review

[Merrily2]

In Vermont condo

I rented for 14 days to someone with FANTASTIC and numerous reviews. I gave him a VERY very good price sort of accidentally at 2am  (I don't bargain well !!) BUT MY FAULT

Day of arrival Different time zone  !!  (around 430am here --- 10.30ish pm in Vermont) I got frantic calls from Airbnb support and him, he didn't have the code for the door (although he did have the address and the condo number from the same page..???)

I was terribly apologetic 5 am in the morning I asked forgiveness because I may have done something wrong who knows So after 14 days he left  A MESS  !!  dirty dishes and pots floating in water in the kitchen sink, stuff left on the floor ---

He actually sent me 2 photos he took himself showing a lot of the mess. When I complained he got very upset and threatened to report me for not sending him the door code etc.   I was not going to write a review but that would mean I would not be able to state my case –so to speak…

But I am worried he also said he was a “super guest”??  and an “expert reviewer” as well. I don’t want to pick a fight but I do want to tell other hosts that I had problems. I would have been very happy to have had even a little bit of a warning.

I ONLY have 2 days left !!

What I was planning to write

 ""I was so glad when ----- inquired about my cozy condo he had really fantastic reviews and we had great fun going back and forth with offers and counter offers until we finally arrived at a compromise?! He also had a problem getting into the condo and but this was solved before he arrived.

I really had hoped that he would love my cute cozy condo but in a departure message he referred to bad problems however no complaints during the 14 days he had been there and no explanations of the problems which I will VERY gladly either fix or state in the listing

I was not happy with the way he left the condo it was a mess but he disagreed.  explained he is an expert reviewer which makes me a little nervous but ………………..

[Brian2036]

@Merrily2 

The offers/counter-offers were your first clue.

 The guy is an inconsiderate sloppy jerk.

 I don’t know that there is any such thing as “super guest” or “expert reviewer.”

I suspect that he obtained his glowing reviews by threatening hosts. Please don’t let him do it to you.

 I think you should shorten your review, make it very factual and dispassionate, and mention that he threatened you.

[Linda108]

Absolutely agree with @Brian2036 .  Strike a professional pose and be sure not to write it at 3 AM so you can be brief and articulate. 🙂  Just state you would not host again due to the condition of the listing upon check out.  I am not sure what your communication consisted of when you "complained", but it seems you might consider having a weekly cleaning included in your price so you can assess how a guest is treating your space.

[Brian2036]

@Linda108 

I’m going to steal that phrase if you don’t mind.

”Would prefer not to host again due to condition of the listing upon checkout.”

Excellent, concise and helpful to others but not accusatory or defensive.

If other hosts see this and want all the gory details they can ask.

[Mark116]

@Merrily2  You are safer to stick to the facts and say something along the lines of what @Linda108  recommended.  If you want, start with a positive...I enjoyed the communication with the guest prior to his trip, however, due to the condition of the space when he left, I can't recommend him to other hosts.

You might want to review your check-in protocol so there aren't any miscues due to time zones, but he had already contacted Airbnb about the codes and you say it was resolved before his arrival, so not much to 'report' there. 

[Merrily2]

@Mark116  @Linda108 @Brian2036 I m 'joining the conversation instead of replying to one this (thanks to all of you) is what I came up with. I have till  Tuesday but I am going to send it this afternoon..........By the way I try to be very honest as to the condition of the condo. and stress that despite it's weariness the condo is sooooo comfortable and cute

 ""I was happy to receive Mehdi’s inquiry --  fantastic reviews -- and we had fun going back and forth with offers and counter offers until we finally arrived at a compromise??!

He did have a problem getting into the condo but this was solved before he arrived And I will review my check in message.

After I said I was unhappy with the way he left the condo, in a departure message he referred to “ bad problems” with the condo.    no complaints during his 14 day stay and no explanation of the problems which I will VERY gladly either fix or state in the listing.

Now I must say I am apprehensive to write this seeing he is a super-guest and an expert reviewer; and this probably is a ‘one off’ …..  BUT…. due to the condition of the listing upon check-out I would not recommend him to other hosts.

[Merrily2]

I am having trouble sending this for  some reason but I ll try again

Sorry to be a pest but I appreciate your help. I am still wary of what he could do but I know I did everything right . 

I was happy to receive Mehdi’s inquiry --  fantastic reviews –super-guest and expert reviewer !! and we had fun going back and forth with offers and counteroffers until we finally arrived at a compromise??! 

Now I am sorry to write this seeing it was probably is a ‘one off’ …..  but…. due to the condition of the listing upon check-out, I would not recommend him to other hosts.

Merrily

[Merrily2]

Hi merrily again  Ok I sent as suggested a very simple but true review ..........................

 QUOTE ….(I was happy to receive Mehdi’s inquiry --  fantastic reviews –super-guest and expert reviewer !! and we had fun going back and forth with offers and counteroffers until we finally arrived at a compromise??! 

Now I am sorry to write this seeing it was probably is a ‘one off’ …..  but…. due to the condition of the listing upon check-out, I would not recommend him to other hosts.) UNQUOTE

and he replied with one complaining about all sorts of things not nice at all again about being STUCK for an hour because of not having the door code.. He even said I did not have “the common sense” to replace my twin beds with a queen”  I copied a message I had sent him where the code WAS given to him. etc etc.....  I was about to  answer his review when I was informed that HIS REVIEW HAD BEEN REMOVED from my listing 

 I was so happy and was going to write all of you thanking you for  all of your help until I saw my RATINGS   I got a note from airbnb telling me my ratings had dived over the past year.!!!

That condo had only been rented TWICE in the last year. One tenant  who  was very happy and kept renewing...... and Mehdi !!!! 

My other condo has consistently !!! had fantastic reviews I think I got one 4.8 or something because someone said price vs value was too high and I have had over 50 rentals !! I  make such an effort giving discounts, letting guests stay late an arrive early when possible and the gratification is having great reviews and great conversations with my guests

I have sent a message to 'help' and they are going to get  back to  me but in the meantime I have a 4.7 rating... I don’t know what to do I have not heard from ‘help’ at Airbnb yet.