Guest gives low stars but insists there was no problem

[Claire1328]

Guest stayed with me for a few nights.

There were a few issues I overlooked and did not mention in my review of him - eg he brought weed into the hosue which stank. I personally dont care. But other guest was complaining and surely it is rude to bring it into a shared home when he could have left it in his car. He left it in his room even after I mentioned the smell to him. Healso brought a tonne of frozen food, which he expected to cook (when it is stated in house rules that no cooking for short stays) I allowed it as he has dietary issues.

He was right up my behind during his stay and I thought no issues. He seemed like a decent nice guy. I overlooked the small issues and gave him a great review as I know he would have difficulty booking anywhere if I mentioned the weed (I did give him private feedbacl about not bringing it into shared homes as many people wont like it)

I get his review - he says "No problems. Served its purpose" but then slates me in star ratings - giving only three stars for most things and three over all (even though I had sent message explaining the star system and that anything below a 4.8 starts to be penalised as a failing listing with issues.

I contacted him (politely) to ask for feed back as to what went wrong and why I was given such low scores- he says nothing it was fine. I explained the star system again. He basically says thats unfortunate but this is his opinion . So he's basically said no issues and nothing wrong but then scored me as if there were some fairly serious issues.

There is nothing in his review I can come back with as he slated me int he stars, not the verbal review. 

1) Do you think I could get this taken down on basis of lack of information? Is ""No problems. Served its purpose"  is not giving guests enoug information to make a booking decision and does not match the stars he gave

2) The review was left a while ago and so I am running out of time to reply. If I cant get his review taken down is is best not not reply and take the hit with the stars?

I do wish to warn other hosts about this guy and his low stars that dont match his verbal review though  (as even the air review app would not have picked this guy up to warn other hosts as nothing in his verbal review to sound a warning)

"I am glad you found it served your purpose and had no problems. It is a shame therefore and I am a little confused as to why you you scored my listing so low in star ratings (three), even though I explained to you that anything less than 4.8 is  interpreted by airbnb as a failing listing. It is also a shame you brought your stash of weed into my house which smelt so strongly that the other guest who was staying complained which I did not mention in my review as I addressed this with you privately"

Probably, best not leave a response? It is making it worse? Is there anything I can do without making it worse? 

[Helen3]

I think better to move on. I can't see a reason why Airbnb would remove it and even if they did the rating would remain.

Please leave honest reviews of your guests - I would want this guest staying but there's nothing in your review that flag the issues you mention @Claire1328 

[Claire1328]

Thanks for your reply. The review for me was honest. For me there were no issues with the  food (I agreed to the food) I also did not personally have an issue with the weed and so did not wish to give him low stars or mention it in public review and gave him private feedback. I only mentioned it here I am annoyed as I was very accommodating of his food and weed and then i get this as thanks

The possible grounds for removed I feel is the review system is supposed to be for feedback so host and guest can improve and for host and guest to make a booking decision. If the guest is giving poor stars then the verbal review should give reasons why. So host can improve and future guests know what issues there were.  This guest claims no issues and yet doesnt give that as a rating with no public or private feedback as to why. In fact claims there isnt any feedback as everything was fine and no problems.

As nothing mentioned in verbal review as to why the low  stars I cant even reply to address anything.

I've lost superhost status because of this guy.

So the reply was more to warn other hosts that use air review plug in to screenguests who leave nit picking bad reviews but who may have five star reviews from hosts about this low star scoring guy. So,  other hosts dont  accept based on pleasant verbal reviews and then slammed in stars that affect their business. 

I agree thoughI cant say anything without making it worse, so I will not reply - which is what I feel he does deliberately with his reviews to get around the system

I have contacted customer services and maybe they will do something. Maybe as you say they wont. But if they dont then i have not lost anything

[Kate867 · Accepted solution]

@Claire1328   Airbnb will not take that review down and you cannot now amend your review as both will be published.  Any response you make to his review of you  will be seen by your future guests and not his future hosts so this is where you need to be careful as his written review is not bad and your guests will not see how he rated it.  In your position I would not reply at all.

[Claire1328]

Thanks for you response. I will not reply I agree. Reason for considering it is there is a plug in called air review that I use and other do others that I use to screen guests who get good reviews from hosts but then give a lot of nit picking reviews - it often happens that they get five stars and then slam places as they have done in this instance .

My reply was more to warn other hosts that even air review plug in isnt going to pick this low star scoring guy up. So,  other hosts will get pleasant verbal reviews and then slammed in stars.

I have contacted air bnb customer service though (see above repy as to why I may be in with a chance) Maybe they will do something. Maybe as you say they wont. But if they dont then i have not lost anything

[Huma0]

@Claire1328 

Sadly, I think it's highly unlikely that Airbnb CS will remove his review. It doesn't violate the content, nor review policy, not even on the 'relevance' count. That's more when someone writes something that has nothing to do with the listing, e.g. "Traffic is really bad in this town and the restaurants are expensive." 

Also, if you read the review policy, it clearly states that Airbnb does not mediate regarding the accuracy of a review. They will most likely tell you that it is "the guest's experience" - their standard response.

If you think it's worth a shot, then go for it. Like you said, you've got nothing to lose.

In terms of the response, I get what you are saying RE AirReview, which is something that I also use, but I would absolutely not post that response if I was you. While a few hosts might see it (from what I've read here on the CC, most hosts don't even know about it, let alone use it), your potential future guests will and that is the audience you should have in mind when writing a response. 

Those guests can't see the star ratings this guy left and his review doesn't say anything negative. It is surrounded by lots of good reviews, so doesn't really stand out, and will soon be buried under more. 

I know the rating really hurts, especially when it scuppers your chances of Superhost this assessment, but you will get achieve it as, luckily, as long as you vet guests, this type of low scorer doesn't come across too often. I would definitely just let it go and not respond.

[Annie1372]

@Claire1328 

You mentioned ‘he would have difficulty booking anywhere if I mentioned the weed’.

Does his behaviour including not respecting your house rules by bringing a lot of frozen food, being right up your behind, the weed, etc. Is it something that you would have liked to know before your accepted his booking?

if yes, i believe that you should have mentioned it in his review, just the facts without the emotions, to inform the future host he will contact.

[Huma0]

@Annie1372 

I have read a few times on the CC that Airbnb will remove a review if there is a mention of drugs. I don't know if that's true, but I would choose to word a review like that carefully so that hosts get what it means without specifically mentioning the drugs.

[Annie1372]

@Huma0 

Good to know !!

[Claire1328]

Thanks for all the feedback. I just don't like leaving negative reviews and avoid going so.  In this instance they reviewed me and so then I always review them and only mention things if they bothered me 

I did apply for it to be removed in the basis that he didn't mention any issues in the verbal review that he marked down for  As suspected air BnB did not remove the review.

I have taken all your advice about not replying to the review. The drugs and the food didn't bother me. The low stars after I was tolerate of the drugs and food did .

Thanks to all who took the time to reply 

[Gwen386]

Hi @Claire1328  You were given some really great advice. However, as a new host, I want to impart some info from my POV. When I read another host’s review of a guest, I want to know emphatically that it accurately reflects the guest’s behaviors because I’m counting on that review to decide whether I want that guest in my home or not. It would have been okay for you to state in your review that the offending guest did not follow house rules and did not respect other guests in your shared space by doing unacceptable things, which other guests complained about. This way, you’re being factual without bashing offending guest.

Also, I was surprised that you initiated a conversation about receiving a rating below 4.8. I now wonder what made you feel that you needed to say this to a guest? When I think of the ratings I will get, I base it solely on what my listing says I’ll offer compared to what I actually offer, which I always try to go above and beyond.

I also believe that guests rate AirBnB rentals based on other AirBnB rentals they have stayed at—well that’s how I rate hotels I’ve been to. So, it may be possible that his rating was comparing his stay based on other AirBnB he stayed at—that he didn’t see any specific problems, but he stayed at other places he may have enjoyed better. 

I think you should view this as a lesson learned to always give factual feedback for other hosts and to make sure you’re doing everything you can possibly do to earn 4.8 stars or above. 

[Kristina556]

Wowzer- I got a doozy yesterday and like Claire, concerned with what to do next. A last minute booking from “A” with only 30 minutes heads up …requested coming immediately… sounding in request desperate. 4 reviews were good. I said ok and made an exception of allowing A to cone before 3 pm and later check in. She arrives frazzled, sobbing, and frantic… steps out of her car leaving the engine going and says she doesn’t know what to do. I suggest she turn off the engine and get checked in. She reserved my smallest twin room that is least expensive for travelers wanting a clean comfortable place to sleep and take a shower. 99 percent of guests have loved it and slept like a log. Great reviews. A goes out for lunch. When back I tell her to park in the main driveway for her short stay.  I will gave others park elsewhere.  She went to her room for a nap.  Then another guest showed up to check in and as I was giving her parking directions A runs out yelling “I knew I would get pinned in so I can’t leave!” The other guest was as shocked as me at her outburst. The other guest moved her car and I finished giving her the tour. About 30 minutes later I walked past the open Twin room door. The room was turned upside down and curtain rod pulled as well. I found a nasty msg on inbox from her. She wasn’t staying. Could not sleep

on a  lopsided  lumpy bed ( What !!!!?????) newer mattress with new pad. Everyone loves it.. except for A. Then she wrote she tried sleeping on her yoga mat but the sun was directly in her eyes so she left. Didn’t think I should ever rent out that room.  She didn’t point it out and give me an opportunity to switch out a memory pad and put in a black curtain for her. She just took off without saying anything. She also didn’t like her fridge was on the bottom shelf of a cabinet!
I called support immediately to create a communication time line for anticipated issues from A. At 10:45pm while I was asleep she requested a full refund and I had until midnight to do it or she would contact support. It was 2:30 am when I saw it. I responded that she never complained to me to see if I could fix things. I opened up my hone and room to her early to do her a favor.  I sent photo of new mattress cover on bed. I pointed out tgere are blinds in the window shut so no sun was in her eyes directly plus sge would be laying diwn tge opposite way. So… manic? Bi- polar? Drugs? Don’t know?? I called support again. I was advised to do nothing for awhile. Refund her or not? Write what kind if review? I am a super host and don’t deserve to get this erratic behavior and potential negative comments. Ugh. I think other hosts need to know. I swear some hosts give out hearts and flowers to avoid negative comments. I wish I gad known what her true nature was. I would have declined.  

[Helen3]

Why would you refund her outside of your cancellation policy @Kristina556 ?

And in terms of review naturally you should leave an honest factual one to help warn hosts who may be considering her as a guest .

I never take same day bookings  as they are too high risk for me. Sorry you had such a difficult experience. It sounds like the guest was not well.

[Kristina556]

I am definitely rethinking same day acceptance as well as thise with “no reviews”. I know we have to consider a good guest first time using Air BnB. But the more they tell you about themselves the better to make a good decision. I just got such a request with no details about the new user. Guess feeling a bit paranoid now after this recent experience. It was unsettling.

[Gwen386]

@Kristina556 This is a lesson-learned situation not to accept last-minute guests and to also have exact house rules regarding parking. As for a review, I would probably write something like, “Hosted (name) with just 30-minutes notice. Guest was unhappy with her room, even though my listing was accurate.”