Improvements to guest reviews, house rules, cancellations & more in the latest Host Update

[Airbnb]

*Post shared October, 20th

In the latest Host Update, Catherine Powell shares how Airbnb is addressing your top concerns from the past few months and provides detailed answers to several direct questions from hosts. Thanks to host feedback voiced in workshops and here in the Community Center, there are several features being put into action. 

*To add or change subtitles to the video, hover over the video and click on the little 'Settings' wheel in the bottom right corner. Then select your language. 

Airbnb is improving the guest review process to make it feel more fair. This includes rewriting the majority of review questions that guests answer after a stay. For example, instead of asking guests if the description of a listing was inaccurate, we’re now asking if it was accurate instead. These changes will help guests leave reviews that feel more impartial and truly reflect the quality of your hospitality. 

Unauthorized parties are another top host concern, and we’re launching several new features to help protect you against them. For example, by the end of this month you’ll be able to immediately cancel a reservation without contacting support if you have valid reason to believe it will lead to a party. As long as your reason is upheld by our review team, you won’t receive financial penalties or have your Superhost status affected. 

When our team reviews a cancellation, they’ll search for evidence of a potential party from message threads or previous guest reviews. As always, these cancellations must adhere to Airbnb’s nondiscrimination policy and we’ll carefully monitor them for unfair treatment that violates that policy.

Many hosts have also asked that house rules be more prominent on listing pages so guests can both read and understand them before booking. By next month, your house rules will be visible in four different places when a guest books a stay:

1. Key house rules—like not allowing smoking or pets—will be visible at the top of your listing page so that they’re more prominent as guests search
2. All the house rules you’ve listed, including important safety disclosures, will be visible in the details of your listing page
3. House rules will be displayed again on the booking confirmation page to help better ensure that guests understand and agree to them before completing a reservation
4. They’ll also be included in the booking confirmation email to remind guests of your expectations before they arrive
   
   

All house rules must be in line with Airbnb’s policies and terms—including our terms of service and nondiscrimination policy.

To read a full overview of all the updates being put into place, visit this Resource Center article. As always, thank you for sharing the topics that matter to you and providing feedback that helps elevate the hosting community. Please let us know what you’d like us to cover in future Host Updates with Catherine.

[Colleen193]

Because  hosts know nothing about the person who is booking until they accept the booking, it causes problems for hosts.  I recently accepted a booking only to find out the person could not possibly come on the dates booked because of border restrictions due to Covid-19.  After I accepted the booking, only then did I find out where they lived and I  knew they couldn't come.  When I queried them, they said they booked hoping that restrictions would be lifted before the due date. This is not good enough. 

[Dr--Bartholomew0]

I have had unauthorized parties In my home by guests and the guests damaged my property, stealing of my items and I was not compensated for all of the damages. Somehow I received a revenged review after I have been a Superhost status, in which have affected my status and I am no longer a Superhost. I would like for the revenge review taken down from my post, because I had to stop a party in my home and stop strangers coming to my home for a party that was posted on social media by the guest and their friends. I escorted all of them out of my house. Then the guest gave me a bad review.

[Kathy291]

I went through a similar situation with a 3rd party booking. She made the reservation  but her father came and it turned out he just flew in from overseas and was planning to quarantine in my home without our knowledge.  She told me flat out that there was nothing I could do about it because he started his quarantine.
I had to get the government involved to have him moved to an isolation facility. 
I asked to have her review taken down. She  said I threw him out on the street with no where to go. This is why things are turning ugly.  These types of people know how to work the system and so many hosts are dealing with this everyday.  Changes have to be made. It’s only going to get worse.  

[Vicki258]

You are not alone. I only have this issue with air bnb. It appears they screen  screen no one. I turn down so many that just want to party at my place because the bars and restaurants are closed. I rarely rent with air bnb these days, it is not worth the headache.

[Pat114]

The One Issue With Airbnb Reviews That Causes Hosts To Burnout

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sethporges/2016/06/29/the-one-issue-with-airbnb-reviews-that-causes-hos...

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Here is how one host I stayed with handled the review dilemma. I like it as a guest - as it was very clear and easy to understand. This is my adaptation of his message which is included in my message for checkout procedures, as well as thanking the guest for staying in our home.

``

"So I appreciate your letting me know through messages here what needs to be fixed or could be improved - rather than on the review.

Also, the way Airbnb judges host is 5 stars is Pass and anything less than 5 is basically a Fail.

Airbnb reviews are critical so please message me any feedback here so that I can fix them rather than put it on the review.

I'd greatly appreciate a great 5 star review but it's up to you.


If you can't give a 5 star, there is an option to not leave a review.

That's certainly better than giving a 4 star or below (failing me)."

[Becky88]

Hi @Catherine-Powell,

Thank you for this update - these are excellent steps!

However, I do agree with many commenters:  Revenge reviews are a problem that needs to be solved.  It goes against a basic human concept of fairness when rule-breakers are allowed to attack and damage those who fairly hold them to account.

I think the key is being able to quickly and objectively identify guests who break Key House Rules, and to disable their ability to post a review until the case can be reviewed.

Here's my 4-step suggestion (written mostly with unauthorized parties in mind):

1.  Reduce/Eliminate Subjectivity

Currently, the "Events Allowed" Key House Rule is undefined, and the Party & Events Policy is permissive and subjective in only prohibiting "disruptive" parties.  There is no way for a host to objectively deem a party "disruptive"; the only objective measure is if neighbors complain or call the police.  The policy is also one-size-fits-all in terms of setting a maximum size of gatherings at 16, which might be OK for a large house, but of course ridiculous for a studio apartment.

Why get into what is (or isn't) a party, or what is (or isn't) disruptive, when it all boils down to the number of people at a listing, and whether it's noisy, at what hours?

--> Eliminate the "Events Allowed" Key House Rule radio button; replace it with:

--> Add a setting where hosts set a limit on the number of daytime guests (in addition to the maximum overnight guests).

--> Add a setting where hosts can define Quiet Hours at the listing; with an objective definition of "quiet" such as no sound audible at the property line of a house, or outside the walls/doors of an apartment or private/shared room.

2.  Increase and Define Consequences.

Currently, there are few consequences for rule-breaking, unless there’s damage, or a neighbor complains.  Negative guest reviews don’t matter much to partiers.  There simply isn’t enough deterrent.

--> Add a feature in Key House Rules that allows hosts to specify flat-fee fines and when breaking a particular Key House Rule is grounds for cancelling a guest’s booking.

3.  Allow Instant Reporting & Disable Guest Ability to Review.

It's great that hosts will be able to cancel Instant Bookings where guests admit upfront, that they’re going to throw a party, but it’s been my sad experience that the worst party-throwers are the most evasive.  Party throwers will continue to get through preventive measures.  When this happens, hosts need a way to instantly, and in-the-moment, report guests who are throwing parties, WITHOUT needing to talk to a live Airbnb rep.

Hosts need a “Party-In-Progress”, or “Instant Report” tool that will:

o  Allow hosts to report all necessary details (date, number of guests, noise, police involvement, etc.), upload proof (photos, complaint texts, et.), and choose whether they want to implement consequence specified for breaking the particular Key House Rule (e.g. “Yes, please charge this guest the $100 fine”).

o  Disable the guest’s ability to write a review.

o  Notify the guest of the report against their booking and the consequences imposed, pending review.

4.  Conduct a Timely Review

Airbnb then reviews the situation in the days* to follow.  If the host’s report is upheld, the consequences are implemented, and the guest continues to be blocked from posting a review.  If the host’s report is rejected, the guest is then able to post a review, but warned about using it to retaliate against the host.  (* or on escalated/immediate/emergency basis, if the situation is serious and host is requesting that the guest’s booking is cancelled immediately.)

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I hope there’s a way to do something along these lines.  Thank you for all you’re doing for hosts, and double-thanks for reading this far!

Becky

[Catherine-Powell]

Hi @Becky88,

Thank you for sharing this detailed feedback. I really appreciate you taking the time to think through this.

You are right, retaliatory reviews and enforcement of house rules are two very important issues that need to be addressed. As I have shared with other hosts here on the thread, we are working on policy changes to address this behavior. I will take your suggestions to the team and I look forward to sharing updates soon.

Best,
Catherine

[Jeff89]

@Catherine-Powell It would also make sense if the number of days a guest stayed, and whether they extended their stay is stated under their review, as this would help potential guests identify great properties and hosts and appropriateness of the listing for short or long stays . 

Also if a guest extends their stay, I believe each extension should be regarded as a repeat guest for the repeat guest statistic.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Catherine-Powell 

I am glad to finally see some progress but that's not enough.

Airbnb should stop acting like a bad parent, leaving his spoiled kids (guests) out of control and without any boundaries and penalties. If Airbnb can't or won't do it, then it should be "just a booking platform" and don't interfere with the host's and guest's contract.

Actual damage deposit (like at VRBO and Booking.com ) would solve many problems.

[Raymond-Brown0]

I so agree to this. We open our homes to guest, bend over backwards to accommodate them but when guest break rules, or destroy the place, hosts have no back up from airbnb. We are held hostage by reviews that aren't usually true!

[Vicki207]

I could not agree more. Air bnb needs to screen its renters better. I have never had bad guests from VRBO. Air bnb is a crap shoot.

[Dean22]

@Catherine-Powell  over the last week I have received the worst customer service from Airbnb hep desk in over 5 years with no empathy or any reasoning to the predicament that we have.

With regards to each host signing and acknowledging the new Covid-19 policy, we have shared that the immediate ruling of "Hosts and guests are required to maintain a social distance of six feet (two metres) or more" cannot be achieved at our Private Luxury Villa with its own in-house restaurant and bar which is fully serviced.

Each reply I get is not acknowledging or understanding what we offer but says we must sign the policy.

I have requested to speak with a manager or one of the Product specialists who would understand our proposition and come to a solution. For example- where does it say at the "WHO" that Hotels, resorts who serve F&B or any type of restaurant wait staff have to stand 2 meters away from guests whilst trying to serve food and beverage??

We are not a normal accommodation offering only. We are a luxury villa rental with an exclusive private restaurant with staff.

Please can you refer this to a senior member of the team that deals with policies and procedures?

Regards

Dean

[Kris105]

@Catherine-Powell 

I have an urgent case to discuss with Catherine Powell about a guest that keeps on harassing me and opening new customer support cases. This is the 4th time I’m dealing with this and almost a month of agony. Every time I explain myself and then the agent agrees and closes the case. This time the agent did not contact me but refunded the guest and then after sent me an email with a new case and that the agent will be out of office! Hit and run! I have been on the phone with a supervisor explained everything again gave him the ticket number of the first case which decision was final.  He told me he needs time to rectify this. Which I am waiting on. Thing is the amount is still in negative on my account and I can not sleep anymore I have been busy with this for almost a month and can’t handle this. The decision was made by Airbnb and was final I made decisions based on that. I contacted Airbnb immediately asked for guidance and this guest constantly tries something new. I am at breaking point and don’t want to host anymore because of this. I know it’s only 1 person in the hundreds and over more then a decade that I have hosted, but this really gets me down. 

Please help me! And give me a call so I can explain. Thank you 

Kris 

[Jo56]

@Kris105 

This time the agent did not contact me but refunded the guest and then after sent me an email with a new case and that the agent will be out of office! Hit and run!

Yup, this is such standard behaviour that I am almost certain they are trained to do this - or at the very least trained by other staff "off the books" that this is a great way to deflect bad situations and distressed hosts.

[Mark116]

Ugh.  Did Airbnb do another pointless update that makes things worse?

My Inbox is now a three paneled mess, that shows 1) the old inbox  2) the messages w/the current guest 3) the current guest reservation.

Why do they do this?  It never improves anything, now it's so f. cluttered I can't see anything.  

Airbnb is like trying to walk uphill in the mud, you just never get anywhere, always running in place, always one step forward and 5 steps back.

There.Was.Nothing.Wrong.With.The.Inbox.  Now, its a cluttered mess and I am sure will cause me to not see new messages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!