Please tell me you did not post this as the public response.
3 Likes
I dont think it is possible to get it removed…
however…
maybe…
if you show AirBnb the 4 windows in a photo …just maybe.
They call it a basement “apartment”.
Is it possible that one room of the 'apartment"…for example the kitchen and den …has 4 windows and the bedroom has no windows?
It is very odd ( although guests sure do ) say NO windows when there
ARE 4 windows. Is there any reason she might say this? Are the windows tiny slivers of light?
Just wondering more info.
Again, it’s not a bad review. You are reacting emotionally. Your next booking will allay your fears.
What can you do? Go back to the kitchen and put that critique to good use. Those dishes and pans are easily replaced. Clearly mark windows of egress. Take photos of these improvements and mention “new improved” in your description. And thank the reviewer for their observation.
I have had totally unreasonable guests. But there is always a kernel of wisdom to be learned, even if it is to stop listing so cheap, or to learn how to breathe deeply! 
3 Likes
Ugh. That’s terrible.
If I was a guest reading that, I would wonder how someone could be in the industry for over 20 years and still be so unprofessional.
You have 30 days to post a public response, next time let your ears cool down, first.
7 Likes
Overall its not a terrible review, so count your blessings.
As I learned early on, Lies unfortunately are not valid reasons for AirBNB remove a review, so don’t waste your time.
I’ve had only two experiences with trying to get something a guest wrote removed, both of which were not in their reviews but actually in their post review comments of the review I left them
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The first one still remains. A guest who left me 5 star, rave reviews saying he can’t wait to come back, suddenly became upset AFTER a less than stellar review I left for him. After that he went on a vindictive streak by making up lies in his post review and then contacting AirBNB accusing me of AntiSemitism. After reading his very positive initial review of me, along with the messages between us, and the timing of his claims (after my review of him) AirBNB realized that he had fabricated both the discrimination claim and the false statements in his post review. BUT despite this acknowledgement, my concern of his lies on a public forum, and his lying to AirBNB about discrimination, AirBNB would not remove it. When I became less agitated by it, I realized his post review is seen by hosts assessing him, not guests looking to book with me, and that his comments, I believe, would actually make hosts question hosting him.
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The second post review was removed immediately upon contacting CS. It too was a result of a negative review I had left for this guest. She had not left a review for me, so after 14 days when she saw my review, she reacted emotionally and played the race card. It was removed because of the untruthful language the guest used towards me.
As others have suggested, take a deep breath and some time, next time, before you decide to respond to a review. If you feel you must respond, It’s always advisable to do so with just facts and no emotion. In your case, if I responded, I would have kept it to just clarification on the windows.
2 Likes
Although I thought at first that the review seemed to be okay and was therefore not fully understanding why the OP was getting so het up, I have to admit that if I saw a basement advertised and then saw that it ‘had no windows’ I wouldn’t want to book there for safety reasons.
I still don’t agree with hosts responding to reviews, especially when we know that the review will be on the second page in no time, but maybe in this instance the OP should possibly do something to allay the fears of people like me who’d be worried about the safety aspect.
I don’t fully understand how a basement can have four windows that can be used in an emergency but assuming they can, and therefore the place is legal, then I’d be inclined to address this in the listing. Or possibly add a photograph of the inspection certificate?
If you don’t already you might consider opening all the shades to ensure natural light in the room. That way they will notice the windows.
My cleaning folks tend to close all the blinds when they are done, drives me crazy as the houses look dark with all the blinds closed. On my post cleaning walk through I open them all again.
It’s terrible when a person is dishonest and leaves behind such reviews. Or maybe it’s competitors who own apartments in the same area. Who knows? I wish you all good guests.
1 Like