Damage Claim = Bad Review??

[Pamela853]

Anyone out there have advice on how to handle the occasional damage claim and NOT receive a bad review?

I almost always absorb damage as basic wear and tear (especially when guests notify me of the damage). I have filed 2 damage claims in over 100 guests hosted, but both times guests who noted what a 'lovely stay' they had at check out, ended up leaving poor reviews once I requested reimbursement for damage.

I frankly don't care about the written portion of a review, that can be responded to, but the low star ratings take ages to recover from. Think I've had 73 reviews- 71 are 5 star, 2 with less (a 2 and 3).  The 2 lower star reviews were for the stays with damage claims. So, my thinking is 'file a claim, get a bad review'.

Recently, I found myself calculating how badly a low star review would affect my ratings before I filed a claim-the guest was so aggravating (indignant at a request to return antique glass items she had taken from the house (her toddler had "enjoyed" playing with them and wanted to keep them)-literally got a message that I shouldn't have things in the house I minded being taken -(????)- and figured I'd take the hit (had to replace a urine soaked mattress -I double wrap with thick pad and waterproof protector, but it was still soaked through). Guest insisted her 3 year old would never wet a bed, it must have been like that before they checked in. The why of the claim isn't the issue, it is the struggle around the fairness of getting reimbursed for damage weighed against the ratings hit.

Any chance Airbnb has considered removing star ratings when there are damage claims? Seems like if you have to go to the trouble of making the claim (instead of a guest offering to pay for damage up front), the star rating inevitably reflects the guest's irritation at being asked to pay for damage rather than an honest reflection of the stay. Airbnb makes so much ado around the Host Guarantee, but the review system seems to intimidate hosts from making claims. I get needing to be realistic and accept minor breaks and spills as a part of business expenses, and not filing frivolous claims, but... when guests cause damage outside of norm, it feels unfair a host risks a ratings loss if they file a claim.

So curious how other hosts handle this dilemma. Trying not to be a slave to the  ratings, but... the system is irksome.

[Anonymous]

@Pamela853  No, it's by design that hosts are discouraged from making damage claims by fear of low ratings. Your risk/reward calculation has to factor in the inevitability of a bad review. No way around it.

That said, that particular nightmare guest is going to leave a bad review anyway, so there's nothing to lose. 

[Pamela853]

Thanks Andrew- sort of figured the intent was to discourage hosts from making claims. It honestly helps thinking about it in this manner, though. Can just stop fretting, and run that risk/reward calculation when needed. Very much appreciate your input, thank you!

[Huma0]

@Pamela853 

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the guest was so aggravating (indignant at a request to return antique glass items she had taken from the house (her toddler had "enjoyed" playing with them and wanted to keep them)-literally got a message that I shouldn't have things in the house I minded being taken -(????)- and figured I'd take the hit (had to replace a urine soaked mattress -I double wrap with thick pad and waterproof protector, but it was still soaked through). Guest insisted her 3 year old would never wet a bed, it must have been like that before they checked in. 

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Whatever you decide to do RE the damage claim, make sure to leave this guest a 1* review. The 3-year-old might have caused the damage, but she's the one that's behaving like a brat. Stealing = 1* for house rules. Urine soaked mattress = 1* for cleanliness. Dishonesty and extremely entitled attitude = 1* for communication. 

[Pamela853]

Ha you nailed this one- just a shockingly entitled guest (her bio is a hoot, a monologue of personal adoration- she rewrote it I think in an effort to off-set the review I left (as had I read that at the start would have seen the entitlement from a mile away and declined the reservation). I wimped out and didn't rate her that low (as in other respects she followed rules, made obvious efforts not to cause damage) and I thought the 'theft' and bed-wetting were accidental, she just got really defensive after the fact. Written review was not kind though, and fair waring to other hosts. 

But it seems all guests tend to have 5 stars regardless of what is written in the reviews, so not sure if those are really calculated? And in re-reading her reviews, I realized she had only one of the ten posted, all the others were for her husband, so Airbnb merges profiles to boost review count.

I've learned to never rely on star ratings and to step up and write the reviews that may create backlash out of respect for other hosts.

But thank you so much for your input- it is so wonderful to have this input!

[Huma0]

@Pamela853 

Perhaps you were generous with the star ratings but I think you did a good job of the review. It's fair and factual. You also come off well to future guests in your response to her review.

RE the ratings, well it depends. The system is much more generous towards guests than hosts in this respect as A.) even a 1 or 2* rating is not going to make much of a dent if the guest already has a bunch of 5* ones. B.) it's rounded up to the nearest half point, e.g a 4.7 is going to show as 5.0. However, if a guest doesn't have any or many previous reviews, a low rating is going to show up. The problem is, it's not difficult for a guest then to delete that profile and start a new one every time they get a bad review, which is another explanation why some bad guests have 4.5 or 5.0*

I don't think Airbnb merges reviews to boost review count. If the person is a named guest on the booking, i.e. the guest who makes the booking links the additional person's profile, then the review will show on both profiles, but it will state that the person was part of a group booking. I think this is a good thing because, if they behave badly, it will show on both profiles. Otherwise, the other spouse could request to book and you'd never know there had been a problem... Also, it gives the host the opportunity to see the profile of both guests prior to the stay. 

It seems to me that possibly your guest had not had any previous issues at airbnbs. You are the only review she has since 2019. Her kids are a different age now and were maybe infants or not even born when the other reviews were written. So, it's quite possible that all of her previous stays went smoothly and the hosts did not get to experience her bad attitude, which you only encountered when you brought up the missing items/mattress.

I've hosted guests who were all smiles and delighted with their stay until I mentioned something they had damaged or some rule they had broken and then they suddenly they switched to hostile, rude, complaining and none of these people were asked to pay for the damage. Unfortunately, it seems a lot of people just won't take responsibility for their actions or they think they can do no wrong and are in some sort of denial. 

[Huma0 · Accepted solution]

@Pamela853 

Anyway, RE your original question, I've not tried this myself, but a lot of hosts say to wait before putting in a damage claim or even mentioning it to the guest. It used to be that you only had 24 hours or until the next guest check in (whichever was sooner) to report damage.

However, now you have 14 days to put in the claim, so you photograph/video and document everything, get quotes and invoices or gather receipts, whatever is appropriate, and wait to see if the guest leaves a review. Then, you put in the claim. If the guest hasn't left a review, you wait until close to the 14 day deadline so that they hopefully don't get a chance to leave a retaliatory review.

Like I've said, I haven't tried it and I do wonder if, even though Airbnb says we have 14 days, damage claims are more likely to be denied if they are not submitted earlier.

Of course, I agree that it would just be much better if Airbnb had a system in place to prevent or remove retaliatory reviews, but this is something we've been asking for for ages. The response was to increase the  period in which the host could submit a claim, which is better than nothing I guess.

[Pamela853]

Once again, @Huma0, I am in your debt. That is excellent advice re the damage claim.  Am quite confident had I waited, I would not have had the negative review. The last time I had filed a damage claim (in 2020), it had to be before the next guest checked in, so this is excellent news. But, I agree,  I do wonder if Airbnb would deny a claim submitted later. I'd feel a bit sneaky doing it that way, but, in real terms, the guest would be leaving a review based on the experience, not the claim, so this is EXCELLENT advice.

If I end up in this situation again, will give it a shot and let you know how it goes.

So very many thanks for all your time and input...and, so sorry to hear the Queen may not be doing well. Such a long reign and era....

With true thanks, pamela

[Huma0]

@Pamela853 

You are very welcome. And thank you for your kind words.

Here is the claims policy, just in case I have gotten anything wrong. As I mentioned, I haven't tried this 'technique' before. The only time I made a damage claim was a few years ago before they changed the timescales:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/279/host-damage-protection

[Pamela853]

Thanks so much, appreciate the link- yes, did a bit of research after reading your post. Airbnb notes that to make a claim we have to communicate with the guest "as soon as possible" after discovery of the damage, but within the 14 day time frame. So, I think you may be right, they may be inclined to treat the claim differently if we hold out. But I think it would be the shot to avoid the retaliatory review 🙂 Be well!

[Pamela853]

UGH...meant to vote your response as best response and accidentally hit my own. Deleted that, reposting here, but know you are much appreciated!

WOW @Huma0, you are AMAZING. I can't thank you enough for taking so much time to read the reviews, as well as put so much time and thought into this thread. Just...wow...and thank you.

It was my sense that this guest had been fine previously. She came across as very anxious (something like 17 messages with questions prior to check-in), and noted this was the first time she was travelling since the kids were born. My honest sense was that, though entitled, she wasn't a dishonest person, just at the very bottom of the learning curve when it came to travelling with toddlers. I also felt in some way partly responsible as we don't normally host young children (house just isn't set up for them), and made an exception (after much back and forth with her) that we shouldn't have. So, probably a lesson for us both.

Thank you so much for clarifying how the star ratings are averaged, as well as reviews for named guests. That makes complete sense now. Truly, by and large my guests have been great. It's just, you know, people. Every once in a while you run into difficult ones...

[Huma0]

@Pamela853 

You were trying to be kind to the guest, but these experiences can teach us that it's never a good idea to make exceptions to your house rules/booking parameters. You have chosen them for a reason. 

I've seen a few similar stories here on the CC where guests with young children stayed at a listing which didn't usually allow them (either because the host made an exception, or the guest never mentioned the kids when booking) and then complained in the review that the listing was not child friendly. Or, they started asking for all sorts of extra child-related amenities. Or, there was damage and the guest wouldn't take responsibility. 

I've had many requests in the past from people with kids and I always say no. It's just not going to work with how my home is set up. Many of those people tried really hard to convince me, but I stuck to my guns. There are other listings out there that would just be more suitable for them.

[Pamela853]

Thanks so much-have learned from this to just not make exceptions. Am curious.... Here in the US (California) we have to be really careful not to discriminate because of age, and only have a little wiggle room if there are safety issues. Do you have more latitude in the UK? I will think of you in the future every time I get a guest that pushes for an exception, and just say no 🙂

And, my heart goes out to you and all your nation at the loss of your Queen. She was a remarkable woman and deeply interwoven within the fabric of so many decades of history. Truly the end of an extraordinary monarch. My heartfelt condolences for this ineffable loss-

[Huma0]

@Pamela853 

Thank you for your condolences and kind comments. HM The Queen was our monarch for long before I was born, so it is very strange and I don't think has quite sunk in.

I am not sure RE the discrimination laws here in the UK, but I host rooms in my own primary residence, and the laws here are very protective in that situation, i.e. it is up to me who I do or don't share my home with. It may be quite different when it comes to renting out an entire unit where you don't live. Certainly the laws around tenants' rights are completely different depending on whether you live there or not.