Advice about the review system, please

[Ross648]

Hello AirBnB hosts, 

I have a question about how best to deal with the AirBnB review system.    I've rented out my place for many years without any problem but these past five months have been overwhelming with people looking for a place, and we've been booked almost every night.    Unsurprisingly we've had among the forty or so guests two bad experiences with ratings.  In one, a couple who had never rented through AirBnB before gave us a rating of I think 2 because they found our expensive sofa "uncomfortable".     In other case, a younger couple asked for a full refund AFTER they had checked out because they had seen a mouse, which may or may not have been true (nobody had before or after them, but we are in the middle of the nature and animals are everywhere).   When I refused they also gave us a rating of 2 and a review packed with lies.   So -- to the extent that I care, and as that helpful poster from Berlin pointed out, we must learn not to care about ratings -- we went from the 4.9s to 4.7 in a flash, where given the nature of the algorithm we will stay no doubt. 

The most recent guests asked for a reduction in our reasonable rent, and then asked to come a night early without being charged (all warning signs, I know).   Now they have left after one night because according to them 1. a plate wasn't fully cleaned (impossible according to our maid) and 2. the previous guests contacts were left out (true, our maid, who is excellent but worries, didn't know what to do with them, she thinks contacts are very valuable).    AirBnB has given most of their money back per our flexible refund policy.    My question though is:  what about the rest? 

I would like to forget about these guests but I would rather not have another rating of 2 given to me by people who, I think, didn't like the space.  Who knows why?  I know that I cannot say -- "shall we just forget about it then" first because hosts want reviews of complicated guests and second because this "gentleman's agreement" would be interpreted as extortionate.   Also, refunding them the entirety of their stay would not protect me from a negative review.   And its hard because I'm fond of the place,  I just had my sweet maid cry on the telephone, etc. etc. 

There seem to be three solutions: 

1. a full refund and hope for the best

2. a phone call saying I'll give a full refund and "lets forget about it" 

3. a phone call to say I'll send a cheque in two weeks 

Suggestions?  I beg you not to get on high horses about my maid leaving contacts out, if high horses are your preferred mode of transport.  

[Lisa723]

@Ross648 in your shoes I would refund the cleaning fee. If they do leave a bad review I would respond briefly and professionally for the benefit of future prospective guests-- as you did to Peter's review.

Going forward, I wonder why this has happened three times now and what you might do to prevent a recurrence.

Can you review your listing and description to make sure nobody can be surprised when they check in, and/or ask a friend familiar with the space to do it?

And your prices (including cleaning fee) may be too low. If you're booked solid you could try increasing them. It's a frequently expressed view among hosts that prices that are too low attract guests with the most unrealistic expectations, and this is consistent with my own experience.

If I were you I might also reconsider the flexible cancellation policy. When I used it I found it did not attract the most careful and respectful guests. You could perhaps give the moderate policy a try.

[Lisa723]

@Ross648 I just took a closer look at your listing description... and you basically don't have one. One reviewer noted that the bedroom and bathroom are in a different building, and this is not at all clear from your listing. This could definitely result in unmet expectations. My suggestion is to caption your photos and fill out the listing description so guests understand exactly what they are getting before they book. Your place is charming and you shouldn't have any difficulty attracting guests who will appreciate it as-is. (I'd also suggest improving your photos, which are blurry, but this is a different issue.)

Also, Airbnb now has a "safety considerations" section you can fill out under "things guests should know" to note things like the open pond.

[Alexandra316]

@Ross648 Did the guest stay at all, or did they arrive, see the lenses case, and leave? I don't really understand what made them so upset about that: it hardly seems like a deal breaker. If they didn't stay at all, I would definitely strongly consider giving them a full refund, though. 

I agree with @Lisa723 : improving your pictures and description might help to clear up misconceptions and weed people out who aren't a good fit for your property. I would recommend at least 20 pictures. I know you say in your description that the bed is in a separate building, but it might be good to more clearly illustrate that with perhaps a picture or floorplan. 

I don't understand why  Mr. and Ms. There's a Mouse in the House got such a nice review from you. If you have bad guests, please review them accurately, for the sake of other hosts. 

[Lisa723]

@Alexandra316 he said they left after one night. Either I am losing my mind or the "separate cabin" note has just been added.

[Alexandra316]

@Lisa723 I missed that: I do see that now. I think a refund for any unspent nights if they weren't already refunded and the cleaning fee would be reasonable under the circumstances, even though I feel they are being a bit ridiculous. 

Either way, I think there is way too little info on the property in the description and photos.

[Ross648]

Hi Lisa!   I'm afraid you are losing your mind, we have always had this note.  I am such a technophobe I don't change anything.  

I think though that you are all right it is time to update my photographs.    A lovely guest a few years ago was so enthused about the place, or nature, that she sent me numerous photographs but they blurred when I moved them onto the AirBnB platform.    I'll have to ask somebody for help, once covid ends. 

I'm really lucky to have my maid, who is now so -- well, paranoid -- that she goes just before check-in for a second look.    I give her triple what I charge in cleaning fees, so it's economically quite important for her.   I used to give my donations to Bernie, see where that got him.... 

My sense of this current situation is not to do anything.   They got most of their money back, and this after a host of emails asking (politely, I have to add) for a discount.     If she's left or going to leave a bad review she has left it.     I'm of the school to give people the benefit of the doubt though I understand how important the review is for other hosts, so I will describe this case and not recommend.  (In the first two cases, I had sent in my review before 1. the request for a full refund and 2. the other guests -- who had never used AirBnB before -- gave me no sense of anything "wrong" (and nothing was wrong in fact).  

Like many hosts I don't like the review system, not because guests can be punitive (though that's not nice) but because it encourages guests to either ask for full refunds after they have left or just decide to leave because, well, it wasn't a good fit or something.   I've never asked to be let out of a contract in my life but that is what AirBnB encourages, as we know.   A low review -- in my case, 2 points because the Domain sofa was uncomfortable -- knocks the host out of Superhost status.     I just have to accept that and not care about the rating system.  

[Lisa723]

@Ross648 ha, OK! Well, the condition of my mind aside, I reviewed your listing and did not pick up the separate cabin fact, even though I thought I was paying attention. So, I'm guessing that others will miss it too.