Revenge reviews

Tom2387
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

Revenge reviews

As most hosts know the vast majority of guests are fine.  Generally I have found them to be respectful, tidy and good communicators.  However, as we also know that that every season there's always one.  Sadly this year was my first experience of someone essentially using the threat of a negative review as a way of blackmailing me into giving her a refund.   Within days I knew there would be trouble when I received an email from princess Shawna from Belgium complaining about the bees in the garden.  My house is in the south of France, not the arctic.  Sure enough an email arrived saying they were leaving early because of the insects and had, without any conversation with me, applied through the system for a 500 euro refund.  This was followed by a litany of other complaints which turned out to be mostly fabricated and a variety of passive agressive insults (you know the type).   Once again as hosts we know that on occasion guests will search for whatever "faults" they can find to substantiate a refund claim.   I'm surprised she didn't complain that the grass wasn't green enough.    

 

Of course all of this kind of behaviour is a tacit threat to write a negative and damaging review.  In her case, she was using that threat to make me pay her 500 euros.  In the end, whilst under no obligation at all, as an act of goodwill I agreed to give her a refund of 250 euros.   In the final hours of the 14 day review writing window a review did indeed show up, left as late as possible giving me as little time to react as possible.  Apparently her husband had been bitten by mosquitoes.  There was the usual exaggeration to which I had now become accustomed.   It was a revenge review.   Furthermore it was confirmed in an email I had received from her where she said "It seems fair that you meeting us half way on the suggested refund and preparing an accurate review go hand in hand."   Says it all doesn't it, well at least to me.   And I'm sure to you.

 

However, you will not be surprised that this meant nothing to the Airbnb "resolution" person.  Whilst clearly it is an admission that the review was written as revenge for not paying her 500 euros, to Airbnb apparently her claims were legitimate.     It is in fact extortion. 

 

I have to say, after this experience, any demands for refunds will be met with a flat out "no".  I have to say I resisted the temptation to write a review about her however in retrospect I believe in fact I should have done, if nothing else to save other hosts from the stress of dealing with her and her games.   I shall most certainly not hold back if I come across someone similar.  

 

One last thing, when I returned to the house post her departure, the garden was eerily quiet.  There was not a bird in the trees, the pool area, where apparently there had been so many bomber bees (that apparently had "stung her twice!") was silent.  In fact, there wasn't a bee to be seen, not for days.   It was only the following week after my return that the house & garden appeared to return to life.   Some people are simply poisonous....

 

 

 

 

 

1 Reply 1
Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

@Tom2387  Ugh, I feel for you with this poisonous guest.  Great post and next time, yes, leave that review for the rest of us.

 

I read her review and thought your response was great.  However, I'm surprised Airbnb won't take it down because I thought it was against the TOS to mention something like a refund in the review?

 

As for those refunds - agreed, no, no, no, and again no.  Which is what you have to do when you're bombarded with emails from customer service asking you to refund "in the spirit of Airbnb."  They too have the passive aggressive tactics down to a fine art.