Airbnb Policy Change: Getting reviews removed if the guest has a party

[Alexandra316]

In case you missed it...

Review updates, sustainability, and more from Catherine - Resource Center (airbnb.com)

It looks like there's a change to the policy around getting retaliatory reviews removed, specifically if the guest has hosted a party. The newsletter says: 

"Reviews are the backbone of Airbnb. They’re a crucial currency of trust between Hosts and guests, and most of the time, they advertise the amazing qualities that you bring to your hosting, with a personal point of view that adds a valuable layer of authenticity. However, when the review system is abused, the honesty and good fellowship that are key to Airbnb’s mission are eroded. I understand the challenges and frustrations you have with our review system and have been working to address your top concerns

We know that untruthful, misleading, or irrelevant reviews are distressing, and potentially economically damaging for you. Addressing such reviews is complicated, just like the situations from which they arise. There is not one simple fix, but we’re actively working to improve the system.

One step we’re taking now, ahead of the travel revival this upcoming season, is to address the intersection of our party ban and reviews. As the Hosts on the ground, we rely on you and your community to report party-ban violators when parties unfortunately occur. You shouldn’t have to fear a tradeoff between reporting a party with getting a negative guest review. We need to close this disparity.

Party ban and reviews
Using feedback from our Community Center, Host Leaders groups, and the Host Advisory Board, we’re introducing a new review policy, specifically addressing party-ban violators. For reviews written from today on, Hosts can dispute a review left by a guest found to have committed a significant violation of our Party and Events policy during their stay. A Community Support ambassador may remove the content and star rating of that review from your profile, unless the review contains safety information, like a guest warning about discrimination or an unsafe feature in your listing that could cause an injury.

You can learn more details about this new policy in our Resource Center.

We hear your feedback on reviews and our review policies. In addition to this policy, we’re exploring ways to collect more actionable insights for you throughout the review flow. We’ll update you with more details on that soon. Our goal is to create trust between Hosts and guests and evolve our review system so that it works well for our full community."

I wonder how well this will work, and how high the bar will be for standard of proof to get the review removed. According to the policy, you will have to provide some form of proof that there was an event:

"If you have proof that a party occurred on your property, and your guest’s review doesn't contain important safety information about your space or their stay or a report of discrimination, the review could be eligible to be removed.

You'll need to provide documentation or other proof to support the party allegation, such as video evidence or a police report."

My specific concern is that even guests who admit in Airbnb messaging to doing damage still don't get charged for repair or replacement, so will this be any different? Will reviews actually be removed? It will be interesting to see here in the Community Center in the next few months. I hope it helps hosts: we definitely shouldn't be second guessing whether we should leave a review for fear of retailiation. Now to fix reviews from other rule breakers...

[Jo308]

I have mostly five star reviews but the odd one have been vindictive. Take the one from a guest who hated the place she came to visit and moaner about the  all the way through her stay. Or the one that damaged my sink by trying to wash a cup in a ceramic bowl or the one where I found the guest had had someone sleeping  with them in their single room (took photos of what was left behind as proof - am sure you can imagine and I had the job of picking it up  to disperse if it!) or the ones where I had to knock an hour after they were supposed to check out.  Mostly great guests but these odd few well... there just isn’t any help.  Parties are not a common problem. Things like this are and the revenge reviews are dreadful. Made me stop hosting die a long time. We need the protection of Airbnb from these types of things. 

[Emerson43]

I think that’s a great effort and on the right direction, my only thing is this should come with an additional measure on where hostess are able to involve the hostess board in this type of situation. Like we have a button to involve Airbnb in the resolution center we should be able to have one for the board to back us up when Airbnb is unfair towards us. I had 2 specifics situation on what because of Airbnb not acting right and not do their job as they were supposed to. In one of them the situation was scared and putted me in danger and although I communicated with Airbnb prior to it, during it and after they still let these guests get away with. They drugged themselves in my home and were acting erratically, refusing to leave, cursing and screaming and threatening me. My room was left trashed out, rest of drunks and drugs instruments everywhere and although all the proof were submitted to Airbnb they allowed them to write a bad review against me based on lies. On the other case a guest tried to blackmail me over a late check out fee, though I submitted the text exchange to Airbnb they also allowed him to get away. I have totally lost my trust in Airbnb and do not think they act on our best interest. With the drugged guests I even requested them to ban them from the platform as something worst can happen to future hostess but they refused to do the right thing. In moments like those I wish I had the board to back me up as the ambassadors don’t even allow you to reach the managers 

[Michelle2475]

I'm a bit frustrated with this new rule since it starts just now but last year when I had a problem they would not remove the review.  I had video evidence, reports from the neighbors to Airbnb, pictures of damage, etc. yet they let the 3 star review stand.  I was a new host in 2020 (yeah don't ask me for investment advice) and this tanked my 5 star rating.  I'm still recovering!  I hope they stand by this an are reasonable yet having had so much evidence before and nothing - I'm not hopeful.

[Aslea0]

Hello 

It's April 2022 and airbnb  ambassador  is refusing to follow the new retaliatory  review process and I have 100 % evidence or I wouldn't  be so upset about it . 

My stars are 5 5 5.5 5 5 5 5.  I've been superhost for 7 yrs . Now a 2 star from me contacting the guest on not following rules  has put me at 4.7 

Do you know where I go to complain as to why they refuse to follow their own updated policy's . 

Thankyou 

Angel 

My email is 

**[E-mail address removed due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines]