Cancelled guests review question

[Z-2]

I have a question hope the fellow hosts can help me, How can I write a review without give any star review?

I have a guest arrived (at 6PM, self-check in) for 20 minutes then message me to ask me to call her, I called her immediately and she claimed the house was not clean. I have local management company clean our house and I am sure they went there and cleaned the house. Anyway, I apologized and offered to re-clean the house  the second day since it is after hour, also refund all the cleaning fee. But she insisted to leave and asked for full refund. I agreed and fully refund her. I live out of town and depends on local management company to clean the house for me. Sometimes might not that perfect. That's the reason I agree to fully refund her and try to keep her happy without asking pictures. Now, she gave me a review. I asked her sent me pictures (after she reviewed me) and she just ignore me. I am thinking to write a review just states the fact and for my part, I don't want to host her again. But if I don't select star reviews for "Cleanness", "Communication" and "Follow house rule", I can't submit review at all. But how I can review those since she is there less than a hour.

Also if you were at my situation, what will you do? Thanks!

[Colleen253]

@Z-2  You would be well served by having a local co-host who can attend your listing when there are issues like this. Either that, or insist your cleaners do a video walkthrough after every turnover, especially as “Sometimes might not that perfect.” It takes just a minute to do. As it stands,  It’s impossible for you to know whether the guest’s claims are true, or manufactured. A local co host could have gone over to check things out. As it stands, it’s difficult to leave the guest a review, as you’re operating blindly. 

[Z-2]

@Colleen253 Thanks for reply! The local area of the house is very hard to find the labor, especially in summer time. if I "insist your cleaners do a video walkthrough after every turnover", I can't find anybody to accept my house. Last year, I tried to find my own cleaner instead of use management company to clean after one complaint for one house. But only last for a few weeks, after I sent her a picture of places she miss-cleaned, she just quit on me even though I paid her $200 per turnover (much more than I get from cleaning fee).  In the summer, the cleaner is the boss, not me. The management company at least will re-clean it if there is a complaint. But this guest just don't give me any choice to correct it (if it is true). Having the co-host might not help because the problem is hard to find the dependable cleaner on the island. The management company did clean the house, just I am not sure how clean it was. For the review, I might just leave it alone but I don't want to host her again because she might not fit on my situation. Anyway, Thanks for suggestion!

[Z-2]

@Colleen253 Also even though I live 4 hours away, I went there like every one or 2 months now after I do Airbnb from last year to make sure deep clean part, maintenance and check on cleaning of the house. Most of my guests think the clean is good and some of them give me Compliments of cleaning when review. I am just too busy right now as I might turn my long term rent house in FL into an Airbnb house. Seems like FL labor market is much better. Hopeful I can find a better cleaner (or company) there. Thanks!

[Sarah977]

@Z-2  This could just be a case of a guest who made up a cleaning issue just to scam a refund.

But if you have had issues in the past with poor cleaning, then you have to assume it was legit. The management company sending someone back in to reclean isn't a good solution. Once a guest has arrived to find it not properly clean, even if it gets recleaned, it has made a bad first impression.

What it sounds like to me is that you actually need new managers, as the ones you have now should be the ones making sure the cleaner has done a good job. Isn't that part of what you pay them for? To make sure the house is ready for guests?

As far as the review goes, you could either not leave a review, or leave a brief one saying this guest left early, claiming there were cleaning issues, and that you are very sorry about that and are working with your property managers to get to the bottom of that and make sure it doesn't happen again. Because she likely said it was dirty in her review.

As far as the star ratings, I guess you could just mark 3 or 4 stars for everything. It's really stupid of Airbnb to force hosts and guests to leave star ratings when the guest didn't stay.

[Z-2]

@Sarah977 I do have complaints before even though not much. I have refunded clean fee once for this house. That's the reason I have to believe her. But from the phone, she complain there is some dirt (maybe sand I guess since it is beach house) under the sheet fit (between the fit and mattress pad), some stain on toilet and marks on the carpet (I only have sunroom and staircase is covered with carpet). Told me there is a fishing net still on the pier (which should put back inside the room) also to prove the cleaner did a bad job. So initial thought to me is she is a picky person. Who will go into the house and just open the sheet fitting to check if the mattress pad is clean during all 13 minutes she and his husband inside the house? They were just doing inspection? From my ring doorbell recoding, they went to the lower deck and pier first, then get into the house, then out to ask me call her.  They are not bring anything inside the house, not get anything off from their car, but used my bathroom since the toilet paper is opened and used. Anyway, I know I can't say she is bad  but I just don't want to host her again. Maybe she will be OK with the intown host. The review system is bad to hosts and guests to have to leave star ratings which should not. I have 2 days left to review her. The guest after her (stayed a week) had no issue and had great time (no review yet but message me They had great time there) and current one (will stay a week) also reply me everything is great. She supposed to stay 4 days (which is minimum requirement). Thanks for reply and suggestions!

[Z-2]

@Colleen253 @Sarah977 Just an update. It turns out the guests gave me a really bad review, a lot of 1 stars and problems not just cleaning. I was ready to write a "Sorry" reply thinking she might give me cleaning 3 or 4 stars. But her review total lost her credibility. They are untrue. In the last minute of review period, I wrote her a review states all facts as I posted in my first post and follow Sarah suggestion. After both reviews made public. I submitted a request asking to remove the review because they are not true. Also I got a long message from this guest apologize and sorry, but still insist NOT cleaning. I think she might initial thinking I will get her really bad one, so she gave me a really bad one first. Also to justify her full refund. Anyway, this time Airbnb is quick, the first agent quickly submit my case to  Support Ambassador of Airbnb. At middle night 1AM. The case is closed, both reviews are removed. What a relief! Thanks for your support and help!

[Z-2]

I tried to edit some spelling errors. But it does not allow me to do that. Strange.