Unfair reviews

[Zandra0]

I have to say I am starting to get really upset with Airbnb and the lack of protection it offers to hosts from guests with unreasonable expectations.

I recently had guests stay for four days with next to no English. Even using google translate was hard as it didn't really translate particularly well and I was often scratching my head as to what my guest might have meant.

This guest ignored my advice to eat before checking in, insisting they would check in immediately. They arrived at 10.30pm, checked in and then asked where they could eat. Out of kindness I made them chicken sandwiches and crisps.

Then we had god awful weather and they bought a cheap umbrella which broke. They then used my umbrella and swapped their broken one for mine...checking out with my umbrella and obviously hoping I wouldn't notice the swap. I did and immediately raised the issue.

In the meantime the guest write a review with the usual insipid meaningless comment while in the background knocking stars. He gave me a three overall in particular noting under accuracy that the property and room was small and not as expected.

I'm absolutely fuming and angry that I have to accept this review despite clearly noting in the description and in pictures what is available.

Airbnb say it's the guests opinion and therefore valid. I find that totally ridiculous. So can I book a cheap room and then when it isn't the Hilton rate it one star? This whole situation with reviews is ridiculous and guests clearly know how to dupe the system.

[Valerie138]

What happens if I don't leave a review but guest does.  Will I see it?  

[David126]

Yes

[Valerie138]

Thanks so much David!  Valerie

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Valerie138 always trust your dog's instinct  🙂

[Valerie138]

It's the first time they did not like someone so it did worry me but he did leave early and I refunded him the two nights he had left.  Valerie

[Rhonda11]

hi @Valerie138

I would definitely leave a review in this type of situation.  Reviews are for the benefit of other hosts, and also to protect your own reputation/rating.  If ANYTHING less than stellar happens during the guest experience, it is worth writing about.  

Maybe in this case, you could write 'unfortunately perhaps this guest was not a good fit with my home, since my normally friendly dogs did not take a shine to him! ( So sorry (guest's name) that your stay did not go as hoped.)  We mutually agreed to end his stay early and I willingly refunded the 2 night's fee.'

As a host and as a guest, I think it's important to show that if things are not perfect, you are flexible and willing to work things out.

[Valerie138]

Hi @Rhonda11:  Thank you so much..well written!  I did do a review and did a public response to his review and putting it behind me now.  Had a new guest book the 2 days and he was wonderful.  The dogs loved him and they were super friendly ...that got me over it!  I hope the review he left does not hinder me getting guests in the future.

[Josipa2]

Valerie, with all best intentions of my comment, as an Airbnb super host for 3 years and a pet owner, I would advise you to give a little bit more attention and care to the guest's safety and comfort and try to have a control on the situation where your dogs are aggressive with the guest. You should not allow your dogs to scare guests and you should know nobody would like to stay at your house in this uncomfortable situation. If you want to keep doing Airbnb and making a profit out of it, you should put an extra effort for your guests by doing anything in your power to stop your dogs going mad on the guest. The mentality "The guest must have provoked my precious dogs and therefore I am not sorry nor will I do anything to correct my dog's behavior" - is not suited for a successful people loving Airbnb host. 

It just seems to me that the mentality "The guest must have provoked my dogs and therefore I am not sorry nor will I do anything to correct my dog's behavior" - is not suited for a successful, people - caring Airbnb host. 

[Valerie138]

Regarding your comments 

"The guest must have provoked my precious dogs and therefore I am not sorry nor will I do anything to correct my dog's behavior" - is not suited for a successful people loving Airbnb host. 

It just seems to me that the mentality "The guest must have provoked my dogs and therefore I am not sorry nor will I do anything to correct my dog's behavior" - is not suited for a successful, people - caring Airbnb host."

I really appreciate your reaching out to me, however the above is not at all how I felt, in fact it is the opposite.   I bought bark collars for both dogs as soon as he told me about the barking and let the guest know that I am working on correcting this so it won't happen again.  He said he was uncomfortable around the dogs and will be leaving so I offered to give him a refund.  

[Valerie138]

Absolutely..he must have done something to get the dogs upset.  Thanks

[Robin4]

@Valerie138 

I do have to agree with @Josipa2 on this one Valerie. We are the owners of a dog and she always barks to let us know when guests arrive but that's the end of it, once she has done her job she gets on well with everyone! But if a guest felt uncomfortable with the dog around I would immediately have the dog stay with another family member or a neighbour for the duration of the hosting. Dogs do sense when someone feels uncomfortable around them and no matter what sort of 'litle angels' you think yours may be the most placid of dogs can become aggresive if they feel threatened.

I can tell you now Valerie, if one of those treasures bit a guest and it went to court you would have judgement awarded against you. It's not up to a stranger to like your dogs, its up to you to control them!

As far as a review is concerned, you don't have to write one, you won't have the right to respond to his review with a public response if you don't write a review but on looking at your profile you did give the guest a review, and quite a dignified one. But reading your public response undid all the good work you did with your review. You came across as agressive and blamed the guest for your shortcomings! Guests are entiteled to expect a safe, smoke-free environment....and if you can't provide that, please don't blame the guest. That response of yours did not do you any favours all Valerie, try to remember that in future.

Cheers.....Rob

[Kathy105]

You can only get a review from a guest once you write one for them.     It's unreadable if you don't review them also.     

[Valerie52]

Sadly it's not the case that if you don't leave a review as a host , the guest review will not get published . 

The guest review WILL get published

[Mary348]

Thats the thing about reviews being double edge swords. They make hosts vulnerable. So do we have to go all out, bend over backwards to please guests just so that we dont get bad reviews? 

Where do you draw the line? 

I dont want to worry about unfair reviews but I do. I feel unsure what rules to set or if I should accomodate a guests requests if Im not keen to.

[Robin4]

@Mary348

Mary the review system is heavily weighted towards the guest. You have to remember that from Airbnb's point of view 5 Star is the default setting....anything less requires improvement! But Airbnb are now asking guests to be critical of their hosting experience and they seem to be trying to solicit negative comments from guests.

The only way we can fight back is by printing out our 'Stats' sheets and showing guests what anything less than a 5 star will do to the host....I know, it sounds like we are trying to influence our guests and the way they will review us, but Mary, if we don't, Airbnb will, so we have to fight our battles on any fronts we can!

Cheers.....Rob