Airbnb removing my listing

[Pete28]

I’ve been a host for six years with 4.72 avg.    Airbnb is removing my listing and cancelling all further bookings after dec 22. I’m one of the few affordable places to stay near a number of local hospitals and university. The listing is older, but this is reflected in the price and description.

I had a few bad reviews  that gave me one star. I have further cleaned the property and recent reviews have been positive.    I have hundreds of five star reviews     I’ve appealed but so far heard nothing. It’s extremely worrying and disheartening that a few negative reviews can cost you everything. 

[John7483]

This is the point, I am actually getting in touch now with Airbnb to discuss this very concern with them

[Pete28]

Airbnb has drastically changed the criteria for keeping a listing on their site. From what I can tell 2 or more 3* or less reviews over a period of several months leads to suspension and possible removal. If you provide low price, no frills type place and do fairly high volume of bookings then this is going to catch you out. I believe this also includes sub categories on the review as well, so having a good overall avg will not prevent removal.

It will also eventually remove the lower priced listings since they are likely to be repurposed spaces and less hotel like. But also affordable and open to criticism of the guest decides they really wanted luxury. 

[Helen3]

Certainly not the case in my experience, there two or three large houses  in my city that are let out by the room and consistently get appalling reviews  from rooms being occupied when guests arrive to dirty communal areas and bedrooms and security issues with faulty locks on bedroom and front doors across multiple listings and are never removed from the platform. @Pete28 

[Pete28]

The new policy will get them

[Helen3]

Can you link to the nes policy you're referring to @Pete28 

[Pete28]

When they introduced the listing issues tab -

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1303

they also set new criteria for suspension and removal - basically three 3* or less reviews over 1-2 month period. I’m on a Facebook group with 1k other Airbnb hosts in Seattle and we are now seeing the beginnings of the policy with in some cases multiple listing removed. Previously I’ve never seen this, only if way below 4.7 avg. if you are doing a high volume of bookings this may be problematic - or if something goes wrong with your listing and you don’t find out until reviews come in. One host got shut down because of heat wave and no AC, multiple 3* too hot. Listing threatened after 4.5 years, 4.8 avg.

[Pete28]

Here is a good example of how the change will impact a host - go to her profile and look at reviews. She got a few negative in previous years, but avg ok so no shutdown - but this year something different happens and she of fighting to avoid listing removal.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help-with-your-business/Can-anyone-provide-advice-on-appealing-a...

[Zheng49]

Is your listing back up and running or is it still suspended? How long is the suspension for?