what star category do these "offences" belong to?

[Inna22]

I am about to leave a review for a guest who 

1. gave me a lot of hard time about my ID requirement. After much push back, he sent everyone's IDs with all information but the name marked out making it a guest list rather than ID on file. After much more back and forth, he did comply. His communication was polite and consistent throughout. Is this lower stars in communication, house rules, both or neither (he did come through after all)

2. moved a heavy couch to a completely different area. It needed to be lifted in the air to get it through a long narrow hallway. We tried ourselves, there was not a chance my housekeeper and I could do it. My house rules and check out message ask to put all furniture back. Luckily he was still in the area and came back to get it done. If I had a same day check in and he was not still around, I would have been in a very tough position. Is this cleanliness, house rules, both or I should let it go

The house was clean overall, no other complaints

[Emilia42]

@Alexandra199 

I will give you an example of how I was 'saved' to give my post above some context. I received a request from a guest who had 10 reviews, good communication, and a 5.0-star rating. Buried within his great reviews was a poorly written review from one of my neighboring hosts stating that this guest had been in the area to visit some friends and they were loud and disruptive and horrible. I made the informed decision not to host him since he was visiting my area again under the same circumstances. Had this host simply written "thanks for staying" or "okay guests" I wouldn't have thought anything of it. And since guest star averages are rounded to the tenth decimal place (hosts to the hundredth) nine 5 star reviews and one 1 star review put this guest's star rating average at 4.55 which hosts see rounded to 5.0.

[Huma0]

@Alexandra199 

I agree. Often the star ratings are pretty useless as many hosts will just give 5* regardless. However, every now and then, the star ratings raise red flags that the written review didn't, which prompts me to ask the guest more questions. 

I think it's for the exact reason you stated, i.e. that some hosts don't want to say anything negative in the review even if there have been real problems, but are happy to mark down on stars because they know the guests can't see them.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Inna22 

I'd give 3 stars for communication and house rules.  The rest 4 stars. IMO, based on what you posted the guest doesn't deserve 5 stars in any category. 

[Anonymous]

@Inna22  I'm on Team Grouch here too.

3 stars for Communication. Fact is, this guest's attitude about the IDs required more  time - wasting Communication labor from the host than necessary. Give me curt and efficient over polite and wasteful any day.

2 stars for House Rules (1 if he hadn't come back to move the sofa). Stars are so silly for this category, because it's a binary thing - either you can trust someone to follow the rules, or you can't. Pass or fail.

I would not want to host these guests. Their actions show a glaring lack of respect for the time and labor you put into your job as a host, and since I've never stood to make a fortune off one booking, getting fair compensation depends on the guest not screwing around and wasting my time.

Of course, the important place to convey this is the written review, since the most selective hosts won't get to see the stars. 

[Inna22]

@Anonymous @Kelly149  I was surprised at everybody’s reaction. Thought that I was glad I posted because I clearly overreacted thinking that there was anything to this behavior based on the first replies. Another problem with this kind of interaction is me stressing out about getting a negative. I assume most folks who feel harassed  about IDs or are forced to come back to the house to straighten something up would not leave a good review.

[Kelly149]

@Inna22 Yep, I have a current request from someone who is so chatty when they want to ask a question & then goes totally mia when I have a question. I don’t want to pester bc that can mess up my rating but what a pita. Probably innocent but could be a problem. 

[Kelly149]

@Anonymous PS I can currently see all guest stars on a request only listing. And declined someone w mediocre stars but good written review bc of that knowledge. Maybe ABB has listened to that feedback. Maybe. 

[Huma0]

@Kelly149 

Yep, it's changed. I can see the star ratings for request bookings and even enquiries, in fact for any guest who contacted me (past, present and future) who has reviews.

[Kelly149]

@Huma0  yep, so now the real question becomes: do guests know their star ratings???

[Huma0]

@Kelly149 

I've been wondering about this as well. So far, no guests have mentioned anything to me about the star ratings, but then again, I haven't directly asked them. I might ask one of my current guests to check and will keep you posted!

[Helen744]

Helen@744Some people I swear just like to make others lives irritating . the whole kerfuffle about the ids . i had a party do this too me and tell me how i was probably stealing their identity . I just replied that no one who I do not have ids for gets in my house . I found out they had all made up identitys . I suspect the main character had been banned on a site previously for just being obnoxious. Tell the poor unsuspecting future hosts that  ids were not forthcoming from all guests and furniture was moved to odd places, at least they are warned . give them lower stars where ever you think and say you dont want them to ever come back . I can put up with a lot but not mind games . who needs it ? H

[Sherry346]

I mostly only post when I am not just on the "side" of the host, but I have a trigger in this type of business. 

Hosts who are "forced" to tackle their own "fitness" as hosts, or call into question their base instincts, which they know better than anyone else, or - here it comes - are made to feel a bit shaky about their own instincts by the . . . OUTRAGEOUS behavior of entitled, spoiled, indefensible brats - who beyond that - are smart with words, understand "systems" and how to manipulate them ~~~ as in agents, and "are good with the guilt trip". 

I bet if you just "let 'er rip" - but do NOT just send it. - yet. 

Have another host or someone who understands at least a bit about what you do - let them look it over. I call this step "the softening". 

You already have an amazingly good filter, and communicate in a way, I wish you could be my filter, LOL. Unfortunately (remember, I'm on your side) - you've already excused them from all of their outrageous behavior by how many opportunities you . . .. . . could. . . . /   should . . . . have already done a sort of intervention to prevent it getting to the step you are at right now.

Your review now could appear as though it was "out of the blue", and some agents will quietly remove YOUR review, if in their private chat, your guest says to the agent

"Well as you can see from our messaging, virtually nothing was said all this time, this review is out of left field"

Some agents, will then "hide" your review . . . (translation: you will be able to see it, thinking everyone in the world can - however - you are the only person who can see it based on algorithmic settings.)

Cynical? Of course. This is my business, during difficult times. Read about how many folks are one permanent suspension from missing their very next mortgage payment. 

and - firmly, I want a promise from you - absolutely no guest should ever be given latitude to move any furniture whatsoever (other than the obvious) - NO. and their should be a penalty for it warned about - even if it is put back!. 

[Anonymous]

@Sherry346   Are you....OK?

[Gillian166]

gosh, i'm afraid i must fall into all the horrid categories people put some guests, because I too do not appreciate having to supply ID. I remember having to do this in Japan and I also put black lines over the passport number and some other details. You do realise that from a personal safety pov, giving someone a copy of your ID is not a great idea. not only that, YOU might be trustworthy and honest, but how secure is your computer? do you have all past guests IDs sitting in some folder on your computer? do you promise to delete the files after their stay? How do they know you actually did that in a safe way?   

I have long story with a dodgy tradie who didn't complete the job but wanted to be paid up front (it was even dodgier than that but i'll keep it brief here), and he send me his ID as proof of his trustworthiness. HA! I did not fall for that. Also, i now have a copy of his license on my phone..... (or who knows if it is even his). 

[Inna22]

@Gillian166 this rule is stated at least twice in my listing, maybe three times. Don’t book with me if you don’t like it, that’s all. Once you book, you can’t raise a stink. 

you give your ID to a vote clerk, in the US you would give it to a secretary at a doctors office and these days if you want to enter any restaurant. The note clerk always takes it back somewhere to make a copy. You do not seriously think that person is any safer