Airbnb Support Team is useless

[Lili2247]

Hi, I have been hosting for 2 years and day by day I just get more frustrated and disappointed at the Airbnb Support Team. I never contact or complain to Support but recently I had a situation which was super uncomfortable for me made me very upset. There was a reservation for 1 night, a guest contacted me 3 days before his arrival telling me if I can do him a favor by canceling his reservation, that he can’t travel anymore because the concert was cancelled. To which I replied and explained that I can’t cancel the reservation 3 days before, I will get into a huge trouble as a host( you know Airbnb is always more strict with hosts than guests) and will obviously get a fine. I suggested him to cancel the reservation himself and to contact the support to see if we can arrange a partial refund. So basically he didn’t wanna lose his money and was gonna put me in trouble. So at the end, the guest never canceled the reservation and never came to the place, 2 weeks later I receive a horrible 1 star review by the guest who didn’t even stay, telling that I as a host was inconsiderate towards his personal situation and some other inappropriate things. I immediately contacted support being sure that they will remove the review, the help provided by support was useless, literally I got more frustration contacting them because seems like they don’t even pay attention to you. Basically I just got an email saying that the review is not going to be removed, without any explanation, truly disappointed. It feels like people who work in the support are dumb and don’t understand how the reviews need to be handled. I was really trying my best to keep my superhost status but if any guest can just write whatever they have in their head and put 1 star without any reason then it is impossible. Honestly worst experience ever! 

[Yvette213]

Wow I wonder if the support even read these messages?

[Shelley159]

Hi @Lili2247 

There is a new system whereby a link is sent to the host to request a review removal. In another thread, @Joelle43 posted this list of options:

If you look at the second option, you should be able to argue that the review is irrelevant. I would try again if I were you. Here's the discussion thread about the review removal link:

Re: *New* Request to Remove Review Tool? - Airbnb Community

[Alessandro2064]

Our experience with CS has been excellent.   We also always grant full refunds for cancellations for this reason, i.e. avoiding the headache of fighting with a guest and possible retaliatory rating.  In fact, many of the people we granted refunds to ended up booking with us later AND cancelled dates almost always get rebooked anyways.  

We are in the customer service biz, no reason to keep money from people who can't to stay with you for whatever reason. 

[Joan2709]

@Alessandro2064 

I have to disagree with you on this one. The guest should take responsibility on this and the Host is not obligated to refund the guest. An Airbnb is not a hotel and most Hosts are small business owners and cannot absorb the loss of a booking like hotels can.

Guests should be aware of the Host cancellation policy when they book. It's always possible a concert can be cancelled, and the guest should have found a listing that offers a flexible cancellation policy for this reason. If this guest booked a non-refundable stay at a hotel, they would not be reimbursed. Most hotels offer a refundable option if you cancel within a certain number of days of the reservation. This guest would have been better off cancelling, as he would have least received a refund on the cleaning fee (if any). Then he should have asked if the host would consider refunding the rest if she was able to rebook the stay.

This Host's calendar was blocked and could not accept other reservations during this reservation. Many of the Hosts I work with cannot fill another booking 3days prior at the previous nightly rate. They would have to accept a much lower rate to get the dates filled (if they can even get it re-booked at all).

Many hosts will as a courtesy, offer to refund the stay if they are able to get the dates rebooked, but this is not mandatory. This is what I recommend to my Host clients in these situations. 

If this guest did not actually stay at the property and therefore the review can be removed according to Airbnb's policies. 

@Lili2247  , I'm a bit confused...did the guest stay at the property, or were they a no show?  His review comments on the apartment was in good condition and clean? Not sure how he could do that if he didn't actually stay at the property.

"...Although the apartment was in good condition, it was clean..."

If he didn't stay, recommend you use the new Review Dispute link above to get this review removed ASAP as @Shelley159 mentions.

• If a guest never arrived for their stay or Experience, or had to cancel due to circumstances unrelated to that stay or Experience, their review may be removed.

Reviews Policy

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2673

I also suggest you post a public reply to this review while you are getting it removed. Be short, factual and non-emotional and explain the guest wanted to cancel 3days prior to arrival, which is outside your cancellation window and tried to get you to cancel so they would receive a full refund. Not sure they can comment on the decor if they didn't stay at the property?

[Alessandro2064]

"So at the end, the guest never canceled the reservation and never came to the place"

Hotels are much more lenient in general regarding refunds compared to Airbnb.  I like to think we are a better option for the money.   Proving a paying customer that they are wrong in a case like this is not how you build goodwill

My ratings, ranking and 90% average occupancy tell me I'm doing it right.  You can't tell me you'd rather be in the OPs shoes.

[Joan2709]

@Alessandro2064 

I just made a reservation at a hotel and if I want to cancel it, I need to do so at 3 days prior to get a full refund. Seriously doubt if I tried to cancel outside their refund policy they would give me a refund. I disagree that hotels have a "more lenient" cancellation policy. 

This guest did have an option to book a hotel, but booked an Airbnb. They could have booked an Airbnb with a flexible cancellation policy and cancelled with a full refund 24hrs prior...don't know any hotels who allow that unless you pay for at least one night as non-refundable up front. As I said, I disagree with your opinion and you are entitled to yours. 😊

All this Host has to do is get the review removed (if in fact the guest didn't stay). Guests are not allowed to post a review if they never stayed at the property. I have helped other Hosts get reviews removed that violated Airbnb policies.

This guest was trying to get the Host to take the responsibility for his decision to book a property that had a cancellation policy he couldn't meet when the concert was cancelled. As I stated, many Hosts will help out a guest with a refund if they are able to get the dates re-booked. 

Glad your hosting preferences are doing well for you. 😊 I'm sure you'll agree that every property and Host is different and what works for you many not work for another property or Host.

[Alessandro2064]

Awesome.  So to conclude 

-You booked a hotel

-The OP isn’t a superhost anymore because she stuck to her guns 

You're right,  every host is different.  I choose to be a successful one.

[Joan2709]

@Alessandro2064 

I'm glad for you.

You said hotels have a more lenient cancellation policy and they don't.

The OP will qualify for Superhost status again when the review is removed.

Actually, Airbnb seems to think that Guest Favorite is more important than Superhost these days. You can filter stays by Guest Favorite, but not Superhost anymore. Guess that is a matter of opinion too.

[Marie8425]

@Lili2247 

My suggestion if a Guest is canceling a Reservation regardless of reason on my cancellation policy at the time keep it business.  

If I as a Host have to cancel a reservation especially for something not serious yes I get charged by Airbnb and may have days blocked.  It would not be seen sympathetically for me to ask the Guest, you take a financial hit and the Guest said no.

I tell a Guest if you must cancel you must do it as required.  I can not cancel because I don't have a reason to cancel.  Leave it at that you do not have to give details to a stranger of why you make a decision.

If I am willing  to consider a refund again the guest is a stranger not my business partner follow proper channels  Have Airbnb request I authorize a refund of a specific cancellation or cancel and if rebooked I pay in the Resolution Center