Airbnb review policy

[Benjamin462]

I need some help here from the Community.  I am a super host.  I have 630 reviews. With a 4.9 average.  We have all had our share of crazy guests that use the Airbnb system to their advantage.  But it seems like guests have figured out the trick and are using it more often.  

We had a guest check out of our cabin that broke several of our house rules. 

1. He  smoked inside the cabin.

2. He brought and unauthorized dog.

3. He broke one of our windows.

I placed the claim with Airbnb and we won on all of three of the issues.

The guest calls me and tells me that If I don't remove the request for damages he's going to write a review "so scathing no one will ever rent our cabin again." (uh isn't that extortion??)

Airbnb requires we file the claim prior to the next guest checking in.  We are booked solid (we have really nice ski cabins).  So our requests for damages have to be same day.  As soon as the guest finds out we are seeking damages they pull the were going to write a bad review card.  

Now here's where I get irritated.  Airbnb has a major flaw in their review process.  Guests are allowed to damage our cabin, attempt to extort money from us with threat of bad review. Airbnb finds in our favor for all accounts but allows the guest to leave the horrible obviously untrue review.  How can this be? How can Airbnb allow this to happen? 

I have reviewed Airbnb's content policy and it seems as though a fabricated story that we as guests can prove should be enough to get the review removed.  And certainly extortion should be enough to get the review removed? shouldn't it??

Overall I'm happy.  We are making excellent money with Airbnb but they really need to protect the hosts here better.  

[Roberta2]

Hi @Benjamin462 

If the guest said this via the app, please make the case manager dealing with your claim aware. They have the authority to remove the review, as it breaks Airbnb T&Cs.

[Helen3]

You may be an experienced host but it seems like you would benefit from familiarising yourself with how Airbnb review system works @Benjamin462  (see Airbnb Help Centre).

You are incorrect when you say there is a flaw in the review process in terms of guests threatening a bad review if you pursue a claim for damages. This is against their terms.

Report the guests extortion to Airbnb.

[Mark116]

@Helen3  It absolutely is a flaw in the process, if people are smart enough to make the threat either in person or via the telephone, which is what @Benjamin462  said, then it becomes an issue of who airbnb will choose to believe and all evidence says that airbnb will back the guest or at least fail to back the host.  

Any guest who is assessed damage by airbnb should have that noted adjacent to the related review.

[Sarah977]

@Benjamin462  The guest knew what he was doing, it sounds like- he make the extortion threat by calling you, rather than using the Airbnb messaging, so it was not documented. If you ever have a situation again where a bad guest calls you, don't answer their call and block their number, forcing them to hopfully make the threat through the messaging. Or if you have answered their call, follow it up with an Airbnb message-" So, XX, just to get clear on what you said on the phone to me today, you said you will leave me a scathing review if I don't withdraw the damage re-imbursement request?"

[Linda108]

@Benjamin462   It does seem to be a catch 22 situation for a host that needs to follow the policies and procedures for making a claim.  You stated Air BNB backed you up on all three of your issues, but 2 of your issues were rule breaking not the damage claim.  When communicating with the guest stay on point about the damage and do not mention the rule breaking.  No need to add fuel to the fire.  Rule breaking should be included in the review.  I agree with @Sarah977  that you need to memorialized any phone calls in the Air BNB message system.