new policy went into effect) they refused to remove the 1* review. What especially annoyed me was this woman proceeded to stay for 6 more days and only when she got back home did she ask for her money back and that was the first time I ever knew something was wrong. Also, and maybe this has come up so sorry if it has, how the heck is outright lying not in violation of Airbnbs review policy?? Like if someone says the listing is black if in reality it’s white, from what I can tell that’s allowed?
Unfortunately Airbnb allows lies.
Did she mention that in the review? I think she would have to have mentioned it for it to fit the new policy. Also, the entrance of the building is more relevant than just the neighbourhood - it is more specific to your listing than just the immediate area. It’s unfortunate but might be relevant.
Men peeing in public is my next favorite topic…after babies, kettles and duvet covers. (Inside joke you might not get, sorry.)
Please don’t ever refund money for something that isn’t directly your fault.
Did you try to get the review removed recently, under the new policies? @EVedder was just able to earlier this week.
Yes I tried to get it removed, it was declined. She actually didn’t mention it in the review (the review simply said the description is inaccurate, the rental is horrible and not recommended). But she mentioned it in both her case asking for money back and also in the part where she commented on location (which to my knowledge is not for the public, right?)
Keep at it, call back tell them this was out of your control and per the new guidelines it should be removed. At the end of every conversation or email end it with " I do not consider this resolved"
Good luck
RR
Thanks RR, the only issue is that she didn’t actually talk about the guy peeing in her actual review . She only mentioned it in her request for money back. Her actual review was simply that she doesnt recommend my property
That’s a bit different from what you initially said:
Airbnb isn’t going to take it down, and based on what you’re saying now, I don’t think they should. Her opinion is just that - her opinion. Prospective guests will see that hers is an outlier (hopefully, that’s the case), and pretty soon it will be buried several pages down, never to be heard from again.
I’m sorry you got burned by this guest, but it’s an object lesson in why hosts shouldn’t offer guests a refund. A**holes will write you a shitty review, no matter what you do. If you hadn’t refunded, you’d still have a shitty review - but you’d also have been paid.
He’s rotting away in the gulag! Poor bugger.
Does anyone know if the new review content policy still prohibits guests and hosts from mentioning resolution center issues escalated to AirBnB? I can’t find it under the new review policies. I can’t recall if the policy included mentioning the issue at all, or just that AirBnB was involved. Though it may not matter if this content rule was removed.
ETA:
I think the old policy prohibiting reviews that mention escalated resolution center issues may have been removed and replaced with this:
Am I reading this right?