This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
“very disgusting hostess, an accident occurred and an urgent decision was made to fly away for an operation, on the third day completely different people were settled in the villa, although I saw it paid for another 18 days, they refused to return the funds, sadly 7.000 euros and such service. I wish this villa to be completely alone without visitors. the animal behind the picture lives on the vile, it is as small as a lizard that yells every night. the vila is stylish, but on the outskirts you can’t do without a bike, but I don’t recommend a lady”
1 star in every category, even though she didn’t have a single problem with the villa in the 30 days she stayed, I just refused to refund her for the remaining 18 after her motorbike accident, I told her this is a matter of travel insurance. CS say this review doesn’t break their content policy, please give me your opinion?
I would say these are the violations for the review policy
“very disgusting hostess”-name calling, profanity
“an accident occurred and an urgent decision was made to fly away for an operation”- outside of host control
“on the third day completely different people were settled in the villa, although I saw it paid for another 18 days”- she stayed for 30 days out of 48 days booked, sounds like i kicked her out after 3 days, and no one stayed in the villa when she left, I only rent on airbnb which CS can check the dates were first blocked by her booking and then later never rebooked, she only canceled 7 days after she left.
“they refused to return the funds, sadly 7.000 euros and such service”- not relevant information about host and listing, this was a result of CS resolution to reject her request for refund, so how is this allowed to stay, airbnb service fee is in those 7000 euros
“I wish this villa to be completely alone without visitors.”- not relevant information about host and listing
The English of the review is awkward so I may not understand everything but some of the things you think are irrelevant aren’t. For example, if there is an animal that makes noise, I want to know about it. Not getting a refund is very relevant to her experience as well. The word disgusting is not profane but it is insulting so that might be an angle.
I’d contact Air again regarding the fundamental untruth of the issue of the refund and rebooking.
Or you could just let it go and respond to her review for the benefit of people reading it.
The animal in question is a gecko, and a house without one doesn’t exist in Bali, she basicaly didn’t have 1 argument agains my villa, and she never mentioned any problem during her 30 day stay, but gave 1 star in every single category and airbnb already send me a warning email they might remove my listing.
Why would getting a refund be very relevant to her experience of the villa, she was not entitled to any refund under the cancelation policy, this is entirely a matter of travel insurance to get refunded after having a motorbike accident.
I understand that but it’s still part of her experience there. I’m not disputing that it’s a revenge review in the assignment of stars but the written part just sounds like a recounting of her experience staying with you. Not a fair recounting, but it’s still her experience. Airbnb’s advice would be to respond to the review.
I’m not sure it’s worth your time to fight it. If you decide to keep trying please come back and let us know if you get her review removed. Best of luck.
Technically, lies are not “against Air rules”. BUT if an Air agent can be made to agree that “something” in the review is NOT RELEVANT - then you may be able to get it pulled.
.
Part of the language sounds to me like it may violate “review extortion” etc. So I totally hope that you can get it pulled. A motorbike accident has nothing to do with your stay, tragic though it might be.
.
Please keep us in the loop!
While you’re pursuing removal of this retaliation review with Airbnb, you may want to post a reply. Or not, the guest sounds very cranky and not really believable. However, I think it may be worth it to clarify that the cancellation policy was followed:
“I am sorry that X had the misfortune to have a motorcycle accident late in their stay, and wish them a speedy recovery. The strict cancellation policy is a standard Airbnb option and is fully disclosed prior to booking. We recommend that guests consider taking travel insurance, particularly for longer reservations.”
I already wrote an honest review about her to warn all future hosts about her, she actually had all great reviews so far.
I will reply to the review for sure if I can’t get it removed, I honestly don’t care for the written part as she sounds very unreasonable, but since this listing was new, only had 3 reviews so far , the reviews fell to 4 star average every category. So if this stays I am better of deleting the listing and making a new one.
Wait, that means there was some tension with her before she wrote the revenge review. Did she threaten to give you a bad review if you didn’t give her a refund? If so, and she did it in writing, you should be able to get the review removed fairly easily.
There was a lot of tension, texting me non stop through aribnb for refund, mentioning religion (Buda sees you), karma will get you, etc, she involved CS, she was annoying to them also they said in the call to me, they refused her every request for refund, refused her request to put her friends in my villa. She never threatened me a bad review, but didn’t need to, I knew this was coming.
.
Good that all that was through Air. We hope that you can fight this and get her review pulled. Personally, I would not post a reply at this point in time, over a concern that this action possibly is looked on as validation of what they wrote before the battle for removal has been fought. If you lose, then some reply is probably warranted. Though, as you stated, the stay is new and starting from scratch in such a case may be a good fall-back position.
additonaly, I forgot to mention, in her confidential medical report which she submitted in the resolution case it is stated she was supposed to fly to Jakarta tonight- that means that even before her accident she already had a flight and was leaving bali before the accident, so she was just trying to extort money in any way possible from me.
This is what bothers me most. I agree with @KKC ‘s advice but I hate that when there is an obvious retaliation in the star ratings AirBnB allows it to stand. I am fine with a guest recounting their experience as @KKC says, & we are free to respond & tell our side or refute lies or distortions. But we can do nothing about the stars AND the default AirBnB response is to send stressful, threatening messages?! It’s like as a host you are guilty EVEN IF PROVEN INNOCENT. I’ve had agents agree and sympathize with me but do nothing to mitigate the default punishment of an unsubstantiated low star rating. Now fortunately…if you keep doing the right thing I believe it works out, but it’s a real gut-punch to work hard to give your best and be business conscious & have something like this happen. I’m sorry @balivilla. Hang in there. You’ll bounce back.
Well, it looks like you have been successful with having the review and her ratings removed. Your listing currently has three reviews, with an average of 5*.
The only place the above critical text is going to be visible is in her response to your review of her, and that is something any upcoming guest is unlikely to see. That said, I just checked to be sure and it looks like that is gone also.
No, it’s not gone, its still there, I snoozed the listing, so maybe you don’t see it, I have another listing also with 3 five star reviews, so maybe you are looking at that, but her review is very much still there.
This is true, that’s why effort to get the review removed might be wasted.
That’s generated by computer, it’s not personal. It’s just to let you know you got a 1 star review in case you didn’t notice. I’ve been on this forum 6 years and have never heard of a case where a listing was suspended due to a low reviews. And I’ve seen many many listings with 4. something averages.
You have 4 listings with over 100 reviews and it looks like about a 4.9 average. One has 17 reviews with an average of 5 stars. In the jungle. That is great. Are you saying all those ratings are BS, a joke?
You are obviously intelligent, you work hard and you are competent. You know Airbnb policies and now this little snit writes lies and gets away with it. It’s infuriating, I get it. But also your time is money and I still think I’d just move on. You gave her an honest review and you can reply to the review she gave you. Maybe making it clear to future guests that they aren’t getting a refund and they should buy travel insurance is a good idea.
That said I see you have a listing with no reviews, perhaps that is the one she stayed in? Because you have other listings with good reviews that seems like an excellent strategy to me.
On a personal note, I’ve never paid any attention to listings in Indonesia before but these are gorgeous and if I ever come into any money I would gladly stay at any of these. I feel more relaxed just looking at them.
Also, I love geckos, lizards, and any kind of non-venomous snake and many non poisonous insects.
