Do I have to leave a review for unreasonable guest?

[Walee0]

Hi, I had a guest request for money refund and I already accepted because I don’t want this guest to leave bad review. I am new to airbnb host.

However I think she made unfair compliant of sheet smell but we checked after they left we couldn’t smell like she said. They booked for 2 night (around $400 inc cleaning). They asked $300 for refund. If she had contacted me on the night i could have managed to reset all beds for them  ( i live near them). 

Now I am having notificatons for leaving guests review. If I don’t leave a review, is it going to affect me in any way? My concern is ..if i leave bad review they will give me bad review as well. I just thought I paid $300 refund for continueing my business as I already invested a lot of money and i don’t want her review to interupt future bookings.

Thanks!
Walee

[Steve143]

Hello @Walee0,

Giving a refund to a guest doe not guarantee a good review. They can still leave a bad review.

They cannot see your review until after they leave a review for you. So they cannot leave a bad review just because they read a bad one from you.

Airbnb works on trust and reviews. Please leave an honest review for this guest. Otherwise they can keep doing the same thing to other hosts. Maybe their last host didn't leave them an honest review because he or she didn't want to. That could be why you now have to deal with this guest.

If you don't leave a review and the guest does, their review will appear on your profile and listing page 14 days after checkout.

Please leave an honest review so as other hosts can know what your experience was with them.

Steve.

[Ange2]

@Walee0   Yes, if they write a review it will be on your public page. There are many ways to write a negative review some hosts say "better suited to a hotel",  others "the guests stayed for xx nights" - red flags to hosts or just be factual and short and nothing personal and star accordingly with thumbs up or down for recommend.  You can also respond to their review when it becomes public. Factual, short and with an eye to selling your listing and professionalism to future guests instead of defending or attacking. Future guests will see that as a positive even if the review  is less than stellar. There are some posts on this forum with good tips on how to go about it. Here is one

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Tips-for-Writing-Response/m-p/710590#M167931

[Walee0]

Thanks @Ange2 for your advices. I have a lot of things to learn. It is really not easy as I thought ^^’

[Ange2]

@Walee0   Yes, and there are many pitfalls but fortunately there are many hosts who had laid out tips and how-to's on this forum to help us get through it.

Being a new host I don't know if you know this one, it has caught many a host off-guard.  Rule of thumb – NEVER CANCEL - even if a guest asks you to AND even if you get an email from airbnb asking you if you want to cancel, click NO or you will be penalized, 6 penalties apply including a fine of up to $100.  Even if you have IB  (free cancelation)  you must call Airbnb, you will be penalized if you try to do it via the site.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-reser...

Good luck!

[Walee0]

@Ange2 thanks for the advice. That is a very useful link for new hosts like me 🙂

[Walee0]

Thanks so much for this information. I thought they will see my review first. You are right! After I accepted her refund request I feel like a fool. I got 6 bookings so far and they all leave me 5 stars. I looked at her profile she joined airbnb since 2014 but no review on her profile. I will take this case for a lesson. Thanks @Steve143 !!!

[Walee0]

I am about to give the guest feedback as below. Pls feel free to advise. Thanks!

[XX]’s group left the house and then request for refund. She complained about musty smell for the beds and we respected her feedback. For the benefit of the doubt we decided to refund straight away but after investigation we did not  find that issue. However we still welcome [XX] in the future and will hand in the keys to make sure that everything is perfect in her perspective. 

[Letti0]

@Walee0  Do not state that you would welcome her back and you shouldn't. I'd actually report her. This guest has probably been doing this to hosts for basically free mini stays  or vactions since she joined in 2014. She scammed you. Period! Give her a thumbs down and stars accordingly. She obviously gets 1* for communication. Stick with the facts:

XXX and her group booked for 2 nights and stayed for both, never complaining about any issues.  After leaving she then requested a refund of $300 out of the almost $400 which included the cleaning fee she paid me for the rental because she stated there was a musty smell to the beds. We refunded her immediately feeling horrible about this, but upon investigation we did not find that to be an issue at all with any of the bedding. Unfortunately, I would not welcome this guest and her group again. 

[Walee0]

@Letti0 thank you very much for the message. She booked 2 nights but stay 1 night I guess. My husband woke up in the morning and saw her messgae sent around midnight. Then he quickly went there to check up early morning around 5am. They has already gone.  Actually I definitely not welcome her back but just trying to add something possitive as a welcoming host and avoinding her attact to my public listing. Maybe I am wrong. I will rewrite it and mix with your suggestion. Many Thanks  ^^

[Robert-And-Nancy0]

@Walee0

Yes, please take @Letti0 suggestion. These guests are not someone you would want back. Since they did only stay for 1 night maybe a small refund would have be okay but, since so many guests are starting to abuse the refund process with Airbnb it is frustrating. Future hosts should definitely be warned about this guest. As a host reading a review that Letitia suggested I would not feel comfortable having them in my apartment.

If she does post a negative review, then respond, but be short, respectful and point out the facts. It will appear under her review on your page and will help prospective guests make their decision.

[Walee0]

@Robert-And-Nancy0 Thank you for your comment. That was a mistake to accept her refund request but it will be a lesson to learn from here. 🙂

[Robert-And-Nancy0]

@Walee0

There are a lot of lessons to learn and we all make mistakes and learn from them.  It was over 2  years into hosting  before I found the Community.  I wish I had found it sooner.  When I did find it I read it for hours and still learned so much from fellow host.  After you get a few good guests this will be in the past.

Best of luck

[Walee0]

@Robert-And-Nancy0 thanks so much for your support. Cheers!