Is anyone seeing lower stars from guests?

[Inna22]

I have been getting crushed by poor reviews. Guests are just not happy. Typical compliant is either something along the lines of "thin trash bags and toilet paper made me feel unwelcome" (both are from Costco) or there is a train behind the house, I could not sleep (yes, there is, mentioned in the listing and marked as potential for noise). The train did not bother 300 previous guests but now is mentioned by every other person (accompanied by a one or two star rating). It would be very convenient to say that people are just not happy these days and only strange people travel in groups and rent big houses downtown Chicago these days. However I do not want to be the person who always thinks "it is them, not me". Is anyone seeing a similar trend?

[Susie0]

I've experienced this too!

[Mark116]

@Inna22  Wow.  Wow again.  That last guest was a piece of work.  Please, lord, let this woman never want to visit Jersey City or my house!

I have found that hosting now is extremely stressful because people are doing staycations, they're staying in the apartment all the time, or almost all the time, and as much as I like my apartment, I would surely never rent it for a weekend getaway if I was planning to stay inside the whole time....but I think since people are doing this all over, they become more critical, because they're IN the unit all the time.  

You might consider reducing the max number of guests so the place will not feel crowded, but this guest could have just been anomaly with hosting a work retreat and not being a family.  

[Kelly149]

@Mark116 @Inna22 ugh! we can only hope that future hosts will cross-reference this review and refuse to host this awful person. Alternatively, we could all report this profile, bc clearly this lady wouldn't be welcome in any of our houses.

[Emilia42]

@Kelly149 Side off-topic note: Back on September 4th, I reported a listing because the host clearly spelled out their telephone number in multiple places and basically said 'text me for big discounts.' I check back every now and then (and report again) but as of today the listing still says the exact same thing as it did in early September. Clearly, Airbnb is still VERY far behind on following up with reports that aren't directly related to "safety" and discrimination. 

[Inna22]

@Emilia42 you would think airbnb would be all over that one!

[Kelly149]

@Emilia42. 7/8 of the listings around me aren’t licensed as required. I used to “report” them when it came up. Abb NEVER did anything about them. It’s kind of like having a suggestion box that goes straight into an incinerator. Pointless. 

[Helen3]

They don’t investigate all reports that come in.

If I want them to do something I report it publicly via their social media @Emilia42 

[Inna22]

@Mark116 @Kelly149 unfortunately she got 5 stars from me. Unless other hosts look at the reviews she left, she looks really good on paper

[Debra300]

@Inna22,

I do look at the reviews left by guests.  In fact, I asked a guest to cancel his booking, because he didn't leave reviews and was a red flag along with some other little things that he said (nothing offensive, just the way he said them).  He had requested a longer term stay, and even mentioned how he had several good reviews.  At first I accepted him after reading his reviews, then I looked for the reviews he left for all of the hosts, and there weren't any.  When I inquired about it and said that reviews are important for both guests and hosts, he said that he really couldn't be bothered.  That irked me, because he's willing to use reviews to his advantage so he can identify and be allowed to book nice spaces, but doesn't feel the need to reciprocate the gesture to his hosts to help them and other guests.  I just told him that it's best that he cancel, because I didn't think it would be a good fit.

Back to your original inquiry.  Personally, I've gotten only good reviews since the pandemic.  

[Debra300]

@Inna22,

It's unfortunate that you are getting these types of reviews.  I am not sure of Alex's grammar proficiency, but one thing that I would recommend is that she stop calling guests liars in the guest reviews that she leaves, because it makes her look harsh, defiant and accusatory.  There are other words to convey the same message.

[Anonymous]

@Debra300  Wow, I'm impressed by how diplomatic you can be. Because wooooah Alex is totally unhinged! @Inna22  really, WTF?

[Inna22]

@Anonymous @Debra300 loooong story but due to licensing change I am listed as co host and Alex is host. She now has full access to the account and while I guide her on best practices, she is new to this and has not learnt to breathe in and out. Maeda said that she arrived at midnight and left at 4:20 because the train was so loud. Demanded full refund. Here is the kicker: there is no train between 12:30 about 4-4:15. So total lie. Looking at Maeda's reviews, she has done it to hosts before- made things up to get refunds. This is a very toned down version of Alex's reponse compare to how she was going to blast her. To be totally honest, I did not realize how harsh it still sounded. I will need to work on softening hers (and sometimes my) tone.

[Sarah977]

Thin trash bags made her feel unwelcome? That's hilarious if it wasn't so unbelievably inane. I'd say there's a lot more about her that would make her not just feel unwelcome, but be unwelcome.

@Inna22

[Inna22]

inane- I had to look that word up. Love it, will start using it

[Sarah977]

Who is this Alex you guys are referring to? Because the review I see on Inna's profile says Angela.