Making reviews more fair for hosts

[Airbnb]

 Many of you have asked us how Airbnb can protect hosts from one-off bad reviews. When this question came up at the most recent Host Q&A, we told you we were working on ways to make the review process more fair for hosts. Specifically, we made 2 promises:

1. We committed to launching a tool to detect outlier reviews—or one-off bad reviews. A common example is when there’s a discrepancy between the overall rating and the category ratings provided by a guest (when a guest gives a host 5 stars for cleanliness, accuracy, and the other categories but a 2-star rating overall, for instance).
2. Based on your feedback, we also committed to exploring ways to help guests better understand that the location category rating is meant to be objective. The location category rating doesn’t impact your overall rating (or Superhost status), but we know it’s important to you, and we want to make sure the whole system is as fair as possible.

Today, we’re excited to announce two improvements to the review process that directly address these issues. Since these changes have been introduced, we’ve already noticed a tangible uptick in more accurate, fair reviews for hosts, and we hope they solve some of your pain points. Here’s what’s new:

One-off review alerts

We’ve added a step to the review process for guests when they give a host an inconsistent overall rating. For instance, the guest may have given 4-star or higher ratings for all the categories (cleanliness, accuracy, etc.), but then give an overall rating of less than 3 stars.

The new pop up screen asks guests: “Is this right?” And goes on to explain that they rated their overall stay lower than they rated it in specific categories. It gives guests an option to either change the rating or ignore the alert.

This new alert has led to higher overall review ratings for hosts. Since we launched, we’ve seen a 2.8% drop in 3-star reviews and a 3.9% drop in 2-star reviews. While these percentages may seem small, they’re driving real improvements in the accuracy of our review system, and hosts are benefitting.

Location, location, location

We’ve heard from you that the location rating can be particularly frustrating because some of you have experienced guests dinging you in this category, unexpectedly, after great stays. This category is tricky. It gives valuable information to prospective travelers, which we don’t want to lose. At the same time, we hear your concern that you’re being graded for something you can’t control: guests’ opinion of your location. This opinion is inherently subjective—one person’s “rustic rural retreat” may be another’s “too far from public transportation.” So we made it more clear in the review process that guests are rating the accuracy of your location description, rather than the location itself.

Now, when a guest goes to rate you in the location category, if they give you less than 3 stars, they see an explanation: “Was the listing’s location not described accurately?” So far, this has led to a 0.8% increase in the average rating for location.

While we were working on this, we also made similar improvements to the value category. If a guest gives you less than 3 stars there, they’ll see this message: “What would have made this listing a better value?” This has led to a 0.25% increase in the average rating for value.

These changes were designed to begin to address your concerns around unfair reviews, and to help make sure that guests understand what ratings mean. We still have a journey ahead of us to keep making the review system better, and you’ll continue to see updates from us on this throughout the year. Thank you for hosting!

[Kate469]

This is a great start, but..................  I have had guests behave completely inappropriately, and put our property in jeopardy from the authorities.   then threaten that they will put in a poor review.  I have had people downgrade on Accuracy - whatever this is meant to mean.  Thank you for starting to look at the problems created about Location.  1.  if the place is not where your website says it is (and this happened - one of our rooms was moved to a completely different part of the island!)  then this is a website problem not a problem of location.  2  If folks are surprised that something is 10 blocks from the bus station, then obviously they are not able to read a map (and a lot of people can't) 

Maybe a move would be to explain what the evaluation is meant to report on - Accuracy  means.............   or you give a short check list.  

[Michelle1552]

I just had a guest leave 5 stars in all areas but value (3) and a 3 overall because they thought they booked a stand-alone unit (aka they didn’t read the listing) so they didn’t think it was worth the cost. mind you they paid 72 dollars a night for two guest, 6 blocks from the beach in California and Airbnb refused to even listen to my request to have the review altered. Instead they suggesting making it even more clear that my unit is shared and perhaps making it clear how expensive the area is oh and making sure to translate my issue into all languages (which you manually need to do yourself) Airbnb does not care about the hosts. They care about money. 

[Desiree75]

Thank you for consistently responding to issues we raise.  I so much appreciate this!

[Christine213]

I just had a revenge 1-star reivew where I was called racist because the neighbors called the police on their drug party.  Airbnb has replied that they take 'racism very seriously'. If that is the case ,why have they not agreed to delete the review. From all of the conversation on the reservation they can clearly see where the guest is coming from (even using extreme profanity in messages admitting to breaking all my house rules).

Airbnb has gone so far as to not require profile photos so I don't even know the race of my 'guest'. Can you be racist if you don't know the race? How can it be "fair and honest' to stand behind that kind of reivew and pull my superhost status to boot?

[Belinda66]

Lots of great comments about revenge reviews, but what about reviews which come out of the blue from a seemingly trouble free, satisfactory experience? I recently received 2 stars, and some negative comments and a 1 for value for money from such a guest - who also said my listing description is inaccurate. All patently untrue!! Now what? 

She is a first time guest and I am a super host with a proven track record....surely this kind of review should be removed! !

[Barbara-And-Kevin0]

We have 2 constant issues which affect our ratings - both of which come back to the guests not reading our listing entirely. The 1st is the sleepouts and the 2nd is no wifi. We state these again very clearly now in our 1st response and ask if they are sure this will work for them. Even after they say they understand and still wish to stay we can still get negative reviews on these. Also is there a way we can translate our reviews without it being a mission?

[Helen427]

@Barbara0  And Kevin, is laptop friendly workspace ticked on your amenities list?
I've had an issue with 3 recent guest ask for Wifi Password when it's clearly written in my blurb that there's no Wifi.

I believe some may assume if you have Laptop friendly workspace that one also has Wifi.

Guests need to be mindful of this, maybe if they have Guest newsletters they could explain that to them!

All the best

Central To All Home And Location

[Sharon161]

It goes a little way to helping which is good,but as said,hosts may still get revenge reviews  for asking guests to comply with house rules and they don’t.And as for the dreaded “location”as said you can’t move your Airbnb and guests really  do need to read the blurb.Personally I think that if you have other reviews that are fine with this category then you should not be penalised because a guest didn’t read properly the description.Its a bit harsh for hosts.Also guests DO NOT seem to get it that wifi isn’t readily available in certain parts of NZ and there is no way to fix this,it is far too expensive to offer it or not even available

[Helen427]

is laptop friendly workspace ticked on your amenities list?
@Sharon0 I've had an issue with 3 recent guests ask for Wifi Password when it's clearly written in my blurb that there's No Wifi.

I believe some may assume if you have Laptop friendly workspace that one also has Wifi despite that fact Wifi is not ticked as an available amenity!

Guests need to be mindful of this, maybe if they have Guest newsletters they could explain that to them!

All the best

Central To All Home And Location

[AnnaGloria0]

it would be really great if you could make the host response to the bad review editable. it s our only shot to get the record straight, and of course, we would like to use the response tool t its best. with that said, i found myself being very hurt and upset about a bad review, from a guest who lied about certain aspects of our agreement and left also some hurtful personal comments about me, even if she never tried totalk to me first about what I can hope was a really bad misunderstanding. so of course, caught by surprise, i replied by impulse and forgot to address a couple of issues that are for me very important to clear out of transparency and for my future potential guests.  so yes out of personal experience my suggestion is : please could you make response editable? thank you 

[Sarah977]

@AnnaGloria0  This happens a lot, both with reviews and responses. It would be nice if they were editable, but since they aren't, it's always better to wait until one has calmed down to submit the review or response of a problematic guest. Write a scathing review or response in the heat of the moment to get your frustrations or anger out, but only on paper, then revisit it a few days later and rewrite in a factual, non-emotional way. Remember that the only people who will read the response are future guests- so just use it to correct any lies or misrepresentation a guest made, not as retaliation to the bad review.

Reviews of a guest: for the benefit of other hosts

Response to guest review: for the benefit of future guests

[AnnaGloria0]

hey sarah you are so right, It was my first time dealing with such issue and it took me by surprise 🙂 i really hope this is also my last time heh , but yes I will remember your wise words if something similar happens in the future. thank you very much. Although I still think that, if reviews should be not editable in order to guarantee transparency and honesty,  it would be really great if responses editing tool could be added. just a suggestion for the airbnb team 🙂  

[David3992]

I too had the 'one bad review' out of all other 5-star reviews. There seems to be a pattern of behavior amongst those who rate lower. In my case, they lied about the number of guests (wrote 2 but actually 4 showed up so I lost money), asked to stay later and I accomodated, left the room waaaaay dirtier and messier than the typical BnB'er, and broke a shelf and two tea holder bases. She placed the shelf on the ground, and I found the tea holder bases while cleaning. I found out when I went into the room ater they'd left. I emailed her but got no reply BUT I got a bad review, so I followed up her review with my own review in which I told everyone what she'd done. She also said that my place should only be a 2-person BnB since there weren't 'beds' for everyone even though the listing CLEARLY stated all of the sleeping arrangements! Honestly, I don't know what she was expecting, but I would never let her back in my home. 

I agree that Air BnB is on the right track to eliminating the outliers, but something more significan has to be done to better protect the hosts. Perhaps, when you see the bad review(s), personally contact the guest and get an explanation. It shouldn't be too difficult to tell if the person is lying by asking some strategic questions that should illicit the correct answer.

To better protect myself, I now have over 30 photos on my listing, and plan on adding more. My instructions and details are like those of a thesis. Nothing is left to chance. In other words, I've pretty much eliminated the potential for a bad review as literally anything and everything is now disclosed. Let's see if that stops the outliers...

[Carlos1457]

Malicious reviews by guests who have been called out for something - in my case our guest was doing illegal substances in our place, creates a big damage and takes away the pleasure of hosting. It is sad to see that what started as a good income while connecting  with fellow travelers has  become just an accommodation  option. I liked the system and the concept when  it started, and yes I enjoy the income! However I feel I’m losing   control in deciding who gets to stay in our place. 

[James1201]

Thank you, Carlos for speaking about Airbnb.  I completely agree with you.  I have personally experienced 1 rogue guest, Pavel Sapronov.  He books 39 nights with 10 nights for his wife to visit him.  After 2 weeks staying, he pressured me to give him deeper discount from 15% to over 20% and not pay for his wife's stay for 10 nights for another 50 nights booking. When I refused to accept his demand, he told me that he would pay me personally but only with 60% discount on his wife's extra guest fee.  The guest proceeded to sabotage my home.  I reported to Airbnb.  Airbnb did nothing.  I finally had to make the decision to shorten this guest's stay because I have another group of guests checking in the same day.  I want to provide the utmost comfort and safety to my professional guests.  Airbnb is looking out for their interest of the paying guests.  Sadly, they don't care about the hosts !!!  They are not mindful of the fact that the hosts provide products for Airbnb to sell !!!!!  Very sad !!!!!  

Naturally, the guest gave me an unfavorable review which is abnormal because I have 21- 5 star and 1 – 4 star reviews and no reviews less than these. This guest gave me a 3 star.