Reply to review after 14 days

[Bob39]

Tomorrow is the last day of the 14-day review period. I have not written a review of the guest because I really don't know what to say. (They were polite, clean and nice, but they filmed a movie inside and outside my house without my permission or knowledge.) 

The guest has written a review of me, but I haven't seen it because the 14-day period is not over yet. When it ends, the guest's review of me will go online. Will I still be able to write a reply to their review even though the 14-day period has ended?

[David126]

Sounds like the majority of my photos over the years could land me in legal trouble as they involve private property, certainly the ones taken on holiday.

[Pat53]

Bob,

I am a writer/producer and my husband is a photographer. As Airbnb hosts we have been asked about filming on more than one occasion, and we turn them down at any rental rate unless they can submit a Certificate of Insurance. (You should specify that you are NOT asking to be additionally insured but want documented proof they are insured.) Additionally, check with your own insurnce company as they may prohibit that type of activity anyhow. For example, should a photo assistant back into your pool or fall off the porch roof to their death, the family could sue for an amount over and above the guests' insurance coverage and look to you for compensation as well as to Airbnb. If commercial activities (which this is even if they were not 'on assignment') are permitted under your insurance policy you still need to sign a property release. I can unequivocally state that the explaination is BS. An true amateur would make a simple statement and leave it at that. This response had carefully chosen words; for example, 'non-commercial use' does not mean it won't be used for editorial use which doesn't require a property release. 'Editorial' in the world of stock photography/footage is broadly defined and includes textbooks/ebooks and all manner of online databases and references. And as for use in porn, with the computer software today it is possible to alter the appearance of your home just enough to make it unrecognizable and use it on a green screen behind any type of live-action. I'm pretty certain your guest was shooting 'stock footage' which you can learn about just by googling 'stock footage'. Lastly, I'm saying to the entire community of Airbnb hosts, you do not want anybody filming anything on your property without a written declaration of use of the final product written in very specific terms, a properly executed Certificate of Insurance, appropriate compensation, and a monitor of your choosing to see that your property is protected and returned to its original condition. If someone is truly making an Indie production they will undoubtedly have a tiny budget, against which you should weigh the risks and inconvenience including annoying your neighbors.

[Pat53]

Bob, just to prevent upseting your future guests who are just taking vacation snaps why not add the phrase "except for that intended for personal, in-home use" the in-home being an important way to prevent photos/footage of your home from appearing on social media and sharing websites. Pat

[Bob39]

OK, good idea. Thank you.

[Momi0]

@Bob39   To answer your ORIGINAL question, yes, you can still reply to their public review on your account....however, what most hosts do not know....is that the guests will not receive that public comment under their review unless you copy and paste it into their ABB message thread giving them a copy of that said public reply.  I always thank each person on my account for their review, and then copy and paste that note of gratitude into our message thread from my ABB host inbox to their inbox so they can see what I publicy wrote.  There is also a time restraint as to how long a host can write a public reply so its always good practice to write one (if you want) after you have read their review.  I try to, but sometimes I end up writing it a few days later.  Either way, our guests will always know how much I appreciated their 5 Star review. 

Good to see that you updated your House Rules.  Its always good practice to update and/or review your House Rules.  This will protect you in the long run should you get notice from your cleaning lady that someone else is filming on your property.  Once you discover that, you have every right to contact ABB and inform them you want the guests removed for violating your House Rules. Try to get proof as much as possible.  For instance, perhaps a friend or neighbor taking a photo or filming them. haha....kinda of ironic huh...taking a photo of someone one filming at your home w/o permission, but in this day of age, proof is best. 

Personally, I find it very disappointing that your guests took the time to write all that out to you but didn't apologize for moving your furniture and not putting it back at the end of their stay.  Why can't people understand that they should leave an ABB home in the same manner in which they found it?   I got burned back in early 2016 when a host chose to not write a review at all.  And because of that, the guests appeared to me to be new to Airbnb.  They were not. I had to learn the hard way that they were extremely messy, caused a toilet flood at 6am due to putting feminine products down the toilet w/ excessive toilet paper, which is explicitly written about in my House Rules/Manual as "Only Toilet Paper is to be Flushed".  I provide sanitary bags and newspapers for those things to be put into the trash can which is cleaned daily.  I wish more hosts would take the time to write an honest review...it actually does help other hosts on deciding if they want to host this guests or not.  

On behalf of myself and other hosts everywhere, thank you for writing an honest review.  

oh and before I forget, this is the reason why I now ask every guests with no reviews if they have ever stayed at an ABB before....(just one of a few questions that I ask every potential guests).  Some will say no, but we have stayed with VRBO or TripAdviser....so I respond by asking them to send me their host review.  Everyone obliges with no problem. I'm a big believer in the saying..."if you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing!" 

Congrats on your awesome 5 Star reviews and becoming a Superhost! 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Bob39

I think your review is just fine. We are also photographers and active in photo community so yes, shooting or filming  commercial shootings in front or inside private property is allowed only with the permision of the owner . However amateur photography is allowed everywhere, we all bring some kind of photo camera arround and making photos, right? It is possible they were group of photographers really just shooting for fun, for themselves like we also do when we are with our friends photographers. 

But you can not be sure. So, it is good that your review was simple and not judgemental and that you didn't make any drama out of it.

[Bob39]

OK, thank you everyone for your replies and information. I have added the following sentence to my House Rules:

Photography, filming or videography within the house, or anywhere on the property, is strictly prohibited at all times.

Other than that I don't know what else I can do about that guest. The above sentence wasn't in my house rules when he made the reservation. I still suspect that he's lying to me about the nature of the filming they did. But I have little evidence; only what my neighbor and cleaning lady have said. I guess this is another unexpected learning experience for me.

[Silvana5]

Bob. He is lying to you big time.  It's obvious by his overly assuring you of the contrary. Not a straight forward yes or no followed by a sorry we weren't aware it wasn't ok.  He had to tell you about everything else they did during their trip, profession of each member, etc. in an effort to convolute the message.  

I would at least follow up with a text expressing clearly that they don't have your permission to use them and threaten legal action if you see them posted somewhere.