Guest is checking out early and I want to avoid a negative review if possible.

[Jeanette160]

My guests are only booked for 2 nights and I have a strict cancellation policy.  This morning my guests partner knocked to say they would be leaving this afternoon  ( so not staying the 2nd night) as she had a terrible nights sleep.  Complaining about the noise from our sitting room which is above their bedroom. ( we are very mindful of being above the bedroom and always keep the tv sound low etc ( no one has said anything before either)  also  the green light shining from the electric shower in the bathroom which she could see through the small patterned  coloured glass window,  she couldn’t open the bedroom window? and when she moved to the bed settee in the sitting room area the natural light from the small window in the front door was intrusive, even though it is a basement apartment and the natural light is minimal and we have a blind over the window for privacy.  

I apologised for everything.  However I am concerned she will give a damming review which will affect my super host rating.  Can anyone give me advice? 

Thank you 

[Rowena29]

Hi @Jeanette160,

Sorry you are having this experience.

It's been a while since you have posted so not sure what happened. IN this situation I probalby would have offered a refund for the night they didn't stay

it is likely that your guest WILL leave a negative review and star rating.

However as you have over 53 5 star reviews already, this will not cause you to lose your superhost - it will must mean that your perfect 5 star rating is lost and will go down to 4. something for a while.

(Also many hosts here have posted that since losing superhost, they have not noticed a discernible difference in bookings etc)

Probably the most important thing to consider here is how  you should respond to a negative review of theirs should they leave one. Bear in mind that it's not really a response to them, its a PR response that will be viewed by future guests, so be sure to keep it brief, professional and convey your point of view. 

You can always post what you plan to say on these boards first to get the advice of others.

Your place looks lovely and you've got many other great reviews, so even if you do get a negative, future guests will read it and just write them off as difficult guests/

I'd leave writing a review about as late as possible,  so if they do leave one, it will hopefully be under another more positive review from another guest. And they may leave nothing

Good luck!

[Jeanette160]

Thank you Rowena for your support and advice.  

[Elena87 · Accepted solution]

@Jeanette160 

Refund and you may get a bad review, no refund and you may get a bad review, it's out of your hands so no point in fretting over that. You've had plenty of guests and experience, bear in mind it's a numbers game and every so often chances are you will get an 'non regular' guest arriving, as an occupational hazard.

Probably the guest was over fussy and sensitive or maybe with some other problem unknown  to you.

Absolutely you can check again if there is tv noise or light ingression into the guest areas to see if there is any credence to their issues, or even have available on request disposable earplugs and sleeping masks - but I think sensitive sleepers come readily prepared with kit.

Don't be a slave to super host attainment, it's just a corporate psy-ops tool.

[Jeanette160]

Thank you Elena for your advice and support.  

I didn’t give a refund - she did request one via a note when they left before I had returned from walking the dogs.  But I was annoyed as I was already to offer solutions to her complaints - she never gave me a chance…

I have left them a fair review but I did mention that I thought her complaints were irrational as I checked everything, got my husband to stomp about upstairs, tv louder than normal etc etc and I honestly think she was being completely over fussy.  I was also thinking of other Airbnb hosts - to support the community we need to be aware of these ‘non regular’ guests.  

Thank you again Elena 

[Helen427]

@Jeanette160  it is up to the guest to ask for a refund, and your policy indicates that they would be aware that it was there choice to leave early so would be unlikely to ask for one.

They have the option to use the Resolution centre if need be however it's hardly likely they would resort to that option, would they?

It sounds like it's a minor issue so leave it be.

Don't stress.

Maybe send them a msg to say thanks for coming & that you were disappointed that they left early.

Roll on to your next guests and focus on the future ones.

All the best

[Jeanette160]

Thank you Helen for your advice and support 

[Helen427]

As an aside @Jeanette160  if they had stayed in a motel or hostel based on the balance of probabilities they would not be entitled, or receive a refund, would they?
We to are service providers bound by wider laws.

It's always helpful to remember to make sure when anyone asks for monies in person, to ask them to please send any msgs through the msg system, it safeguards us all, and say to them you will not be addressing any other monetary concerns offline as it's in Breach of Terms of Service ABB!

Should there review include any reference to there request for money you may like to include some form of reference to the aforementioned to balance things out.

Word 'may' be relevant!!!

All the best & keep us posted to any further developments should they arise.