Guest review on building not my home

[Jordan184]

I had a guest leave a good review on my home, but a bad review on the building. How do I respond to those things out of my control? iIcan't control if neighbors leave things in the hallway and if the walls are not painted.... I don't own the building. It's Brooklyn and a multi dwelling. Any suggestions before I respond? Thanks.

[Elizabeth429]

@Jordan184,

Totally unfair!

I once rented a flat in a rough looking neighborhood with grafitti and all. I was nervous at first, but I couldnt have been more wrong. It was wondeful and safe. Make sure you highlight the strongests points of your home. Nobody can control everything.

[Jordan184]

I've been home sharing for years. over 70 reservations, and at times a super host. this is the first time someone has remarked on the building. i appreciate your feedback, as i did feel it unfair, and i do feel that people dont understand that NYC is different than most cities. LOL.

[Red3]

Nyc is def a special case. I wouldn’t worry too much. The review doesn’t read bad at all. I have the same situation, when my apartment I think is cuter and better then the building, but people in general understand. And my building finally started to upgrade. Maybe you get lucky too. 

[Emiel1]

hello @Jordan184

I read the review and it is not bad, just a warning to potential guests not to be scared of by the state of the building. Everybody knows it is not under your control. Which could also be the correct respons on this subject.

[Jordan184]

Thank you Emiel -- its a first for me really, so I dont want potential guests scared away. Appreciate you guys responding, it helps.

[Matthew285]

@Jordan184 I agree with @Emiel1.

The review makes it sound like your listing itself is a gem,

but that your great loft is placed within a building that is not as nice.

Sort of like being an island of tranquility.

[Robin4]

@Jordan184

Oh Jordan these things are just going to happen,  As humans we all have different expectations, and booking a hosting site is always a bit of a 'leap of faith' both on the part of guests and hosts. Neither of us know what we are going to get!

Your reviews are from both ends of the scale for the same apartment in the same building.....What-th!

You had Lucila's review who loved your apartment but hated the building, to Heidi's who loved the area but hated your apartment. Gee, how do you get around that.....you can't, you can't influence peoples minds.

You list your apartment honestly with a 'warts and all' description Jordan! Nobody could ever accuse you of trying to be deceptive in your description. So how come we get such diametrically opposed reviews?

Let it go Jordan, you can't control it but.....you can now make a pratt of yourself by climbing into someone in your review response who gave you 5 stars and said your apartment was great!

This is the time to be diplomatic, thank Lucila for her wonderful review and simply say, "I as a host, like you Lucila, first had reservations about the building and the area but I have come to love it and, as you discovered each turned out to compliment your stay rather than detract from it"...

That way you are thanking a nice guest for a nice review, you are not clashing swords with her over her building comments, and you are showing yourself to be the measured, considerate and fine host that you no doubt are. I have stayed not far from you in Long Island City almost on the corner of 10th and 43rd in the shadows of the Queenboro Bridge and although I was told how rough the area was, I found it wonderful and I felt safe at all times being there.

Jordan, sometimes I think we get too bogged down in 'Urban myths'. In the main we are not fools, and if I was looking at booking your loft, I would take a 5 star review any time over a throw away comment.....hands down!!

All the best.

Cheers.....Rob

[Jordan184]

Thanks Rob -- I work hard to try to get 5 stars all the time. :} Funny that you saw Heidi's review. She was certifiable. She broke something precious in my home and when I was going to charge her from her deposit she freaked out and went from I love and adore your apt to that review. Hands down the worst experience, but they are rare. It felt unfair simpy because Lucila was so complimentary in the private emails and then I read the building comments and didnt see it as you guys have and I appreciate your feedback.Exactly what I needed and will use the boards here more for the great support.

[Robin4]

@Jordan184

Found it, couldn't help but find it! This the stupid thing about the review system Jordan.

Because Heidi is an Australian (please don't judge all of us by her behaviour, we really aren't a bad bunch) her review of you will display first to anyone from Australia looking at your listing, as per this screenshot......

There it is, first cab off the rank!

I am sorry to have to tell you that Jordan but your reviews will display to people searching in country of origin format so, everyone who sees you listing forever more from Australia will see Heidi's review first....unless you host a few more guests from Australia.

Airbnb think they are doing the right thing but in actual fact what they are doing is penalising the host for a dipstick of a guest purely because that dipstick comes from another country!

I wish they would just display reviews in chronological order and let the prospective guests sort it out!

I am so sorry to have to tell you that Jordan....all the best.

Cheers.....Rob

[Ange2]

@Jordan184   I had the same in the past, the guest said  "very scary entrance"  because there is graffiti on the entrance door,  (almost every building has  problems with grafitti!) it gets painted over every week or so but nothing I can do about it otherwise. I added shabby, typical, old ny building.  You could make it clearer about the entrance hallway. Many guests have no idea that NY is not all glass buildings and even expensive neighborhoods in 'old ny' have the similar problems.  I once lived in a place where I actually hired a cleaning person, out of my own pocket, to clean the hallway and stairs up to my floor, maybe worth considering and adding it into your cost of doing business.

[Paul154]

Accentuate the positive.

It's part of the "cultural mosaic that makes Brooklyn great"

NYC requires an adjustment in people. Smells, pushy people, people breaking the rules, people living in the street/hallways.... this IS NYC. It's why people go there, to see the citadel of a dynamic living

Own it

[Ange2]

@Paul154   Very true. I was rated down because a homeless person approached my guests and asked for money!  The unfortunate fact is that there are homeless people everywhere you go in NY.  NY as a walking city is one of the few places where rich and poor, fortunate and unfortunate, like and unlike rub shoulders. I have always thought that being exposed to people you may never meet / discovering places outside your own comfort bubble as a plus, a fascinating adventure.

[Lisa723]

@Jordan184 remember they are reviewing their stay as a whole, not you as a person.  They thought other guests might want to know about the building. That's completely legitimate, even though it's not something you can "fix."