Catherine’s Host Update: reviews, party ban policy, and more

[Catherine-Powell]

Hi everyone,

I’m happy to be sharing a new Host update with you, which has important news about a topic I know is top of mind for many of you—reviews—along with news from our Host Advisory Board, about sustainability and introducing a new board member. (Welcome to the board, Pam!)

We’ve been listening closely to your feedback on our review system—specifically to how they relate to our party ban policy. For reviews written from today on, reviews from guests who violate our party ban will be eligible for removal. You shouldn’t have to trade off between reporting a party and getting dinged with a negative review. We want to close that gap. 

This is just the first step. We’ll continue to listen to you and work to shape our policies to better support you and our whole community. 

I’ll be in touch again soon with more updates. In the meantime, stay well, and happy hosting!

All my best,

Catherine

[Debra300]

Don't know why this wasn't automatically posted to the main community page.

[Angelica-Y-Jorge0]

What great news! Thank you

[Ute42]

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@Catherine-Powell   

If we kick out guests who are having a party against all rules, will they still be refunded for the nights not used?

Or can we keep the money to fix the damages and the mess these people usually leave?

[Yvonne41]

I did have to do this last year. Airbnb did allow me to charge their deposit for the 5 hours of cleaning required after they were only in our home for 3 hours!
 

Worth noting, the local sheriff could not make the young adults leave my property-since I provided them access to it. So, I had to talk them into leaving voluntarily!? It was not easy. Ultimately, they knew they lied and in the end this is what made them give in and leave.

There should be some stronger and more blatant rules guests sign at the time of booking around the issue of house parties for sure. 

[Diana108]

If guests break the rules against Smoking or Partying, hosts should be able to keep ALL their money. You lost out on a booking - which was likely more money than cleaning cost.

[Charles111]

Very good point. And airbnb should be more helpful when it comes to cleaning up costs for hosts or getting the guest culprit to pay

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[Michael5797]

Not only the for cleaning cost but lost revenue that could have been booked had the partiers not been there. They should lose all their money!

[Heather2]

Great Q - losing the rest of the reservation booking is like salt in the wound. 

[Quincy]

Hi @Ute42, thanks for your message here. In this case, I would recommend to contact support. 

[Ute42]

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@Quincy 

People in customer support are working from a script. I've adressed Catherine Powell to ask if she might possibly change the sript.

[Sarah977]

@Quincy  Contact support about what? We are all aware that even if a guest throws an party and trashes the house and gets booted out, they get refunded unstayed nights. And we all know that trying to get these damages covered is like pulling teeth. 

This needs to be addressed and changed. There are many aspects to these party bookings and addressing only a small part of that, i.e. reviews, is only a small step in effectively dealing with the party problem.

[Michael5797]

It should be very simple. Violate the rules and get kicked out, you lose your refund and ability to rent again for a year!

[Colleen253]

Once again, Airbnb leads with something that sounds great on the surface of things, but the devil's in the details. 

"Hosts can dispute a review left by a guest found to have committed a significant violation of ourParty and Events policy" 

Why specify 'significant'? Please define that for us. A party is a party is party. Whether 16 people or 60 people, it's still a violation. So, this leaves the door open for a CS rep to arbitrarily decide in favor of leaving a review up. Same with 

"....A Community Support ambassador may remove the content and star rating of that review unless the review contains safety information, like a guest warning about discrimination or an unsafe feature in your listing that could cause an injury."

Um, are we really to trust a guest who violates the party and events policy?? So all said guest has to do is lie about a safety or discrimination issue. Easy enough for them to do, since they are already the type to throw a party at an Airbnb. Again, leaves the door open. This falls flat.

[Ute42]

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@Colleen253  

I see Your second point as the major problem with partyreviews:

• I got kicked out = 1* (review gets removed)
  
  

• I got kicked out because I'm black = 1* (review stands)
  
  

• I got kicked out and tripped over a doorstep on my way out = 1* (review stands)

Some types of guests are learning fast.