A Dishonest and rude review is OK!

[Gerrit41]

Hello everybody!

Quick background: I own a house and am renting 2 rooms out. The box that I have pets is also ticked in both listings.

A guest did a booking without reading anything about the listing. So obviously, he did not rent a house and didn't expect my cat. Also they were 3 people instead of 2.

They left after a few days and then came the surprise! 1-star review everywhere!!!

- I could prove with pictures and my current guest who was already there that he was lying!

- Saying the house is full of **bleep** and that it's inhuman to live in (that is not considered as profanity or insult to myself and my other guest)

- Putting 1-star under communication and value because he is allergic to cats is relevant (even if ticked in the listings)

So, because the guest made a mistake, I have to pay for it?

Airbnb is treating me like a complete idiot, anyone readying the review understands straight away what happened!

MOST IMPORTANTLY, LYING IS NOT AGAINST ANY AIRBNB RULES!

So basically, I will not be a Superhost anymore for the next 365 days. Impossible with a 1-star review.

Best regards and all my well wishes during this pandemic.

Gerrit

[Helen350]

@Gerrit41 Gutted for you! - YES,  it's so wrong this happens. I've had the occasional 1 or 2 star review too, and 3* from 'Oh, do you live here too?' 'Do you share this bathroom?' 'I didn't know you had a dog!' 

- Although my listings mentioned these things from Day 1, every time I've had a guest express unpleasant surprise, I've updated my listing to make it EVEN CLEARER! - See my listings, where dog & shared bathroom get multiple mentions! (A lady near me, had a listing peppered with multiple 'Oh, and did I say I have a cat?!' - Almost every other sentence!)

Airbnb, when you get hold of them, have programmed staff to say 'It's the guest's opinion!' - It stinks!

[Gerrit41]

Hello Helen!

What drives me mad is when it's blatingly obvious. My worth review is 4-stars otherwise.

If they give you 1 star because they didn't read that you have a pet, Airbnb should contact the person and say that it is not a valid point because it is in the listing.

I mean anything in the listing shouldn't be used against you! That's completely crazy.

It clearly says in there reviews that it should be relevant. Well it's not if you have put it in your listing.

Also, I point out something very important. There are opinions and facts.

You cannot argue a fact!

[Huma0]

@Gerrit41 

One would think it's blatantly obvious, but I have found that you have to make it even MORE blatantly obvious.

It's great that you have added info to the listing and uploaded a photo of the cat. I have both, but so many guests do not read the listing properly or at all. So, I message every guest, whether they instant book or not, double checking that they have read the listing and house rules, paying particular attention to the points RE the cats (and a few other important things like the smoking policy, the stairs or that the room faces a busy road). They need to acknowledge these things in their response, or I am not going to accept/will cancel their booking.

Seems like a lot of time and effort right? Well, yes, but not as much time and effort as dealing with a guest who is a terrible fit for the listing or trying to get bad reviews/ratings removed.

Of course, you will still get the occasional guest who simply lies and says they have read everything when they haven't even read the basic stuff, but putting key information (about pets, smoking or whatever you think is most important) where the guests can't miss it (i.e. in a message that they have to respond to in order to keep the booking) really does help to avoid most misunderstandings.

[Colleen253]

"Saying the house is full of **bleep** and that it's inhuman to live in".

And let me guess @Gerrit41 , despite this statement the guest remained installed quite contentedly the entire length of the reservation, with not a word to you of their supposed dissatisfaction? 🙄

For all their blathering on about improving the review system and making it more fair, Airbnb never in reality changed anything in a constructive or meaningful way. Par for the course.

If it's any consolation, this guest has simply revealed themselves to be quite dim witted. All your other reviews are great and those are what matter. At the end of the day I suspect you will continue to be booked, continue to receive positive reviews. There is nowhere to go but up. 

[Gerrit41]

Hello Colleen!

They did actually leave early. But that was made up because he didn't look what he booked. My other guest who was there and still is, was very unhappy about the comment too, as we share the house.

There is one easy thing to improve the review system. Lies should be an automatique take down of the review if the guest cannot defend it. And using a bit of common sense wouldn't hurt anyone either.

AirBnB have nothing to gain by beeing stubburn. Not beeing a Superhost anymore can turn customers away.

[Donelle4]

@Gerrit41 I absolutely understand you! Its sad because the host has no say but to write a reply even when blatant untruth is told

[Gerrit41]

Actually, one thing that would improve the Superhost review system, would be to take only the top 90-95% reviews. That would eliminate that problem.

[Emiel1]

@Gerrit41 

It's indeed a very unpleasant review, but your respons on it is not OK !

Allways respond in a way as if you address your future  guests, so simply mention the real facts.

best regards,

Emiel

[Gerrit41]

Hello Emiel,

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you mean.

[Ute42]

.

@Gerrit41 

You wrote:

MOST IMPORTANTLY, LYING IS NOT AGAINST ANY AIRBNB RULES!

That's correct. Writing lies in a review is not a violation of the airbnb review guidelines.

Strange, but that's the way it is in the world of airbnb.

[Gerrit41]

Hello Ute!

I find that most amazing!

[Linda108]

Because it is not all that uncommon for a guest to misunderstand the listing description (or not read it at all), my response to an inquiry or even a booking is to ask them to confirm the understanding about a shared home and the presence of a pet.  I have successfully triggered a guest realization of the misunderstanding before it became an issue.  Learned that lesson several years ago.  I find your positive review of these guests a good indication of the lack of communication.  Surprised you did not mention the guest left after 2 days of a 7 day booking.  Would be helpful for other hosts to know that.  Also, when you get a negative review, a professional response which is written to be read by potential guests, not necessarily the guest, can counteract the bad information and demonstrate your good hosting skills.  Something like, "Unfortunately X's expectations were not met, perhaps due to his lack of reading the listing description in which the shared accommodations and cats are mentioned.  I hope he is better informed about any other accommodations he chooses and enjoys his trip to my wonderful town."  Just a thought.

[Helen350]

Yes @Linda108 , For the past year or so, I too respond to IBs by checking they know I have a shared bathroom & a dog. And other guests before Covid.

My ratings have risen over my 3 years & 7+ months of hosting. Not because what I offer is any better/different, but probably because I've stopped the wrong people booking!

@Gerrit41 

[Gerrit41]

Linda,

Thank you for your suggestions. I usually set Instant Booking as most guests prefer that method. Confirming the main details after the reservation is booked is a good idea. In this case, he booked and arrived the same day.

I am a laid back person who gets on with almost everyone, that's why I have excellent review. In this case, I saw them maybe 5 minutes.

When I replied to his review, I did not know it would be seen by everybody. I have asked AirBnB several times to delete my review.

My positive review of them is because I only saw them 5 minutes and nothing seemed wrong. I made the mistake not to ask why they left earlier. At the time of my review, I was not aware of that plain nasty person. His review, especially his private review have really hurt me on a personal level.