Anyone ever successfully had a retaliatory review removed?

Josh1670
Level 1
Arden, NC

Anyone ever successfully had a retaliatory review removed?

I had a conversation with support about my concern that a guest was smoking on my property despite clear rules against it, and what my options were cause I was worried about a bad review if i said anything. I was assured that if someone left a clearly retaliatory review it would be removed.

 

Well my next guest asked to use our laundry, which is not an amenity that we offer.  He was staying two nights, and this was 3 minutes after he checked in i got the message asking.  I politely told him no that that was not an amenity we offer.  Never heard another word from them until, the second night when i overheard him LOUDLY bitching about the cleaning fee.  (our rental is our lower floor).  I wasn't eavesdropping, he was just really loud.  Well he left us the nastiest review I've ever seen. We currently have over 50 reviews and prior to him a 4.95 rating. Numerous people telling us that this was their favorite airbnb they've ever stayed in.  

His review primarily focused on not letting them use the laundry, he mentioned it multiple times. Other things he complained about were clearly obvious from photos. Such as the furniture, "older than the owners."  Yea, my wife has a vintage style, so she bought a lot of retro looking stuff.  The shower is tiny, referred to our shower liner as a "tarp."  I mean, it's a liner, not sure what he's expecting. But again, there's as photo.  He complained about hearing us above. We clearly explain that it's our lower level and that it's an apartment. But he didn't call it noise, he said we "trampled all over the place all day and night."  

This seemed to me a clear case of not reading the listing or not caring, but airbnb refused to remove it.  Maybe i'm wrong, but the fact that he brought up the laundry issue multiple times sure seems to me that that's what drove his rant. 

4 Replies 4
Till-and-Jutta0
Host Advisory Board Alumni
Stuttgart, Germany

Thank you for this link. I’m glad to see I can keep trying. I guess persistence is key. 

Gwen386
Level 10
Lusby, MD

Wow @Josh1670 Actually, you used the word laundry more than your guest. You - 3 times. Guest - once. 

Also, I did not feel guest’s review was mean spirited; but I definitely felt your response to his review was. Guest just provided his observation and he even started his review with a positive. 

If I were you, I would ask CS to remove your review. Remember, future guests look at how host responds. Next time, take a day or two to calm down before responding. 

Got a booking one day after I responded to that jerk. Thanks for your help though. Figured I’d find help like you online. 
btw, read slower. Guest twice. Guess you just wanted to slam me as soon as possible.