Airbnb's Hosting Standards

[Airmaintain0]

Does anyoine else feel that Airbnb's hosting standards are to strict? For example, we uploaded a property last week, first two reviews were 4 stars, (both reviews stating they had a good stay, it was clean, with no issues). If we get another 4 star review on that listing it will be paused. I am not advertising that I have a 5 star luxury apartment to rent so I don't feel I should be held at this standard. It is nearly impossible to please everyone these days, especially in 

hsopitality with so many different cultures, peoples and needs. Airbnb are leaving no room for error in an already stressful, 24/7 job.

[Linda108]

You are not the typical Air BNB host of a few properties as you are a professional listing manager with over 1400 reviews for 20+ listings.  So I wonder if this listing is qualitatively different than your other listings.  In my limited experience, guests give 5 stars when ALL their expectations are met and they perceive the listing may have exceeded the expectations.  Is that similar to your experience?

[Airmaintain0]

Hi Linda, it's across a few of our listings, not just one, I gave the above as an example. We don't personally meet guests, we try to keep up to date with all our messages and send them a PDF document with clear instructions and recommendations a couple of days before arrival. I am finding that if we don't let guests check in early, check out late, they will only leave 4 stars. This should not effect their stay as we give check in/out times on our listings, when possible we do accomdate early check ins/late check outs. If we somehow miss one message, we lose a star. Also, with the quantity of apartments we manage it is impossible to run it at 100%, we all make mistakes, we are only human, but guests don't seem to accept minor mistakes. We use other platforms as well as Airbnb, if we get an 8.2/10 on another booking platform we are rewarded, because it is not a bad rating. Bring that rating to Airbnb's platform 4.2/5 and your listing is near being paused. I just think the guests have all the control over us and if we don't bow down to every demand we lose a star or 2. 

[Gordon0]

I think it's a high expectation to run so many listings and imagine you can offer five-star ratings across the board. How can you possibly apply personal scrutiny to such an extensive estate? Four star means something's wrong, surely, and the would-be guest won't cut you much slack as they think they're dealing with a big outfit who can tick all the boxes, not a 'sole-trader' who puts everything on to their hosting.

Personally, I don't think multi-property managers should sit on the same page as the smaller fish. 

[Airmaintain0]

Hi Gordon,

Very good point regarding multi property manager having a different profile or set of rules. It is very hard to do the job we do. A lot of time goes into it. We are punished for every mistake, an example, if a cleaner forgets to clean an apartment and the guests arrive. They ring us stating it's not clean, we immediately send cleaners in and offer them a drink each on us in a nearby pub. These guests will 90% of the time leave 2/3 stars and slate us on a review, even though it was a honest mistake, and it was reticfied straight away. I do think it is impossible to hold a 5 star rating across the board on a number of properties. At the end of the day, we all make mistakes, it happens in every company, no matter what industry you are in. 

Also, guests receive instructions from us, they take it on themselves to check in early, say 1pm (a cleaner would not of got to the house at this stage). They call us saying the apartment was not cleaned, previous guests could of left a mess, first impression is not good. We let the guests know that check in is at 3pm, we will have the apartment ready for 3pm, this can also lead to a lower star review. This shouldn't be the case as we never stated we would have the apartment cleaned before 3pm.

I just think that Airbnb may scare away multi property agency like ourselves, it seems to be less demanding on other platforms.

Regards,

Sean.

[Ann72]

@Airmaintain0  You're saying that you should be allowed to manage more than 20 listings sloppily and not be marked down for that.

A real 5-star host would never miss a message or allow a cleaner to "forget" to clean.

If Airbnb's standards scare away sub-par hosts, that's a very good thing indeed.

[Airmaintain0]

@Ann72 

I never said they we sloppily manage properties, we are all human and so are our employees. If they do get something wrong we don't fire them, or ban them from work for a week. 

I guess I can't classify myself as a 'real 5 star host ' so. 

Regards,

Sean.