Airbnb Removing a Guest Review for a Host Given a 1-Star Rating **

[Stacye3]

I am reaching out to the Community because I provided a review of a Host stay, entitled, "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" which gave the host a 1-Star Rating, yet AirBnB removed the review so none of the information any potential guest needs to know was posted on the Host's page.  Yet, Airbnb allowed the host to inaccurately & inappropriately post a negative review of the Renter, without having any factual/reliable proof of the Host's falsified claim.  Below is the information, containing "The Good" & "The Bad", that potential guests needs to be aware of regarding the property itself.  I am also going to post "The Ugly" Information regarding  the inaccurate, offensive & degrading statements the Host was allowed to post against the Renter.

The Good:

*The property shows very well on the web page & is very attractive & appealing. 

*The house is decorated EXACTLY as shown in the photos.

*The Host/Co-Hosts provide the majority of the amenities guests/visitors need.

*The Host/Co-Hosts are very responsive to inquiries/requests & put forth the effort to try to accommodate your group.  Our group consisted mostly of Senior Citizens, in which the majority are handicapped/disabled with health issues.  The Hosts made a effort to be more accommodating, regarding the bunk bed upstairs.  The day we checked in was a very stormy day, so the Hosts also allowed us to check in early, when the weather was expected to be clear.

* The neighbor to the left (when facing the property) was very friendly.  She held long conversations with a few of the Guest of Honor’s sisters.

The Bad:

*The Front Yard is overgrown and definitely needs a huge improvement on curb appeal (See attached Photos).

*The Front entrance is really dark at night.  The colorful lights along the walkway are cute, but this area needs to be better illuminated for easier and safer access.

*The front of this property is located right by the sewer drainage system.  Therefore, when you park directly in front of the house at night, the area where you step out of your vehicle and onto the curb, near the drains, is FULL of disgusting bugs.  So this was a huge inconvenience, especially for an elderly person stepping out of the vehicle using a cane/walker.

*There is no where to sit in the front yard nor the front porch.  Having a sitting area on both sides of the walkway and a 2-seater bench or cater-corner outdoor chair on the front porch would be nice.  The only place you can possibly sit is on the concrete top of the steps.

*Guests/Visitors have to remember to close the gate upon entering/exiting.  It would be nice if this was a gate that self-closed.

*The main level of the home DOES NOT have a water closet (toilet/sink).  Therefore ALL guests/visitors have to either go up many steps to the 2nd level to use the hallway bath, or go down many steps to the basement level of the Master Suite.  So, when your guest is staying in the Master Suite, you are not going to want your visitors going into your bedroom to use the bathroom.  Therefore, they are forced to go upstairs to the hallway bath where the other guest rooms are located.

*There was an issue with the Floor Lamp near the dining room area that kept shutting off, apparently due to a short circuit. Both Floor lamp cords were a tripping hazard.  This room should have more lighting in the ceiling and the floor lamps should be removed to free up more space.

*The router was also placed on the floor and should be installed on the wall or hidden in a closet, so this also frees up more floor space.

*There was an ice-maker in the Freezer, but it was not generating any ice.  There was no bucket in the freezer to catch the ice, so maybe this is something the hosts are aware.

*The TV in the Living Room should have the cable hidden inside the wall.

*The Art on the walls are just vinyl art that are just attached to the wall.  The photos online are VERY DECEPTIVE, particularly for the Marilyn Monroe Bubble Gum art.  It looks like it covers an entire wall because of the angle of the photo.  However, there is only enough space for 1 (maybe 2) person to stand in front & take a photo.  The are NO WALL ART MURALS on any of the walls!!!  They are just hanging Vinyl wall art!!!

*There is only 1 TV in the entire house.  There is NO TV in the Master Suite downstairs, nor in the 2 Guest Rooms Upstairs.  So we brought our own.

*There is no seating in the Queen guest room, besides the bed.

*The Back Yard is desperately in need of a huge improvement on appeal and allowance for easier and brighter access to the home!  The so-called walkway was very soggy & not fit for anyone to safely & smoothly walk. There should be a clear, easily defined and more convenient walkway from the fence to the back steps, as well as to the Master Suite.    It is not a place I would want to sit back, relax & enjoy a meal and/or a drink, nor walk through.  There should also be seating on your back porch as well (as recommended for the front porch).

**[Title updated] 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Stacye3 you do not seem to have included 'The Ugly' in your copy of your review above. Without seeing this it is difficult to say if the review breached Airbnb guidelines.

[Emiel1]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

The "Ugly" part is in the comment the guest made on her review (profile).

[Stacye3]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Thanks for posting that clarification.   Please note my review actually stopped at "This will not be tolerated!!!"  For some odd reason the last two paragraphs were weirdly reposted and it doesn't seem like I can edit my response. 

[Mariann4]

And this was a one star review??? I have one tv in my five bedroom house. NONE in the bedrooms as they are for sleeping. Your suggestions on improvments are outrageous and extremely expensive and should not warrant for a one star. SMH!

It's great that it was removed!

[Stacye3]

The Hosts False Claims:

They filed a claim for a $500 damage which included things:

• Toilet Seat, Missing Deck of Playing Cards, Marijuana Smell throughout entire home, furniture, linens
  • Fabrication #1 Toilet Seat:  The Host/Co-host falsely & inappropriately accused my family of “melting” (in their words) the upstairs toilet seat at the left edge.  The Hosts seemed to be insinuating because we were “assumingly” smoking in the house, we somehow allowed the item being smoked to heat & melt the toilet seat.  In order for something to melt, there must be heat applied; which is very strange, because NONE of our house guests smoke nor even had nor used ANY heating appliances like a blow dryer, curling iron or etc.
    • There was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with the Toilet Seat when we checked out!  The photos she submitted really did not represent the same Toilet Seat in the home!  Nevertheless, when we discussed the Toilet Seat in the chat, The Host direct response was “To be clear, we cannot say the damage to the seat came from someone smoking, all I know is that it has been damaged by what appears to be something having to do with heat, as it is burned/partially melted.  However, I was not going to pursue damages for the toilet seat, for my biggest concern revolves around the smoking on the premises.” Yet, she pursued those so-called damages for the toilet seat!  This is not representative of someone who’s honest!!!
    • When I shared the photos of this falsified claim to our group, they were completely caught off guard & was devastated that the Hosts would create such a serious, demeaning & degrading problem that didn’t exist.  Some of their responses were as follows:  "They're money hungry trying to insult your intelligence…That's a photo of an old toilet seat…That is not the same toilet seat…Let’s go to court!...I think they need to be investigated.”
  • Fabrication #2 Missing Deck of Playing Cards:  The Host erroneously added this to the claim, even though I informed them that I would check with the guests/visitors to see if anyone may have mistakenly taken this item and let her know.  I assured Co-Host that we didn’t even play with any house games, nor the games we brought ourselves because we were busy enjoying things outside of the home like touring DC, having dinner at the Waterfront, & etc.  The Host direct response to me was “Regarding the deck of cards, do not worry about them. I will replace them and we’ll just say they were misplaced by mistake.”  Once again, this proves Erica is not honest!  Regardless of her statement, I still checked with the guests/visitors and located the deck of cards in my mom’s gift box, which probably was playfully placed in there by a young visitor.  I notified the Hosts & returned those cards as directed by the Co-Host & apologized for the inconvenience a visitor may have caused, which was accepted & that matter was resolved!!!  Yet, the Host included this in her claim!!!
    • Fabrication #3 Marijuana Smell throughout entire home, furniture, linens:  This is when things turned “UGLY”, after we checked out.  The Host report of this falsified claim was noted as follows:  “Upon our arrival to clean the home, there was an immediate and overwhelming smell of Marijuana as we entered.  I have a strict no smoking policy for our home.  This is noted on the platform and in our house manual, which states clearly we will charge a $500 fine for any breach of this rule.”
      • Note:  From my initial contact about this property, I informed the Hosts that we were looking for a weekend get-away for my mom & Aunts (who were disabled, handicapped, senior citizens) to stay in celebration of her 85th Birthday.  Therefore, the Hosts were WELL AWARE, but also re-informed that the ONLY GUESTS that would be staying in the home were the five Senior Citizens, in which the majority of them are DISABLED, HANDICAP, ASMATIC, & have ALLERGIES  & other health issues.  Therefore, NONE of them smoke ANYTHING & CANNOT be in the company of ANYONE smoking ANYTHING!!!
      • Initially, the Co-host informed me of this false accusation as follows in the chat:   “When we entered the home, we noticed there was a strong odor of marijuana in the home. The smell was also permeated in the furniture and linens as well…Per our house rules there is no smoking in the house of any kind. It lingers in the walls, furniture, and linens, as well as poses a safety threat to the other neighbors… Unfortunately, we will need to assess the fine for this breach of the house rule of no smoking in the house.”
      • After that I responded saying, “Regarding the assumption that marijuana was used in your home, occupied by 5 handicap, disabled, elderly Seniors Citizens (75 & older), with serious allergies & asthmatic health conditions, is an offensive & demoralizing assumption! Absolutely none of the house occupants smoke… Even I am allergic to any kind of narcotic, nicotine or etc. & do not allow smoking in or on my property. So, I uphold those same standards wherever I stay…We did not break any contractual agreement, as stated in your house rules, regarding smoking of any kind! Therefore, I am not responsible nor liable… Again, I don’t allow it & my disabled, handicapped, elderly Senior Mom & Aunts cannot be around anyone that is smoking, due to their health conditions!  Therefore, accessing a fine for the breach of house rules for smoking in the house, is actually not a breach at all because there was no smoking in the house.”
      • After that, the Host responded using bullying & harassingly tactics to provide her rebuttal restating the same fabricated allegations the Co-host just made noting things like the following:  “The smell when we entered the home was unmistakable… It was embedded in the sofa and the chair and furthermore when the linens were removed from the home and put in the car to be taken to the laundry mat, the smell was so strong that it was obvious the smoke had penetrated them too.”
      • At that point, I inform them of the following: “I am no longer having this discussion with you regarding the inappropriate, degrading & offensive accusation of 5 Elderly, Disabled, Handicapped Senior Citizens including my mom (who were THE ONLY occupants who slept on the linen & used the bath towels)!  I will not allow you to continue to attack me & my family’s character & reputation.  So, this stops NOW! From this point on, this subject matter will be handled by the proper authorities!!!”
      • The Hosts DIRECTLY accused 5 Seniors of smoking Marijuana in the house, even after I informed them that the only people who slept on the linen and used the towels are the 5 Seniors who stayed there that do not smoke, nor can be in the presence of anyone smoking!  Therefore, the Hosts claim is completely fictitious!!!
      • I along with other guests would have instantly been affected by any smoke scent due to our allergies, asthma and etc.  My mother who has allergies & is an asthmatic, disabled, handicapped Senior Citizen who just turned 85, sat on the sofa right before we left the home to enjoy her edible arrangement that was just delivered the morning we checked out (see photo).  She would have had an allergic reaction (just as I), if there was a smoke smell “embedded” in the sofa!  Therefore, this falsified claim is absolutely absurd & unmistakably DEAD WRONG!!!

This is a TERRIBLE way for a new renter to start her new career in the Airbnb Community.  We surely did not expect to endure this kind of treatment and was so stunned by these allegations!  I WOULD NOT recommend this place to ANYONE.  The home is not as close to the waterfront where we were trying to be.  The home DOES NOT have a Water Closet on the main level.  The home DOES NOT have TVs in none of the Bedrooms. The Front & Back Yards are UNKEPT and not well illuminated at night for easy access & safety.

The owners appear to be fabricators & opportunists that are trying to find something wrong with a guest stay when there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING left undone, nor unkept to complain about!  They totally disrespected, disregarded, degraded, offended, harassed, bullied and inappropriately stereotyped our group, which also consisted of several professional individuals with Secret Clearances.  We even had other professional entities and visitors to deliver items to the house for Edible Arrangements (the day we checked out), Pizza and Big Buns (within an hour of checkout) that will attest that there was in fact NO SMELL of marijuana in, nor around the house!!!  Every guest is upset and personally affected by the Hosts absurd, preposterous & highly offensive accusations and demand the owners to be held completely liable, responsible & accountable for their actions!

[Helen744]

@Stacye3 could the smells from the pizza have been the smells encountered by cleaning staff with a wonky sense of smell? I  do not have tvs in the bedrooms at all as I am not a hotel, where it is standard, but you should have known this before you arrived ,and in fact you did because one of your group brought their own. It sounds like the house was not suitable for elderly people at all.In fact that is on whoever booked it to make sure it was.It sounds as if it was badly kept for sure and the host was rude but to suggest updates,such as you have really is not part of the review. In fact you should not have reviewed it at all but put a complaint in to Airbnb. I have no idea about the Marilyn Monroe art complaint at all . Did the old ladies come to see the art?This sounds like a horrible haunted house scenario , some people like that sort of thing , not the elderly generally who need a modicum of comforts ,like a toilet for sure and few stairs , but stairs should have been obvious.One star is probably correct but not unless you actually tried to leave . If you stayed and everyone else agreed to stay then it looks disingenouous Did you speak to the host and ask for changes ? or ask  Airbnb to re locate   Leaving  a review  like that would destroy a hosts business , probably a complaint to Airbnb was the more correct procedure. Elderly people require certain things and young people on phones galloping up and down stairs may be suitable to this accomodation so your complaints that it was not suitable for the elderly relies on your choosing this place originally . I do not know what was in the drain but that would have been enough for me  H

[Stacye3]

Edible Arrangement delivered for my mom, the Morning of the Check-Out

For some reason the site would not allow the photos referenced to post, so I'm going to try to post these separately.

[Rmd1]

This was within an hour of checking out!  My Eldest Aunt was sitting on the very sofa the Hosts fraudulently claimed to have the smell of marijuana “embedded”!  She only stood up to take the photo because she can’t even stand too long, due to her Neuropathy, Rheumatoid Arthritis & Knee problems!  She also has Asthma & Allergies!  She would have noticed & been affected by any smoke smell & would have had a hard time smiling the way she was in this picture!  I was there & know without a shadow of doubt, the Host is LYING!!!  There was not a scent of any smoke smell in the home, because NO ONE SMOKED in the home!!! It would have defiantly affected her & me!!!  This is just preposterous!  I still cannot believe Airbnb allowed the Host to post such a FABRICATED ACCUSATION without having ANY relevant proof!  But like I said, it’s all about their bottom line!!!  They don’t care about the Guests!  They operate in favor of the Hosts because their property affects their $$$!!!

[Rmd1]

XXX

[Stacye3]

These are some photos of the front yard during the day.   As noted, the yard is not well-kept & overgrown.

**[Sensitive information removed in line with - Community Center Guidelines]

[Rmd1]

I can attest to this because I took these photos!  As the Guest noted both the Front & Backyard was overgrown & not well kept nor illuminated at night!  That is a FACT!  It’s crazy how some people really can’t handle the truth!

I was also with my Aunt when we brought her to the house to meet up with her Elderly siblings who were waiting inside to surprise her!  I was helping my Aunt out of the vehicle & experienced that horrific situation with the bugs!  I had to stomp my feet & move away because I couldn’t see because it was so dark & I wasn’t initially paying any attention to the ground because my focus was making sure my Aunt was safe!  When we realized there were bugs all around the double sewage drainage area, we had to move further away from the front entrance, so my Aunt had to walk further because of the bug infestation!!!  They were HUGE bugs & a lot of them!  It doesn’t matter if the owner has no control of the street situation! The matter of fact is this a a factual issue that affects the entrance into the property & that (once again) is THE TRUTH!!!

[Rmd1]

Again, Airbnb didn’t want that post on their platform about bugs being around this property, because that can have an adverse affect on their bottom line!  No one wants to ever deal with bugs anywhere in, around, nor on their property!  This is not a good representation!  Therefore this is another thing that affects their “bottom line”!   So I’m suture they didn’t want that to be posted!!!

[Rmd1]

@Stacye3 What happened to the photos?  Why did AirBnB remove them?  So they don’t  want people to see how bad the front yard looked?  I took those photos!  So let’s see if they are removed from my post as well!

**[Sensitive information removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Huma0]

@Rmd1 

Airbnb will remove any content that can potentially identify the property and its location, so perhaps that is why they were taken down. There are other photos that you or @Stacye3 posted on this thread that weren't taken down, so I'm guessing posting photos of the listing's exterior was considered a potential security risk.

Anyway, I can't see how this looks so terrible but maybe that's just me. Paths and pavement look clean and tidy with maybe a few weeds here and there and a bit overgrown (hardly unusual at this time of year), but nothing major. Certainly nothing to cause an almighty stink about.

Again though, you haven't answered my question about why, if there were only apparently the seniors that were on the booking staying, you are constantly posting about what you saw at the listing and also posting photos you took while there. From @Stacye3 's version of the story, you (nor anyone else not on the booking) was there at all. So, which is it?

Interesting that you are so keen to post about this issue but ignore any questions asked of you...