I’d just relate the facts in the review. they are pretty bad. what they do is extortion. did they ever complain to you while staying there? If not, ignore. If they did, did you reply and offer to do something about it? if you did, ignore. if not see if they open a ticket with airbnb and explain the whole situation to CS.
some guests are like that. you’ll grow a thick skin eventually
1 Like
Then you have even more reason not to refund. 
I’m sorry this happened to you. I can understand how someone who is worried about losing income they need to stay afloat might panic and cave to a guest’s unreasonable demands. But long term, that’s not a good strategy, and I’m sure you see that now.
If/when something like this happens in the future, please come here for advice first, before you take action. If you had, I’m sure someone would have gladly helped you wordsmith a bulletproof reply to the guest, and perhaps told you to reach out to Airbnb customer service preemptively to (calmly, factually and professionally) give them your version of what’s happening. Getting out in front of things with customer support, and documenting your (again, calm, factual and professional!) interactions with your guests on the platform can go a long way toward protecting yourself from crappy reviews and loss of income.
3 Likes
We recently had a guest who left without staying and got a refund. ( She directly threatened a bad review off platform. ) She said if refund given she would not write a review, so when she did that, (5* btw) , she got this below review from us: Written with help from a wonderful mod here!! Update --she called air to get them to ask me if I would delete it. I said no.
“Husband grumpy due to overwork. Both of them were unfamiliar with local wildlife and it seemed to scare them. Said that the fully functioning AC wasn’t working (we had it professionally checked and it was working perfectly soon after they left). Demanded a refund causing me stress and heartache because I work so hard to ensure that our guests have a wonderful time. Not a good experience.”
1 Like
I will add and reiterate here… just because you refund does NOT mean a guest cannot leave a bad review! I would also have not refunded.
3 Likes
Thanks - “local wildlife”! Ha!
3 Likes
What?! You can neither delete nor edit your review once it’s posted and Airbnb does not allow the guest and host to mutually withdraw reviews (e.g., Like eBay). And every host for the past 2+ years says the only way to get a review removed is if it violates Airbnb’s terms or service.
Are you saying Airbnb called you on behalf of the guest and asked if you would withdraw your review? If so, when did this take place?
1 Like
I don’t really care if they leave a bad review. I have as much business as I can handle and most of my reviews are pretty stellar. They did go through AirBnB to ask for the refund and posted pictures of my crimes. I do like all the reviews suggested. I think I’ll write something like, “the guests were quiet and clean. They left the place nice and tidy. I never heard a peep from them and then when they left they complained that they felt unsafe in my house and requested a refund.” You guys have been great. Thank you all.
1 Like
Why say anything good about these rip-off artists? I vote for Miss Miami’s review wording.
2 Likes
how about:
The guests stayed the entire stay, and then they complained that they felt unsafe in my house and requested a refund. Not recommended.
3 Likes
I too would add to the chorus of fellow hosts begging you not to give them any praise. State not recommended so there is no doubt. You can give them “credit” for leaving it nice and tidy with 5 stars on cleanliness. 1 star for communication.
It sounds like a price increase might be advised.
1 Like
short and sweet. I like that. I think that’s a winner.
Sue728: If it was more than 2 nights … please add that it really shows what kind of guests they are.
2 Likes
What’s done is done. Learn from it and move forward. Next time, no refunds. Let Karma take care of those women. Increase your rates slightly or increase the cleaning fee to make up for the refund.
I would not say anything about they felt unsafe. That’s giving them too much credit. Would say guest demanded full refund because they did not like my drapes or the way my shutters operate.
3 Likes
It is not banned. Outcomes of Airbnb involved issues could be but even then someone would need to request the review be removed for that reason and then get some one who actually was willing and able to remove it.
I have posted several fully detailed reviews of guests including outcomes where guest refused to pay things and Airbnb paid it for them. Certainly these reviews are not something Airbnb would think is within their allowed policy but yet the reviews all stand. I occasionally check on them as I have been doing this for more than 3 years on Airbnb now. In many of the cases, ironically, the guest is also a host so SHOULD know that they can get them removed by the policy but they don’t.
I will say that this year I have not left results of Airbnb involvement in reviews because I wait until the review period is over to get them involved (in order to avoid receiving bad reviews). However, also on those cases Airbnb has constantly stated that they did not receive or cannot see the damaging proof videos even though they can see
While I might agree to not add that they felt unsafe I definitely would not fabricate lies. That would bring you down to their level of low life.
Sounds to me like a reasonable interpretation of what the guest told the OP.
3 Likes
MMilitary… I am not advocating lies. My understanding of the core issue of the guests was they felt the drapes were too sheer and there was a gap in the bathroom shutter. So I would boil it down to that. Please don’t label me a liar and a low life when you don’t know me or my character.
3 Likes
@skemp My sincere apologies as I guess I didn’t read well enough and was too tired at the very late/early hour I was posting that. Also
Explains why I had no idea what @CeeBee was talking about in that follow up post. Sorry!
I am glad I was mistaken about your post and therefore would not consider it a lie nor one to be a low life to leave such a review. In either case please understand I was never calling a person (you) a low life, just that a liar would be a low life.
1 Like
Regarding our case.
Both reviews are still up. So, saying “demanded a refund” was/is ok. Airbnb cs ( or at least someone posing as Air) called me on behalf of the guest and asked me to authorize deleting our review of the guest. #855-424-7262 was the call origin.
Interestingly our guest did have some host experience and I think a lot of Air guest experience being a airline stewardess and frequent traveler, she was likely concerned and tried to pull some strings.
Also interestingly, my reviews were scrambled and are no longer in chronological order. This happened right after our refund to guest.