What can I do if client wrote bad review, which is not true?

[Irina4]

I had one client from France, young girl. I meet her at airport at 4 o clock morning. I accomodate her. Apartment was clean and nice. Later she ask about wi fi. I brought for her my own portable wi fi. My phone with new sim card I bought for her. 

Next time she got some trouble with guys outside house. My husband went with here to police to solve the problem

then her mother send for her money and she couldn't receive it because she had ony ID, no passport. I ask her to change to my name and I come with her and received money for her.

Then we arranged two excursions for her: dolphins house and desert Safary. 

Then she stayed few more days, then booked. Then my husband send her to airport. She didn't pay for transfer, because she didn't have money. 

When I come to apartment to clean, I found mess in apartment. I cleaned 2 days after her. 

And after all those troubles, she wrote very bad review. 

I was so disappointed that I cryed. I spend so much time and no thanks

How can I manage those situations? I am really surprised

[Cormac0 · Accepted solution]

@Irina4

Firstly Irina, your apartment looks very nice and clean and I have no doubt the apartment was spotless for one reason and one reason only, that any Host that would get up a 3am presumably to collect a guest at 4am at the airport goes above and beyond the call of duty.

So, dry your eyes and be confident that you an outstanding host, I commend you and hopefully the rest of the community will give you some thumps up.

Far my part I will black ball the guest in question and not take any bookings from her.

Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno.

[Irina4]

Thank you so much dear Cormac. It is really encouraging to hear this comment from you. 

I was very sad and disappointed. 

You helped me so much. I always try to do my best for all my guests. 

[Victoria364]

OMG is all i can say. i got to this post because a guest wrote a bad review on my transient unit. but this one is really unbelievable. i hope i do not encounter such kind of guests. My guest kept asking questions which i all responded to immediately, he had one message which i received late and responded to after about an hour or two, i apologised to him because i was in a meeting hence the delay and he reviewed that i was not that reachable. made me feel really bad.also commented that the unit had a lot of cockroaches which is not true. it is in my profile, i wrote that i am a busy person and will not always be available so i assigned a caretaker.according to the caretaker the guest was quiet and says he is okay when asked by her then we were surprised by his bad review. he even wrote that there were amenities that weren't there which is untrue. he even said that the caretaker is not responding to text messages, when i asked the caretaker she said the guest texted her at 11pm and she was already asleep and read his message the following day, also the caretaker lives less than 10steps from his rented unit..how should i defend myself from airbnb seems like they would just listen to the guest comment and not confirm. even if you can respond to the guests comment, what they say seem already final for airbnb 😞

[Del12]

I had two people and a little dog, who I made so welcome.  Brand new sheets, towels , tea coffe etc etc.  The unit was thororoughly cleaned for two weeks.   They were my first guests.   I let them use my back yard and also front outdoor furniture which is beachside.   I lifted the heavy umbrella, put fusions on the day lounge so they could sunbake.   Minded their dog in my house while they toured the town and had dinner.  Had their family also come dopen for the day, provided additional plates etc for dinner.   The kitchen had all cooking facilities , all drawers stripped and fully cleaned.   And all they wrote was it was a good holiday for the dog and told me to replace some old furniture.  That furniture is better than some motels I have been in.  They weren't coming to the Ritz.  But I know if I was lucky to have such a welcome and stay in a nice clean comfortable quiet safe place with my pet, I,d be over the moon.  I haven't found such a place yet, that was why I decided to offer this for someone else.  I know I was so disappointed like Irina as I really went above and beyond what was necessary.  I was heartbroken too, it was a real kick in the teeth and totally undeserved.  All I can say is those people are so full of themselves they roiled be 

[Irina4]

Del, I feel so sorry for you. You know. I noticed, then more you do for some people, then less they are appreciative. 

You know. Next guest who come to me after this bed comment wasn't confused by this comment. They said: we understood, that if all comments are positive  and only one bad, then something is wrong with exactly this person

[Shani5]

Thanks Del 

Not only did you make me feel like I'm not alone but you wrote about it so well I had a bit of a laugh. 

Shani

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

@Irina4, why did you not write an accurate review of your guest?

Your review would suggest to any other host that it would be okay to take her in as a guest.

Is there a time where hosts band together to protect each other from these people?  Or is fear of the negative review the dominating force?

[Irina4]

Hi Wendy. I didn't want to write bad review. I did my best for this guest. I solved all her problems. As a host I did my best. What was strange for me, that she was so unepreciative and surprised me by her bad comment. 

Usually most of my guests don't call me every day. I show and explain everything and then they live their life. But this time every day happened something. 

[Wendy-and-Frank0]

@Irina4, No good deed goes unpunished.

Our society is nuts!  The more you give, the more they expect.

There is a nice way to send someone to he!! with a smile on their face:

"XX was a very nice person but may be a little high-maintenance for some hosts.  XX was not a good fit for my listing as I was not able to meet her demands hard as I tried.   However, sometimes people are going through things that we are not privy to so others may choose to give her the benefit of a doubt."

And then give her one star.  Easy.

You say something nice, you tell the truth, and then you give it leeway.

Don't worry about this one.  You're good!  😉

[Del12]

Dear Wendy

I like what you have said with responding the high maintenance guests.  I had one such guest, my very first, for whom I did somersaults, and all they said was "it was a good holiday for the dog" ,  I did not see this until I wrote my positive view of them.  as Airbnb doesn't show reviews till both are completed.  I was ver hurt as they hadn't  been honest to my face, I would certainly class those two in the high maintenance category.   But when can you respond  after?   I also wanted to see what other people had written about them and also what kind of review they had given other people.

[Andrea9]

@Del12

After reviews are public there is a link "leave public response" to make a comment.

BUT you have one chance only, there is no way to correct, so stay short and to the point and above all - professional.

Leaving public response with link to VRMB professional advice on this

[David126]

With the benefit of hindsight there were multiple red flags that should have warned you, no passsport, really?

You wrote her a good review so nothing much to be done now.

[Irina4]

No passport, really. Just ID. In Western Union they don't accept ID, just passports. So I gave my own. 

[David126]

You said she was from France, how did she get into Egypt without a passport?