How many positive reviews i need to push down a negative one?

Michael1107
Level 4
Parma, Italy

How many positive reviews i need to push down a negative one?

I recieved a couple of negative reviews, i want to improve what i can to recieve more positive ones so the negative one becomes not immediately visible. I also lowered the price so I'm more likely to recieve 5 stars for what i offer now while i improve what i have been negatively reviwed for. 

 

So I'm asking, will this actually happen or airbnb will keep the negative review up?

 

Because if the negative reviews stay up then it would be better to create another listing or close this account and create another one once i completely transformed my house

51 Replies 51

I'll do a video so you can give me advice on how to move on if you can, i don't know how to take 360° pictures. You are also asking me if i'd choose myself, well like i said the room is always fully booked and when i don't accept someone they even beg and tell they can't find anything near the station. And after all  that they give me 4 stars of course... If people are so ungrateful the only solution is to suspend the listing improve my apartment and than come back with the highest price possible that allows me to be 100% booked. I didn't want to do that, for me even 20eu is enough, this not my full time job but it doesn't work. People don't reward you for the price... 

Mary996
Level 10
Swansea, United Kingdom

"improve my apartment and than come back with the highest price possible that allows me to be 100% booked"

 

That sounds like a great strategy @Michael1107 . Address the cleaning issues as you're being so wisely advised and take advantage of the location you have which Guests are clearly so desperate to find. You're onto a winner. Make it so....!! x

Michael1107
Level 4
Parma, Italy

But should show guests the whole apartment? I don't do it because i only offer a room.

 

I am waiting until until i have enough money to buy a new kitchen from ikea and stuff for the living room like new couch, tv etc. I will have to suspend my listing before i get banned.

 

It seems difficult with pictures so i will do a video of the room i rent and the house in general so you can tell me if i can improve and do airbnb with success. 

Hi @Michael1107 

You’re right!  

‘Take a photos 360 in the smartphone’, the tutorials in below,

https://panoraven.com/blog/en/how-to-take-360-images-with-a-smartphone/

 

 

 

Mike-And-Jane0
Top Contributor
England, United Kingdom

@Michael1107 Do people near you use Facebook marketplace? If so you can get some quality furniture/kitchens at really good prices.

Well i like ikea, i pay with paypal and i can pay in settlements, but it's only about forniture, i have to change sink and toilet and paint tiles, maybe change door because they look old too

@Michael1107  Why would you paint tiles?  I've never heard of that to be honest.

 

I looked at your video, but can't see the listing anymore.  From the video, the bathroom looks fine to me.  The bedroom, I would try to get some better looking comforter/quilts and put some art on the walls.  This can be done very inexpensively.  Black Ikea frames used to go for $10, you can literally frame magazine or calendar pictures or wallpaper or pieces of cloth.  A slightly nicer/larger desk.  Or as someone else said, FB marketplace has tons of inexpensive items.

 

But, truthfully, cleanliness is the ONLY part of the rating that the host can control, so obviously, if you relist you need to take more time/more care because a lot of your reviews mentioned this as as negative.

Yes today you can paint tiles, there's many products on the markets and many tutorials on youtube where i have seen amazin transformatins of old bathroom just by painting

@Michael1107   There should be photos and written descriptions of all the spaces that guests can access, such as the bathroom. It might also help to show the corridors guests will have to pass through between the entrance and their room, as these are also part of their experience. But it's best not to show rooms that are closed off to guests, because that can mislead people into thinking they're included.

 

360 photos and video are unnecessary gimmicks - they may not load properly on all devices or at slow connection speeds, and the overwhelming majority of listings don't have them. But if you also have sharp, well-lit normal photos of each feature guests will encounter, it doesn't hurt to also have the gimmicky stuff in the mix.

 

The consensus from all your reviews so far shows that guests appreciate the value for the price and the location; they're not expecting the Ritz, and they're not clamoring for more amenities. The one thing that they consistently say is missing is cleanliness. You'll find that this is non-negotiable at any price point; people may be grateful for a bargain at the time they book, but they're still going to remember the cleanliness issues when Airbnb prompts them to rate it in the review process. If you're struggling to find enough time to catch up on cleaning, it's not a good time to add more amenities, as they only increase the cleaning time. But considering the high demand for your location, perhaps you can raise your price to a high enough amount to hire some housekeeping help.

@Anonymous

 

Watch the video, the room and bathroom is more or less always like that, the last review i recieved 1 star for cleanliness 

Michael1107
Level 4
Parma, Italy

today i suspended the listing, i recieved 1 star on cleaneness

 

this is the room and the room

 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D8UdW8Zbv6E

 

i asked the guest what is that made him give me 1 star and what i can improve on, he said sorry it was a mistake...

 

i think i have to give up on my dream of doing airbnb, this house needs a huge amount of money to look new, i bought this apartment for 40k only, not because the old  owner is ststupid but because the house is old

 

the stress and the feeling of humiliation is too much i had to suspend the listing

Hi @Michael1107 ,

So sorry to hear that.

It's nerve raking!

 

Airbnb review system is ridiculous. It is out of your hand! 

 

Airbnb host stories are never end, you are not alone to felt struggling,  frustrated and disappointed! We will route with them due to this.

 

All I can say is there is a life beyond Airbnb. It is tough, but can be done. Don’t despair. Just take it day by day.

 

Good luck.

 

Mike-And-Jane0
Top Contributor
England, United Kingdom

@Michael1107 If the guest truly made a mistake you should ask them to contact Airbnb and ask them to delete the review. Everyone has a right under EU law to remove their own reviews.

Robin4
Top Contributor
Mount Barker, Australia

@Michael1107 

Michael, I wish you wouldn't give up heart mate, you are a good host and you do have passion and you are just going through a rough patch. 

I told you, I host out of an old converted garage and I didn't have it professionally renovated, I did it all myself and it has it's imperfections. The concrete floor is original and although I polished it, it has cracks in it. There is considerable soil movement which means doors don't shut and cracks keep on appearing in corners. This is all 'character' but I make sure I tell guests it's clean!

 

Michael I hope you keep faith and just keep on improving your listing as your photos show you are trying to do. Ask the guest to remove that last one star you got.....if it was a mistake I sure they won't mind.

 

Don't give up your dream, as another lovely host from Noway once said to me 'If you don't try you can't say you can't do it!

 

All the best Michael.

 

Cheers..........Rob

Chris2003
Level 3
Tenby, United Kingdom

@Michael1107 

 

I've seen these kind of 'minimally furnished/hostel type' places before.. and they nearly always have a 'low' rating around 4 stars.. even if they have reasonable reviews and not too many mentioning cleanliness.

 

If you're only charging £23 a night.. if you're fully occupied then you'll be getting less than £600 a month after commission? (You won't be 100% occupied) Would it not be better to get a longterm tenant?

 

I just don't think this is really going to work to be honest.