Three Star Reviews

Three Star Reviews

I have only let my house a few times. The first time I did it the guests only left me a 3 star review because they didn't like that we have carpet in the bathroom even though it is clearly state on our page that our bathroom is clean but needs modernising. This upset me so much that I didn't leave reviews for the next two guests in the fear that they would mark me down too. Our latest guests just left and they left a nice review in public but only gave us three stars. They said in private that the saucepans weren't up to their standard!! They left our cupboards all mixed up and the kitchen surfaces dirty and a pair of pants in the middle of the bedroom floor but I left them a nice review nevertheless. Now I feel very stupid for doing so. I make it clear that this is a family home so it won't be perfect but it will be welcoming and clean and tidy. I spend weeks attending to detail, making my house feel cozy and warm and welcoming. I even left them a Christmas present which they didn't even say thank you for! It is very upsetting when someone insults your own home that you have tried so hard to make nice. I have now had a horrible 'you will be penalised if you don't meet our standards email' from Airbnb and it just makes me so sad as I don't think the low ratings are justified. I am considering not doing it again now. The star system needs to be made much more clear to the guests just exactly what they are rating.
5 Replies 5
Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

@Jo102  I looked at your listing and I think you accurately portray a well-loved, cozy home.  If you are getting feedback that does not appreciate what you are providing, I wonder if there is a way for you to communicate with the potential guest to better assess if your place is a good fit for their expectations.  Since you are not there to interact with the guests, it is difficult for you to see your home through the eyes of the traveler.  Also, it would good for you to check in with guests during their stay to ensure all is going well.  Do you have someone near by while you are away that could be available if there is anything that needs attending?  Have you ever looked at other booking platforms that would work for your home and circumstances?  

Jo103
Level 1
Brighton, United Kingdom

Hi Linda, Thank you for your feedback. I do reiterate with guests that this is a family home and not everything is brand new etc etc beforehand. I did actually meet one of the last family and showed them round too. The house is constantly being improved too. Yes it may be possible for me to get somebody to be available at certain times of the year so I will look into that. I think I have just been a bit unlucky with people not fully understanding the star system.  People I know complement my home and I really do keep it clean but I think maybe some people are looking for more of a 'hotel' type experience.  A couple of my marked down areas have been location but I'm not quite sure how I can change that! I am definitely going to check in with guests more to check for problems though. That way, hopefully it will **bleep** it in the bud. I have had guests who have emailed and said how they enjoyed their trip but have then not left a review. I think I will ask them to review in future.

@Jo102   I say Airbnb is not a hotel set-up but a unique experience in a private home and add some words that convey that the furniture is not new etc. and any other quirks in the opening description, that way people's expectation will not for a newly renovated place. I don't know if you greet them or you are there when they leave but if you can it's always a good idea to show them around on arrival and also get some feedback when they leave. Best for the best of future guests.

Thank you Ange. Yes I will have a look at my wording and try and convey it better. Putting about a unique experience in a private home is a great idea. Thank you.
Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

This is a tough one @Jo102. You clearly try to communicate what guests should expect and they are not exactly paying a huge amount for a whole house so expecting a hotel type experience is a bit unrealistic. Unfortunately, a lot of guests expectations are unrealistic and a lot of them don't read the info you give them, or they don't take it in.

 

It's also really hard to make an unmodernised space look shiney and perfect. I have a very old house and although most of it is renovated/redecorated/nicely furnished, it's far from perfect.

 

What I realised is, although I have a weekly cleaner, there are so many places for dust to settle and things that you don't notice the cleaner isn't doing.

 

I know it's difficult when you have a family, but I would suggest a really thorough deep clean if you can manage it. I've been doing this room by room while my cleaner has been on holiday and I was surprised at how much dirt I found. Some of the skirting boards and corners really needed attention. The inside of the bath was pristine but the outside was disgusting. I didn't realise how dirty some of the kitchen cabinets were until I ran a cloth over them and they changed colour! Yuck! And to think I thought it was all clean (I pay for a cleaner after all).

 

If you can get the house as clean as possible, after that it is a matter of less rigorous regular cleaning. Do your normal clean, but each time, pick one thing/area that needs deep cleaning, e.g. skirting that you wouldn't necessarily do every week. That way you can keep on top of it.

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