Drug using guests gave me a bad review

[Heather168]

I just had a guest leave who was kind of awful  He and his partner were smoking pot in and around my house the entire time and had been asked to stop.  They smelled up my house and I have a 6 year old in the home..  His car was parked strangely all around my block because he was also driving stoned around the neighborhood.. (which he said was too "suburban" for his taste).  They showed up early (at 12) from the airport despite the fact I had said my check in is at 3:00 (and had a check out same day) and then he had company over (I think a local drug dealer he found) and was up late watching the TV on high volume.  I have stated that my guests must be quiet and must not smoke in the house. I thought tobacco would be my only problem.  He was also running our electric heater all day and night despite the temp. being around 80 degrees.  So several times we knocked on the door to keep the noise down and quit the smoking and watch where he was parking and at the end I had to hustle them out the door an hour and a half after check out and now I am getting a bad review.  I actually gave them a good review ONLY to *not* have any repercussions.  I am now getting hit with a bad reveiw and I don't know what to do about this. Should I have contacted AirBNB while this was happening?  I am still pretty new and have only had a place listed for a few months.

[David126]

I assume most host would have asked the to leave, and dealt with AirBNb and the consequences once they had gone.

There are places near me that advertise themsleves as being 420 or pot friendly, I assume you are not.

Need to go and look at the review. You should have told it as it was for your review.

[David126]

It was a pleasure hosting Derrick and Travis. They were super easy going and kept the room in great shape. A+

Derrick's Review for Heather:

Heather was a great host, very nice and personable. She had a list of places in the area for out-of-towners. She was also readily available and any issues were quickly taken care of. The property was very nice. The private entrance and bathroom were very convenient and there was always a place to park on the street. The room got cold at night but there were heaters available. I really enjoyed my stay and would recommend others stay here as well.

From Long Beach, CA · March 2017  · 

 Response from Heather:

Re: Private feedback. Guests need to checkout when indicated so I can prepare for the next guest. Your late checkout (and smoking in the room) can cause delays. Retaliation to not following house rules with a low score is frowned upon by AirBNB.

The response seemed to be to something not mentioned in the review, I assume the star rating is the issue that upset you and I do not see anything you can do about that.

[Heather168]

That's right. It was the stars. Stars count more than the actul review and they lied and said that I gave them a late check in which is contradicted by the SMS text that show they were actually given keys 3 hours before check in. Then they checked out late

[David126]

I have not come across AirBnB removing a review due to the stars as the stars are subjective. If someone wants to be nasty then as long as the verbage is within bounds the star rating is the way to do it.

[Crustt0]

@Heather168, Actually heather the written review is way more important than the star rating, I can't really read a lot into a star rating, but the review says it all. Maybe you are not really suited to hosting?

[David126]

@Crustt0

I disagree.

Somebody gives me bad star rating then it impacts a very visible aspect of my listing and starts the automated AirBnB emails about how bay you have been. There is is the SH issue as well.

A review, well most people do not read them, scan then maybe, and once they drop down the list with new reviews then they effectively disappear.

[Vanessa-Lee0]

Hi I just got landed with a bad review (not drug related)  and my question is what is the best way forward.  Dropping your price or closing your listing and starting again seems to be the only way to get guests booking again.  Any one got any other ideas?.

[Bruce43]

@Vanessa-Lee0 hello and welcome to airbnb world of reviews,

dont worry about it.we cant please everyone.and cant suck up to a "jerk" guest for a good review.

it will get easier i turned off instant booking so i can interact the guest first.

also i bad review at first sucks but as you have more guests it wont effect your so called ratings

have a good week ps my wife has a cousin in taupo.........   

[Aimee10]

I think I may turn off my insta booking after a bad guest experience. Do you think it helped?

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

@Heather168  I dont understand WHY hosts choose to write a good review for a guest even though they were terrible guests.  BE HONEST - that is what the Airbnb community relies on!  If that same guest decided to book my room, I would read your review and go, "Great!  These people are going to be awesome guests" only to realize after they arrive they are actually terrible and inconsiderate.  Do your fellow hosts a favor and write HONEST, FACTUAL reviews. 

There are no repercussions to writing it like it is.  The review process is blind.  The guest cannot see what you wrote about them before writing their own review.  Just like you can't see what they wrote before you write your own.  There are no repercussions you need to fear!

[Heather168]

When I contacted AirBNB (yesterday) about the pot smoking, they said that even if I had contacted them *while this was going on* it would be my word against thiers unless I was able to provide some kind of evidence.  What I did provide to AirBNB was the transcript of the messages that are on their server which showed me asking them to keep it down, and to move their car, and that they were getting keys 3 hours before my stated check in time which contradicted their low star review comments . None of this was enough to get AirBNB to remove the retailiatory low star rating that they gave me due to their bad choice of location and value for their "spring break in the suburbs"

But lesson learned for sure. They did not deserve 5 stars.  I really didn't want future trouble with them and nothing was damaged (except a washcloth that looked like it had shoe polish on it) It could have been worse..

[Aimee10]

I just had guests come in and smoke pot inside the suite, leave their pot grinder and ashes on the floor, and then deny they smoke pot inside (I know what pot smells like I've smoked it many times myself in my younger years) but she gets to lie then write me a horrible review which she has alread turned in. I haven't written yet but will. I'm asking airbnb to remove her review as she broke my house rules, lied, left the pot on the table inside and now she gets to review???? This is flawed big time Air bnb! Any suggenstions airbnb has been notified with photos but I think they will do nothing. I have all 5 stars and on my way to superhost in July then this couple comes in and breaks the rules gets called out on it and now wants revenge. Flawed system and now I'm going to remove the insta book. I have had guests smoke but the go for a walk....so many walks around here its lovely. So mad!!! It still smells and I had guests come the next day...

[David126]

@Aimee10 How do you know what the review is if you have not wriiten one.

[Aimee10]

Hi David;

She wrote me a long winded essay about how she was going to write up how asking her to walk down the block to smoke offended her and made her feel uncomfortable. This was just me asking them as they smoked outside to just walk around the corner because this is an exclusive neighbourhood I'm sharing with guests and my neighbours would apprciate it. I was super nice and have asked others who smoke to do the same. They both said sure no problem we will. I also said and of course NO smoking iside the loft...yes they agreed. They left after 2 days (on a 4 night booking) with all their stuff then I texted after they didn't return and they lied and said they got lost in the mountains and had to stay elsewhere thanks for the hospitality but they were not coming back. This was a lie because they took all their stuff with them. I don't care but they never communicated and left the loft wide open. Then I walked in and it reeked of pot smell and this was 24 hours after they left.... the place was a mess and they left ashes (from a joint) all over the floor and their pot grinder sitting on the l/r table with pot still inside. She is mad that I have asked for a deep clean fee as I had to remove the washable sofa cushions and might have to steam clean the carpet. We had guests arriving the next day so we aired it out as best we could. I tell guests there is a beautiful walk along the river if they do want to smoke please just head there. I don't care about pot or judge I just want my rules respected! They were clearly broken any bozo can smell the pot and they can just lie then leave you a crappy review which she had told me she has done. I feel double screwed over!!! Once with the extra cleaning and time and now she gets to review? I've called into airbnb and they are reviewing it but I'm sure there is nothing they will do. I might take off my insta booking but not sure if that will help? Do you have any ideas you seem to know a lot...