Reviews

[Lisa-and-Chema0]

I recently had 2 guests that were quite messy - in 2 nights they managed to create enough work to keep me busy for over 2 hours, twice what it normally takes me to clean up the room after guests. They were nice to chat to + seemed like sweet people so I'm sure it was an oversight on their part to leave so much mess (thick make-up all over washcloths + wall, scratched floor + wall, tea leaves on bathroom floor, sick (I think) all over toilet...) Here is the question: do I leave a bad/honest review? One of the ladies said she lives near by + comes into our city often + would definately re-book again. My hubby says don't have them back but I think we always need the repeat business... I don't want to mar their profile saying how gross the room was after their stay but at the same time it's the truth. Any advise would be very appreciated, I've only been doing this for a month. 

[Francesca18]

did you consider she was a hooker. 

[Mary65]

Hydrogen peroxide gets blood out like a boss, and doesn't bleach anything. I've had to use it a few times myself. Ew.

[Craig66]

airbnb has not asked me to review my last guest and i cannot find a way to contact them

[Francesca18]

I had this  you were lucky they got near the toilet I had party people for pride 2 girls drannk a bottl eof vodka and must have been sick on the carpet after they left I found it all down the door could have been worse but mostly neat booze! In the morning they came down for breakfast and I did not know so I was nice of course. Afterwards I wrote them a very average review saying that I felt that one of them on their own might have been okay but together not recommending (as I don't think a single girl traveller would go out and get drunk like this) though never say no. I wrote to them personally and said that it was awful and that they should choose self catering places if they are going to messy like this not homestay. That it was inappropriate choice for their activities and perhaps to seek help with alchohol consumption...a bit cheeky..but I am a therapist! 

[Craig100]

I've had a similar problem.  We had lovely guests who were also hosts.  They were obviously partying hard and broke no smoking in the house rules and had certainly used drugs in several places round the house.  Two toilets with sick... !  As they are hosts I did have the conversation and as there were a few things that needed replacing, glasses and our booze had gone, I agreed to send them a bill.  He came back immediately and paid actually slightly more than I had asked for.  He normally stays  in Airbnb with his girlfriend, rather than his obviously raucous friends and his previous reviews were all good, both for hosting and travelling.  As a result we are changing our house rules but I was honest with the review and did actually say I would not recommend them but want to know what happens with that.  

[Cadence0]

After my very first 2 bookings cancelled due to fears about B.C. wildfires, I finally got my first client who actually stayed this past week. I took a chance on her, she had no reviews, but neither did I at this point. I needed to get some reviews and bookings so I accepted her booking. They found the place on their own, did not require any help during their stay and did the dishes before they left. They obviously had a big weekend of drinking as they left a huge amount liquor containers. The thing that grossed me out was while cleaning the bathroom I found the inside of the toilet crusted with dried vomit (or diarrhea). It was all along the rim and under the toilet seat. I of course managed to clean it up, but didn't feel that that was a respectable mess to leave. I have not left a review yet, because I am not sure how , or if I should even think this was a problem. Is this normal behavior? I would normally let it slide, but it seemed like they were there for a drinking weekend (SO many empty liquor containers). Also, there were only 2 people for 5 nights and they managed to use 8 towels, 5 face clothes and 3 hand towels. Is that normal? Maybe I'm just new to this!

[Barb6]

@Cadence0 They didn't break anything? Is it in your rules no drinking or drunkedness?  How was the place left in general. Were they clean? Were the prompt to answer your textes?  The towel usage may have been a bit excessive. Maybe they used them to wipe up vomit. I hope you clean with gloves on. If you had the towels available to use, then it isn't a problem. If you want to limit the usage of such things, just leave the amount you deisre to have them use. I don't think there is any need to say anything about the vomit in the public review but you could mention it in the private feed back. Like "dear x, I assume that a lot of drinking took place by the amount of emptys left. I would appreciate it if you had cleaned your vomit from the toilet.

Good Luck,

Barb

[Andrea9]

@Cadence0

Adding to @Barb6's suggestions, I'd recommend  including a security deposit. It seems that bad guests like your's seem to scan for first-time or newbie hosts who might still be insecure and esp. (!) without security deposits to target for boozy stays.

The deposit isn't collected by Airbnb upfront, and with Airbnb making the final decision over what part of the damage if any to be collected, it is far from a guarantee. But guests usually don't know that.

[Andrea9]

In the review I'd choose to say something like:

It took extra time to reinstate to the original state of the cabin. 

It might be the truth to mention vomit or be detailled and explicite in reviews (it certainly soothes the mad little inner devil!!), but guests will simply close their account and open an new one later one. Leaving a more indirect review has more chance of that

 not happening because it sounds better, while it's clear text to other hosts. 

[Momi0]

@Andrea9   I wanted to share something with you about the comment that you made that the guests could close their account and reopen a  new one.  Here is the extra step I am taking with each guests who approaches my  listing with NO REVIEWS. (and/or) NO PROFILE)

1.  I ask them ...."Is this your first time using Airbnb because I noticed you have no profile and no reviews.  Please keep in mind that this can be verified by my calling the Airbnb Safety and Trust department."  

2.  "Is this your first time setting up an Airbnb account.  Again, your honesty is always going to be the best answer."  

I recognize some of the red flags after hosting for 2 years and the tricks people will use to avoid a host seeing a negative review. 

This is how I discovered that a RECENT guests had 2 accounts.  I immediately informed her that this is against the policy of Airbnb and she would need to sort it out with Airbnb before I would accept her booking request.  Turns out, she couldn't remember her PW, so instead of clicking on "forgot password", she created a new one without realizing the implications of such a decision, which could have resulted in her being permanently removed from ABB....(they would use her governement issued ID to track this)  - which is exactly why I require that every guests upload their government ID to Airbnb even if they did the Personal Check verification.  The new verification process was NOT good enough for me.   As the Queen of my home, I decide the rules and policies, not ABB.  :))

By the way, I was also recently responsible for having a criminal removed from the ABB platoform with his government ID for falsifying records to create his account and for creating a second account to avoid me seeing a former hosts bad review.  I think its so funny how these guests think I won't do my research!!!  If I smell bad cheese, it usually results in me finding a dirty rat nearby too.  I have been right every single time too.  haha - one guy was a registered sex offender trying to use ABB to stay in my home where I have a young daughter.   Hosts who hosts IN THEIR HOME need to be more vigilant!  Especially those with children.  You don't have to take every booking.  Its ok to decline someone.  And if you don't want to decline, then force the guests to decline by sending them a Special Offer of $999 a night.  I promise you they will decline real fast and move on.  🙂

Edited 1 min later to correct a typo.

[Andrea9]

@Momi0

This would be a great post separately on the forum - Suspicious first-time user - Smell bad cheese, you just might find a rat!

Wow, thanks so much for this! Though I also had to chuckle at you being the only one I've heard of go so far to check into this 🙂 You definitely are the Queen of your home and how to work the ABB system!!

I always took to understanding that once a guest account was cancelled it disappeared from the anals of the system. So what you have shared here is golden nugget of knowledge for hosts. 

I assume you know that booking through the app instead of a computer will only disclose the optional ABB PartyPetsSmokingKids House Rules and  NONE of the personalized ones.

I don't use IB, so am not knowledgeable as to inhowfar an app user will be able to see ALL of the rules without being truncated. Yesterday I saw a thread (FB group I think) about the newly rolled out feature in which new account-holders are sent a message reminding them how to behave and including House rules. One of the posts in it said that again the HR would only be seen truncated!

So yesterday I added my long litany of personalized HS to my description under 'Other things to note'. Before that in the last few days I've simply sent them through the message system to the two requests I'd gotten.

Do you have a better Momi-proof work-around for this issue? 

Cheers,

Andrea

(Wish we had such a nice sounding greeting as 'Aloha' here! Our 'Groetjes' may sound sweet to Dutch ears, yet conjur up ideas of smelly cheese to others!)

[Francesca18]

Deposit they won't loose their deposit for a messy loo I don't think. When I have contacted airbnb for help with some missing books they were less than helpful they suggest i reach out the the guest and sort it direct (embarssing or what) they said unless I had a receipt and photo of what was missing they would not pay out to me so its really not valid in the real world just words. 

[Andrea9]

As you rightly say @Francesca18 the deposit couldn't be used for a number of things or situations - for example smoking in a non-smoking place also won't be covered, unles you have a cleaning bill to show for longer than normal cleaning time to submit. Yet even then, it's at the cognisance of Airbnb to decide.

The reason it's smart to have one though, and why I still strongly suggest it, is that not having one appears to send a message to many that they won't be held responsible for their acts. So more of a psychological tool. 

[Francesca18]

I ve been doing htis for 7 years. You can say in your details no party people. 

People are humans therefore they get sick, they can drink too much (but be pleased they got to the toilet) I had 2 girls for pride and they got totally trashed brought back empty bottle of vodka she had thrown up all over hte back of the door mostly liquor so not looking so awful but obviously right off her head..they tried to clear it up but I found it all afterwards. and was 3 hours on cleaning it to get rid of the smell.. I wrote that I would host again separately not together as I felt they egged each other on and also privately in the review I said I thought they should seek help for addiction to booze and dangerous drinking levels  -like you can vomit in your sleep and die - as a therapist I don't want this in my house. Hard liquor not good. Wine and beer drinkers can still get pretty smashed but ar eless lightly to die.

Mind you there are people with bulimnia and things too...I think i had girls with this too. not through drink.

Basically I would say in your review that he guests are better suited to self catering accomodation rather than a private house or if you are that,  then spare yourself and get a cleaner. I would say privately that unfortunately the ammenties were not left as found in the bathroom and that you won't be inviting party people again after this experience. You have reviewed them fairly neutrally in public as you did not want to shame them but feel they are better suited to hotels and self catering places. 

Sorry but why put so many towels out I would put 4 and 2 face cloths...I keep a bin with a bag in it in theroom for obviousl reason and a mat with a plastic anti wet the bed pad on underneath for any immediate issues. I cover my entire mattress with double water proof mats and a cover which gets washed fairly regular also cover the pillows in under covers..I buy quality stuff but cover it well. 

[Francesca18]

what you defo might get is a voucher if you say they were pretty high on the wild and willy scale...I would say for htis about £6--80 90 dollars and if you ahd a photo all the better and with this you can afford  yourself a night away in an airbnb palce for a rest form it all ha ha ha.