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. 

[David126]

I agree with Wendy, too long.

In no particular order:

1. I hate the review system but I also hate the reminders so do it to be done
2. First thing my Guests seem to ask is the WiFi details, and I am in the back of beyond.
3. Most seem to navigate using their phones. Many seem lost without them.
4. ABB is Internet based.
5. If you are on the Grand Tour and you are the Guest from hell you know you can skiip the reviews and nothing will catch up with you for 14 days.
6. One of the other reasons I try and do them within a day or so is that I may end up mixing up Guests, pretty sure I have done it in the past.
7. I usually do them in batches, and I do like to sort of personalise them if I can, impossible after 2 weeks, unless they were somehow very noticable.

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

@David126,

I agree with every single thing you listed.

[Dixie7]

Totally agree with you Wendy & Frank and as far as I'm concerned, 14 days is too long. I'd rather see it at 7 days. Get it over and done with instead of trying to second guess whether the guest is going to review you or not (I know not everyone does this but I'm learning to). Quite frankly, I'm getting mighty tired of reviewing guests and not getting one in return. Even a note of thanks would be nice. I'm finding myself waiting to see if the guest reviews and if, after 5 days they haven't, I'm tending to give them a less than 5 star review because I consider they're being discourteous. Recently I allowed the guests to extend their stay by 6 hours and they didn't even have the decency to msg me when they were checking out and not a word of thanks and no review. There's really no excuse, guests can review while they're travelling. From my experience, they have no trouble messaging while travelling prior to their stay, asking questions about this, that and the other. So why should that be any different.  If it took them the full 14 days to review, they've probably forgotten what their experience was really like anyway. On the other hand, I guess the 14 days gives the host time to sit on it and perhaps cool down a bit before reviewing a guest, especially if they've had a bad experience. Having said all that, I know a lot of hosts won't agree with me, but I favour a 7 day review period.

[Linda149]

But your status is also affected if you have a number of guests not leaving a review!

A reminder to both guest AND host about the forthcoming expiry is all that is needed. Won't help those without internet access but would pick up quite a few (accidental) missed deadlines.

AIRBNB should also make it clear that not leaving a guest review could detrimentally affect the host status.

This is a message i got after an expired deadline

"Oh dear! I’ve been on the move since our walk along the Dalesway—I didn’t realise there was a review deadline. So sorry—you were amazing! I’ll write to them to ask for exception. Thank you so much for being brilliant. Thanks for being a truly excellent host. Warm Regards"

[Jonathan359]

This is the response I received from AirBnB:

"Sorry to hear the window to leave a review has expired for you. It closes at local checkout time of the host on the 14th day from checkout, at no time is it advertised as the end of your local day. Regretfully, it is not possible to reopen this window once closed.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/995/

As the link above shows, AirBnB has become quite stringent on this as a matter of policy. You can read more about the rationale behind that policy here:

http://blog.airbnb.com/building-trust-new-review-system/

You can, however, offer to write the host a reference if he or she will extend the invitation to you. It will function much like a review and be visible on the host's profile page. Details on that here:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/173

Just message the host to explain via your Inbox.

Hope that gives you a viable option to pursue!"

I tend to agree more with the OP. I think AirBnB is being overly restrictive. I like the idea of holding reviews until both are able to read them at the same time, so that reviews are less biased based on what the other person said. However, I think everyone is different and some people are able to belch out words right away on their smart phone while they are traveling, while others might need a little more time to construct a nice response and want to take the time to do so.

This was the case for me. I knew in the back of my mind that it was due in 2 weeks, but I had tight travel plans that did not offer me sufficient time. When I returned home I started leaving a review and actually SAVED it in the system. However, when I returned to complete the review today the 14 days had just expired today and my saved review was deleted from the system. I wanted to leave a review in both English and Spanish, so that required me more time to think about what I was going to say since Spanish is not my first language. 

In regard to AirBnB's reasoning for the policy. Who care's if 90% of people respond in two weeks? Last time I checked we're humans, not robots. Stopping using arbitrary data to make arbitrary decisions. I'm positive that AirBnB probably saves some money by restricting the deadline so that they don't have as much data to store on their data base (cloud). And they're moving more toward automation to save on costs, at the expense of their customers. Automation is not good for customer interaction and review processes.

Also, If someone's not going to respond, they're not going to respond regardless of whether it's 14 days or 5 months. Too long is relative. It may be too long or too short for you, but not for others.

As a potential solution that makes both sides happy, why doesn't AirBnB send a message asking if you want to extend the review period? Or add a button asking if you want to extend the review period on their webpage? Then you could click on the button to extend if you know that you want to review and the deadline is quickly approaching (and it's easier than having to write a review right that instant). People that never intended to leave a review would never click the button or ask for an extension so the 14 day window would run out like normal. Instead they've put the impetus on their customers to fill out references instead of just letting us extend the review time. AirBnB's review process is not well thought out currently and has aggravated me enough that I'm less likely to use them in the future for my travel needs.

[Frank-And-Angela0]

"... at no time is it advertised as the end of your local day."

Yes, I've have that assertion made. But no support person has ever been able to show that it IS advertised as 336 hours from checkout. And even then, on that 330th or so hour, the review can still be refused.

[Simone937]

I just tried to use the option of writing a reference for a host as my 14 day review period has expired which @Chris324  is, you’re right, too short and to all those who don’t find it a problem, well, bully for you and how exactly does it hurt you if the deadline is extended? Why can’t you simply respect that it’s a valid grievance for some even if not for you? I’m so sure that you have grievances that are no problems at all for others. And to those doing reviews in batches? How much hosting do you do, side hustle much? 

But I digress, Airbnb has removed the public visibility of references so this option is no longer an option. 

Even if you just must at all draconian cost keep at 14 days for reviews at the very least allow a public comments sections where those of us who miss the 14 days for the absolutely valid reasons already listed, for me it’s because I’m overworked and underpaid and the moment I returned from my much needed and affordable retreat (thanks to a top-notch host), I had no time at all to actually be thoughtful in a review. So yay, 14 day deadlines for one line, slip-shot reviews. However for us who are more thoughtful, or away internet or cell reception, or are busy, allow a public option where we can post a... call it a... comment (novel idea, right?) to a host’s profile page. Since comments are posted after the 14 days, after one of the parties, host or guest can see the other’s review and somewhere there’s data and research that says that visibly reduces accuracy of the review, since some of replies here give that as justification for the 14 day deadline, the host and guests can select to hide comments for their profile.

Wow, look at that, a solution. Reached when grievances are given credibility. With a little intelligence all factors can be satisfied.

[Alon1]

@Simone937 

Please peruse my contribution to this thread on 04-08-2019 10:19 AM

You'll see that the Review period used to be 30 Days. I can't recall the date the system changed, but it did so after Airbnb surveyed Hosts & Guests, and made a decision to cut it to 14 Days.

For better or worse that's the way it's been since. 

Consequently, if you wish to have it changed again, you need contact Airbnb with your suggestion of time-frame & proposal they carry out a new survey to see if there are enough customers who wish to change.

[Dhanushri0]

Recently, we had a great guest-host experience with some guests from Austria who visited our B&B in Sri Lanka on their backpacking trip. They promised to leave us a review when they reached Austria, but the 14-day review period had just passed by the time she sat down to write it. They were very disappointed by it, as much as we were.  

We do get reviews from our guests a majority of the time and I would say the Airbnb review system is more successful than all the other hosting sites I use. Also, the Airbnb reminders are really useful for me to leave reviews for all my guests. 

However, I think a small extension on the review period to either 21 or 28 days might be helpful in cases like mine. Backpackers are often traveling for longer periods of time than the average tourist, plus they stay in many Airbnbs during their trip with an average of about 2 nights per place. I think given the limited Wi-Fi they have in countries like Sri Lanka, it would be fair to assume they they don't want to spend the tired nights of their holiday, checking emails and reviewing all the places they stayed in. This is something they may appreciate doing selectively after they've reached home and are looking back through their amazing trip photos, etc!

And for those guests and hosts who do not wish to leave a review after a few reminders - Airbnb could consider having a (no questions  asked) "Stop sending me reminders" button, or something to that effect because not everyone will appreciates it.

I think the Airbnb experience for guests and hosts is more casual, personal and enjoyable, than many other hosting sites that just showcase facilities and have a "make a reservation" button. It also treats guests and hosts on an equal level such as allowing hosts to review guests and allowing guests and hosts to share personal details which humanise us (rather than make it a formal hotel-and-tourist business transaction). Sometimes a review is the only way Airbnb guests and hosts who had a great experience can express their gratitude and thanks after a memorable trip (and conversely, offer feedback on negative experiences).

Reviews are a crucial part of the feedback loop which works in favour of Airbnb's success. So I hope Airbnb will consider extending their review period of 14-days in future. 

[Matthew285]

@Dhanushri0, I understand what you are saying. There are a lot of people who are on extended trips that will not be near a computer or internet within 14 days.

I think the reason they have settled on 14 days is because there is also a group of people who would like the review window to be shorter.

A lot of times in this Community we hear stories of guests or hosts having horrible experiences with either a bad host or bad guest. They want to warn the community as soon as possible. They post a review outlining why people should avoid this certain host or listing, or that certain guest. Then they wait.... and the review does not appear. Why? Because the bad host or guest is not writing a review, and so the warning will not appear until the review window has closed. The person hoping to warn people waits and waits and waits. 14 days is a long time when other guests or hosts are potentially being ripped off or taken advantage of.

Now imagine they extend the review window. Now your desperate warning to other AirBnB guests or hosts is not going to be published for 28 days. Why? Seriously? How many people actually can't get to a smart phone or computer for 14 days? Are there really that many people who would write a review after 14 days but before 28 days? Is it worth the wait?

So AirBnB is trying to balance the interests of the people who want a short window, and people who want a long window. They have settled on 14 days.

[Dhanushri0]

You made a good case, Matthew 🙂

[Sammy35]

BEWARE ITS NOT ACTUALLY 14 CALENDAR DAYS.  at any point ON the 14th day the review period can and will shut down and be gone forever to never be reopened (even though there was user support ability and functionality for that back in the past). 

i don't normally wait that long, though i understand how other people need more time, but the one time i did, on purpose, it disabled review ability at some point BEFORE THE END of the 14th day.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE RECOGNIZE THAT ITS REALLY ONLY 13 DAYS CAUSE AT ANY MINUTE, SECOND, HOUR THAT REVIEW IS GOING TO CLOSE BEFORE THE END OF THE 14TH CALENDAR DAY.  i thought maybe it was at the exact time noted in the checkout.  i was told it could have been anywhere from 8am to 12pm and then i was told, by the EXACT same person, that it might even go on UTC time in which case i would have been Fd no matter what.

i could not get a straight answer from "support" who acts like they want to help but when push comes to shove, they have such limited ability to receify a sitation, which makes all the customer service orientation garble even more condescending.

when i pointed out the help page article no one could explain why it is documented in a way that makes you THINK you have till the end of the checkout calendar day.  YOU DO NOT

no one could tell me when it shut down.  i guess its just some magical nebulous act of  "god"

when i asked for them to query the development team, technical specs functional specs, and get back to me as to when the business rules has that shut down, i was deferred and sidetracked.  the answer is no:  we don't know and we're not going to find out.  we're perfectly happy with the way the help page content is worded.

i do IT/systems specs debugging test scripts UAT roll outs training content user aids and documentation for a living.  what happend today and in the call??...its just wrong.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/13/how-do-reviews-work?q=reviews

[Alon1]

@Sammy35 

I'm sorry to have to correct you, it is precisely 14 Calendar days. At least as I've experienced it for many years, and I can't imagine it's different for anyone else.

I host in London, and the request to review appears in the afternoon of the day of Guest departure, around 3-4pm. 

I have on occasion waited till the 14th day to Review, and waited till close to cut off point, meaning early afternoon. 

[Chris324]

Purely to avoid topic drift, the core subject being debated in this thread relates to whether Airbnb's policy for leaving reviews within a 14 day period is appropriate - ie. some users believe this is insufficient, others believe this is too long a period. Respectfully, it may be worth starting a new thread to consider marginally different (and moot) points relating to whether Airbnb's enforcement of that time-limitation policy (on the 24th hour of the 14th day) is applied consistently.

Apologies in advance if anyone takes unintended offence at this observation.

[Matthew285]

@Sammy35 

the actual deadline (from personal experimentation) has been (for me) exactly 14 days from the minute the email is sent to you asking you to review the guest.

(You can check the timestamp of the email to see when it was sent.)

If you do not have access to that email, you can always look at the reservation information page. When a review is pending, it should have a countdown message at the top, saying you have "x days" to post a review. On the last day, the countdown message should change to hours, and then to minutes remaining.