14 Day Deadline for Reviews

[Chris324]

Why is 14 days considered enough for reviews to be deposited?

What purpose does it serve Airbnb to be SO rigidly and unhelpfully strict about imposing a 14-day deadline for review submissions?

Travellers often move further along their itinerary and 14 days does not seem long enough to complete their journeys, settle back into their homes and catch up with whatever administrative matters they missed whilst away. A 30 or even 60-day period would seem a more reasonable time period to allow for this.

Additionally, why don't Airbnb send a chaser email 2 days before any such deadline expiry which makes it expressly clear that the ability to leave a review will forever forfeited? Many travellers are used to longer review-depositing periods, and so are unaware of Airbnb's strict (and somewhat-obsessively applied) rule. It would seem to be in everyone's interests - including Airbnb - for as many reviews to be 'captured'.

What a regrettable, disappointing  and frustrating attitude Airbnb seem to adopt. 

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

Can't say I've ever had a problem with the 14 day review period.  In the age of wifi and smart phones, it's easy to leave a review, even while traveling.

[Chris324]

Yours may not be an unreasonable standpoint, Cynthia & Chris, but the issue highlighted is not about measuring how well organised you are in your travels/feedback provision. The underlying issue is why do Airbnb feel the need to be SO rigid in PREVENTING (or at least refusing to accept) reviews after 14 days.

[David126]

Reviews do not go live until both parties have left their review ot the 14 days have passed. I think you missed this.

[Linda149]

Actually the review a host leaves a guest IS published even if the guest has not left a review. Seems very unfair

[Barb6]

@Chris324 .  As a traveller and a host I have had no problems getting the review done. I prefer to get it done and taken care of in just a few days myself. I can post a review on my cell so if I am traveling it is not a problem. If they waited that long(30 - 60 days), a person could stay at several more ABNBs and not have reviews that sometimes they need to stay. Also you are less likely to forget to do it if you do it with in 14 days. As far as a reminder e mail. I keep my email available until I have completed the review, then delete the reminder.

[Chris324]

Yours is also not an unreasonable standpoint, Brian & Barb, but the issue highlighted is not about measuring how well organised you are in leaving your feedback. The underlying issue is why do Airbnb feel the need to be SO rigid in REFUSING to accept reviews after 14 days. It's a reasonable point that people's memories will diminish over time, but again I emphasise WHY must Airbnb prevent any review being left after the 14 days? What difference is it to them? Finally, you sound like a seasoned/experienced traveller, but the point may be more applicable to those who do not travel so frequently or who come from cultures that are less experienced with leaving feedback. Although you could argue it is merely a flipside of the same coin, the issue is less to do with soliciting feedback from travellers and more to do with removing blockages to receiving feedback obstinately placed by Airbnb.

[Paul-and-Melissa0]

.... so agreed with you on the ridgidity of Airbnb about 14 days. Our guest was out of touch on arrival home for medical reasons and now punished for not reviewing within 14 days. An absurd restriction!

[Dixie7]

Totally agree Barb.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

While I agree its a bit of an arbitrary timeframe - about 95% of our guests give reviews. Those who don't probably never would. But I agree, what is the difference between say two weeks and three weeks?

[Chris324]

Thanks for the observation, Gerry & Rashid. 

Maybe it would be a perfect world if 100% of travellers left feedback, but the issue highlighted is less about measuring how well organised travellers/hosts are in leaving/soliciting feedback than it is about why do Airbnb feel the need to be SO rigid in REFUSING to accept reviews after 14 days. What difference is it to them (a point you seem to recognise)?

Thanks for the comment anyway.

[Helen3]

@Chris324 other hosts have already provided you with a good reason as to why BNB does this, which you seem to have ignored.

It's important to hosts to be able to see the reviews potential guests leave for other hosts and reviews that other hosts leave for the guests you might be considering.

A 2 or 3 month gap would mean that problem guests could happily book with hosts, without the hosts knowing that these guests could present difficulties for them.

There is no good reason to allow more than two weeks and every reason not to have a long review period.

If it makes you unhappy why not take it up directly with BNB.

[Chris324]

It seems presumptuous of you to suggest we have ignored anything or that you are somehow happier than others, Helen. It was not our intention to quote every by-law, benefit or Airbnb restriction as that would expand our initial narrative and potentially create a tediously lengthy explanation.

The point made about the helpfulness for hosts to be able to read reviews left by and about potential guests is well understood. This topic does not seek to challenge that. The more specific aim of this topic is to highlight how many reviews are being missed because of Airbnb's limitation to 14-days. Is it really the case that the vast, vast majority of Airbnb hosts are able to boast review volumes at near to 100% or is there not room for improvement? Maybe some earlier commentators are able to achieve supremely high success rates for review volumes. Bully for them. But, others do not. It doesn't seem unreasonable to question whether there's a better way to encourage and enable more travellers to leave reviews. What's highlighted by this topic is that there are at least a few hosts who:

a) question whether reviews are being 'lost' because travellers are unable to post their review before the 14-day deadline; and

b) believe there may be a better way to capture post-stay reviews - whether that's by extending the deadline or other ways.

We don't see the need to criticise others' opinions, especially when their objective is to improve the service offered to both hosts and travellers.

[David126]

This one of those things that I do not consider to be a big deal. Other things more so.

Starting point is should there be any time limit? Well if there is not then if you do not want to be reviewed then you just do not post your own review, too easy to game.

14 days is not unreasonable, if you want to warn other hosts or guests you could argue it is too long.

[Dee9]

I guess its all in the eye of the beholder because ive personally felt 14 days was too long! But thats just me.

I do however see the need for a deadline tho.