Airbnb Answers: Protecting you from one-off bad reviews

[Airbnb]

You asked: Can Airbnb protect hosts from one-off bad reviews?

Reviews are so important. They not only impact the success of your business, they’re also really personal. We know you put a lot of thought and care into your hospitality and that it’s frustrating when you receive a review that’s uncharacteristically low—be it a mistake, a misunderstanding, or an unfair assessment. You’ve raised concerns about this, and we want you to know that we hear you and we’re taking this issue really seriously. We’ve invested and will continue to invest a lot of thought and effort into how we can make the review system more fair.

The good news is, we’re already making a lot of progress. Here are some updates we can share with you now, below, and we’re committed to keeping you in the loop as we roll out more changes.

A tool to detect outlier reviews

At the last Host Q&A, in June, 2018, we said, specifically, that we’d look into outlier reviews. To be clear, one-off low reviews can be considered outliers when a host has otherwise great review scores, but a single guest leaves a bad rating that seems out of place. Here’s a solution we’ve come up with: We’re working on building new tools that will automatically detect when outlier reviews like this occur— and give us an opportunity to correct them. So let’s say a guest gives you five stars for cleanliness, accuracy, check in, and so on— for each of the sub categories— but then a two-star rating overall. The new tool will flag this and prompt the guest to correct the overall rating. We’re developing this new tool now, and you can expect to see it soon.

Research into how those reviews affect Superhost status

In addition, we’re doing research to see how a single outlier review can impact a host’s ability to gain or retain Superhost status. The ultimate goal is to find ways to make outliers less impactful for terrific hosts and to make sure the review system is fair.

Location, location, location

Finally, we’re looking at the Location rating and how that can affect a host’s standing. It’s worth noting that Location isn’t used in calculating a host’s overall rating. But you’ve told us that you’re frustrated when you get a low rating in this category since where your home is located is out of your control. And we hear that.

This is a tricky one. It’s a hard concern to address because judging the quality of a home’s location is so subjective. Some guests may love that your space is off the beaten path; others might be disappointed it’s not closer to public transit. We’re doing a lot of research into how we can continue giving travelers the information they need and want when they’re making booking decisions and, at the same time, make sure hosts aren’t affected by something that’s out of their control.

So we’re looking into new ways to collect and highlight guest impressions of your home’s location information. While we don’t have a concrete announcement on this yet, you can expect to hear more details soon, perhaps at the next Host Q&A. In the meantime, please know we’re working on this. Keep sending us your feedback on how we can make the review system as fair as possible.

View this and other answers from the Host Q&A here.

[Bhumika]

This content is on our Archive board.

The contents of this article are no longer representative of the Airbnb product/policy as of today.

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[Lorna170]

@Catherine-Powell 

SO.  WHERE IS THIS TOOL?  I HAD TO FIGHT WITH AIRBNB FOR A MONTH TO GET RID OF AN OUTLIER REVIEW SCORE.  MY GUEST FINALLY HAD TO REMOVE HER WONDERFUL 5 STAR REVIEW DUE TO THE OUTLIER OVERALL SCORE OF 2 STARS.

PROMISES, PROMISES.

In 2018 AirBnB admins state:   (IT'S 2023 FOLKS)

A tool to detect outlier reviews

At the last Host Q&A, in June, 2018, we said, specifically, that we’d look into outlier reviews. To be clear, one-off low reviews can be considered outliers when a host has otherwise great review scores, but a single guest leaves a bad rating that seems out of place. Here’s a solution we’ve come up with: We’re working on building new tools that will automatically detect when outlier reviews like this occur— and give us an opportunity to correct them. So let’s say a guest gives you five stars for cleanliness, accuracy, check in, and so on— for each of the sub categories— but then a two-star rating overall. The new tool will flag this and prompt the guest to correct the overall rating. We’re developing this new tool now, and you can expect to see it soon.

[Peta7]

The latest trend in Johannesburg is our many delinquent guests working/ trading or studying from home (or rather from bedroom) booking short-term stays and then extending on a daily basis in succession leaving many chances for outlying retaliatory reviews when all requests are not granted and further extension is refused due to serious concerns re House Hijacking.

We had such a case leaving a disgruntled guest with 8 opportunities to leave retaliatory and or outlaying reviews against us for refusing further extension, luckily he did not carry his high-risk extortion attempts through.

Experience taught that disputing outlying and or retaliatory reviews are futile as the Ambassadors only take the contents Policy into account when reviews are disputed, this Department even goes as far as repudiating Brian Chesky's recently announced directives for removing retaliatory outlying reviews.

Reference https://www.airbnb.co.za/resources/hosting-homes/g/introducing-10-major-upgrades-for-hosts-9

[Karen962]

I requested payment after both reviews were done, and the experience was not a good one!! but the 5 star review still stood…

[Ariany4]

Airbnb is a great company but one thing I find its lacking a lot in, is the guest reviews. 

As hosts we get stuck with not wanting to charge guests for damages because in return they give us terrible reviews (even though they are the ones who damaged items of the home). 

It is very frustrating that guests are able to see our requests for damage payments BEFORE they give reviews. 

[Ping-And-Daryl0]

We've had a rude guest who blocked our toilet and then complained that our sewer had a problem that didn't exist before they blocked it. Then gave a 3 star review. Funny that reviews either side of that guest gave us 5 stars. To be honest I've given up believing that Airbnb will ever do anything they promised about outlier reviews. It was all just bluff and bluster and obviously they never intended to make improvements to the review system.  It sucks!

[Alex6034]

It might help if the guests, who give an unreasonable or comprehensible outlier review will visibly markerd as such to other hosts. That would give the host a fair chance to pay more attention to modalities and decide more consciously. 

[Neil149]

From my experience quests can give poisonous reviews based on an imaginary slight! I asked some guest if they could keep the noise down after 11 p.m. , they were at a sporting event and been drinking and probably didn't realize the noise they were making! I am an onsite host I live downstairs so e-mailed them as a friendly reminder. The next day my wi-fi stopped working , after they left two days later I had a technician come in from my server, the internet outlet in the wall had been damaged and the and there were other software problems! An act if mischief had been done! They left a negative review because they were upset because I asked to keep the noise down, saying all activities must stop at 11 P.M. which was untrue as (excessive noise) us discouraged! There review stood my proof that an act if mischief was ignored by Airbnb! I get people in my house that have rarely even stayed in a hotel or even an Airbnb but Airbnb gives them a platform to give complex reviews with absolutely no credentials or qualifications!

[Janine-And-Allan0]

Absolutely.  Well said

[Paul5837]

Guests not reading the property description properly is a regular problem. Many catagories in a review are subjective but they should be reviewed against the description given. If a property is accurately described then a guest should accept that if they book. It is not the host's fault if the guest books accommodation that is not suitable for them. Airbnb needs to do more to protect hosts from innaccurate or unfair reviews.

[Janine-And-Allan0]

The skewed statistical bias re starring plus general weighting in guests' favour does lead to a more defensive approach for us as hosts!

I have spoken to Airbnb many times and simply get told that as a host I have the final say in the public reply. 

 Some expectations/demands of guests are excessive.

[Susan191]

Thank you for your response.

I do know that at the timed day 14 disclosure of the review that it hadn't instantly resulted in the loss of my being Super Host, but my verbal expressed recognition was because of the resultant soon to be Super Host status loss based on the fact of the timing of the October 1 Super Host evaluation in less than two weeks, it takes 15 five star reviews to undue the damage of a three star review. 

As l am certain that you know, l have been a Super Host for eleven times in a row. I will lose this honor based on a Guest blaming me for her allergic pet illness experience when my Airbnb listing for five and a half years has stated that our family lives in the house above the Airbnb and that pets are in the house. This Guest in her review instructed me to disclose that pets are on the premises when it was disclosed on our Airbnb profile posted on the site in 2014, right from the start of my membership in Airbnb. It appears from this Guest review that she has a serious pet allergy that requires medication and her stay necessitated the need to go out and procure medicine. Had l known in advance l would never have permitted her booking, and in addition had l been told in her active stay l would have immediately contacted Airbnb for help and to have her leave our Airbnb immediately. With a serious medical issue such as a serious pet allergy it is the responsibility of a person to read an Airbnb profile. It is apparent that this Guest didn't read our Airbnb profile, nor did she contact me to ask if our house has pets. She stated in her review that she was surprised that there were pets and that it should be stated in the Airbnb that there are pets. Based on her allergic reaction, a trip to procure medicine, her seeming apparent anger and resentment that pets were not disclosed on the Airbnb profile although of course in fact false, compelled her to leave a review on check-out day, as soon as it was possible to leave a review, and a three star review. I was not notified of her having a medical allergic reaction where I could have had a chance to contact Airbnb and request that the Guests vacate the Airbnb. I have in effect been punished by the Guest for no wrong doing on my part, and in fact accused of not disclosing on our Airbnb profile that there are pets and in effect blamed for the Guest's medical crisis. And the Guest's choice to take out her medical crisis experience on the Host by leaving as early as possible low star review has resulted in my loss of being a long time Super Host. The damage to my business is sickening and that her unfair review can not be removed exacerbates her punishment.

[Mina110]

Karen962 I don't know how to block am only 2 months member, when I wrote myself in the platform I chose to to share my home and don't leave from it as I do. We are in the middle of the summer if I don't book now it is over.

For 2 guests is exhausting to take all my stuff and especially my children to live  in other place then back at home and again

[Karen962]

If I understand your comment Mina, a solution moving forward is to block her permanently. She won’t see your listing and will not be able to book your place. I have done that with a few people who I just don’t want to have back .... 

[Mina110]

Everyone like taking reviews, as a new member I had a guest which never writes about nobody and she leaved night 3am without saying nothing. I just fund the morning sms about where she left the key. In a few days am waiting another one and I saw she gonna make the same 1am ,i m sending her messages and don't respond.

Well for a few monay and already know that she will stay in my home for her vacations and without leave any review

What you gonna do?? If I cancel her the bad is me for Airbnb

[Carmen-and-Ben0]

Have not seen the impact from this policy. It seems to me that this is just good PR and has not been used at all by Airbnb.  

The reps who work at Airbnb are not even aware of the rules. For example, I called on two different reviews.

One guest was in violation of a Miami-Dade city and county law, so I asked the guest and Airbnb to indemnify me if an issue arose.

The guest decided to leave the unit, cancel his reservation  and punished me with a bad review.

I contacted Airbnb, they turned my claim over to their "legal team" and stated that someone would call me back. They never called me back.

I called four different times to follow up on the matter. It was always with their legal team and they would get back to me. Its been four months, that review cost me Superhost status for this quarter. WORST PART IS THAT AIRBNB STILL HAS NOT CALLED ME BACK.

Another guest arrived with a very bad attitude and was cursing and arguing as he arrived. Before reaching and entering his assigned unit, I asked him to calm down and reminded him that we had other guests on the property. HE became even more angry. At that point I offered him a full refund and contacted Airbnb to cancel his reservation. Airbnb allowed this guest to give me a review. Of course it was 1 Star and full hatred towards us and our home. This person never entered the unit, his review even states it. Airbnb was going to look into it and call me back in ONE HOUR, just the airbnb legal department on the prior review, they did not call me back as promised.

A day later I followed up and was told that the review could not be removed.

[Lorna112]

Are you a host looking to visit the Orlando Disney Universal area?  https://www.airbnb.com/hosting/listings

[Peta7]

While reading the Terms of Service stating: 

"10.1 ..... Ratings and Reviews are not verified by Airbnb for accuracy and may be incorrect or misleading."

: we wonder; why all the fuss if reviews are branded as "possibly incorrect or misleading"in this document? Perhaps this clause should be displayed in bold next to the Review column?

and we continue reading:

"10.2 Ratings and Reviews by Guests and Hosts must be accurate and may not contain any offensive or defamatory language......."

Are we reading this clause stating: "....must be accurate AND may not contain...."  right. If so why are all the provable untruths allowed to be posted by the platform owners and their agents and why is the "accurate" part being ignored by all?

[Neil149]

You are exactly right!

[L51]

Reviews are weaponized when the guest may have an axe to grind. Recently, the booking guest felt it was okay not to pay for additional guests. I marked comments N/A. Then simply answered: Would not rebook. Recontacted Airbnb and within 5 days, the guest paid up. I left the guest no room to write a snarky response. A small item was left behind. Usually, I’ll call my guests and offer to mail such items.

Verbal/written confrontations are not a win-win. The old adage ‘speech is silver: silence is golden’ worked for me.