WHEN A GUEST DOESN'T WRITE A REVIEW

Elena217
Level 1
Rome, Italy

WHEN A GUEST DOESN'T WRITE A REVIEW

Hi nice people, thank you for your kind attention. I hosted a couple of guests in August and they didn't write a review about their staying here. I'm very disappointed since it takes just few minutes of time and sincere words.
I wrote to them to see why and the answer was they were sorry and just busy but they were going to write it that day.
Nothing.
I left already one for them.
I care because visibility on Airbnb depends on reviews and I wonder if Airbnb can do something.
Thank you for any support and suggestions.
Have a nice day
Elena
36 Replies 36

Reviews always post after 14 days, whether both or only one party leaves one. 

 

 

 

Thanks, that's good to know.  At least it shows we are doing our part, although to AB&B it does not help our ratings right?

Hello Sarah & Lita

 

I did as you, wrote a review for my guests but they didn't write a review for me, they completely ignore my e-mails and SMA messages, but they have my "nice"review, what happen now, they keep my review or can I change it and give them the update of not answering my requests, what options did you had

Have a nice day

Manu

That's what annoys me...they build up their review base but aren't required to provide feedback. I think if they don't do a review, they shouldn't get the benefit of a positive review.

Dixie7
Level 10
Dunsborough, Australia

I agree with you Megan. I think if the host reviews the guest and the guest doesn't bother to review the host, for whatever reason, in the 14 day period, then the host's review of the guest should be deleted. I've just had a couple stay, who are hosts themselves, and I had a feeling they would not review me. So I searched their listing and discovered they have about 30 odd reviews from guests and they have not responded with even a word of thanks for the review. The only response from them was to a negative review, which they were very verbose in their attempt to defend themselves. Also, they've had some lovely reviews from hosts and when I looked into whether they had written reviews for those hosts, I found they had not bothered to review them either. As they are hosts themselves, you would think they would understand the importance of the review system to each and everyone of us and for them not to review, in my opinion, is completely discourteous and inconsiderate. Certainly tells me something about them and, thus, I have amended my very complimentary review to now read "Friendly couple". I hope this satisfies them as reviews obviously don't mean anything to them. 

I agree.  This is me 😞

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Megan206 @Anne10908 @Dixie7 

 

No, unfortunately, that doesn't make any sense.

 

What happens when the guest is terrible and the host leaves a negative review to warn other hosts, but the guest doesn't leave a review because they know they behaved badly and fear retaliation?

 

According to your theory of how it should go, no review appears and therefore the guest totally gets away with the bad behaviour.

 

The review process is blind (i.e. neither side can see the other's review in advance of writing their own) for a reason. It is so the reviews remain unbiased and less retaliatory. 

 

That's not to say retaliatory reviews still don't happen, e.g. if you remind a guest of your house rules because they are not following them, mention damage they caused, file a claim for damage etc. but at least this minimises the chances.

Andrew157
Level 10
Windermere, United Kingdom

Our last guest does not appear to have left a review which is a pity as he wrote a nice piece in the visitor’s book and told my wife I was kind and respectful when they arrived.

 

They were a young Saudi Muslim couple. They had a horrible journey on the M6 taking 9 hours to travel to us rather than the 4 suggested by Google Maps. We wished the couple well. A review would help to show that through airBnB we can build bridges rather than walls suggested by that fat American hotelier.

Dixie7
Level 10
Dunsborough, Australia

Hi Andrew, how many guests write messages in your visitor's book? Very few write in mine. In fact, it took a couple of months before the first guest wrote in it ... it did start the ball rolling but I would say only half bother to leave a message. I think it's weird because I love writing a grateful message when I stay in somebody's place. 

Manu-and-Dandan0
Level 2
Ao Nang, Thailand

Hello Elena

Same problem here, it just happen from a country couple of mine, I guess intercating with them was not the best decision. They were French, like me, drove them around, paid for dinner, they said"""you have been fantastic, will write you a great review, bla, bla, bla,..."""prior to leaving they said they would write from their cimputer because it was not easy to write with mobile, I asked why as he was retrieving his mail via mobile (maybe I shouldn't have asked???  ) he said better wait until they got back home, when they arrived back home they send SMS via mobile, answer them, remind them about the review, they stop answering sms and or e-mails, they complete ignore me, that's pity, I try to contact AirBnB to see if we can get any ratings if guests don't send review but still no answer

Unfortunately we need reviews to get bookings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a nice day

Manu

On A B & B my wife is the "host" and I the "co-host".  I write the reviews and lately (last 2 guests) have not written a review of us.  This is frustrating and I'm wondering if the co-host review (my reviewing)  is not getting through.  Is this possible that only the host should review?  Or are the guests just finished with the process and forget or don't care to review?  Frustrating.  Any advice?  We communicate continually with guest before and during stay but afterwards it's like pulling teeth to beg for them to complete the process.  Is this a technical issue that the co-host shouldn't write the review?  Thanks for being here, please reply if you have incite.

In the past, our guests were asked to write a review, and they did. Our last guests did not, though we wrote a good review for them. When they left, they were very effusive in their praises, but no review has been written by them. Doesn't airbnb send them a request for a review?

James627
Level 1
Atlanta, GA

I generally leave a review, but for my recent stay I tried to contact the host after we left to ask them a question about logistics with the key and they never got back to me. I followed-up and still nothing. Didn't run into any problems during our stay either and the host was very kind and helpful upon meeting them. Left a bad taste in my mouth and I likely would have dinged them for communication, even though I usually always provide 5 stars. I got the automated emails from airbnb, but just forgot and kept putting it off. I just learned about there being a 14-day window too, so now I can't. If they would have reached out to me either to follow-up or ask about leaving a review I probably would have been more motivated to do so.

I used to write the guest reviews as soon as they left the property, so that I could remember their stay. Now I wait until I get notification that the guest has reviewed us and then I review them. In my opinion, as hosts the review process from a guest is far more critical than the host reviewing a guest, so if they can't be bothered to review us I see no reason why I should be bothered to review them. The exception to that is when we get (rarely thankfully), the guest from hell, in which case I am more than happy to warn our fellow hosts of the potential pitfalls with that particualr person. There is a possibilty that when a guest gets notified of a review from a host it may remind them to review the host, but I suspect that may only occur in one or two cases so I'm prepared to take the risk.

I totally agree with you M, L & S. In the past, I've taken the approach of immediately reviewing all my guests as soon as they vacate, regardless of whether they review me or not .... their money in my bank account sort of allays my disappointment when they don't review me. However, lately, I'm getting pretty annoyed with guests who, for whatever reason, don't bother reviewing me. Because I've always reviewed straight after the guest leaves, I've never got to the point of being notified by Airbnb that the guest has reviewed me. So, in future, I'm going to hold off until I get that prompt from Airbnb ... I really had no idea that Airbnb did that. Thanks for heads up. 😊