Bad experience with guest and Airbnb review system

[Pamela761]

Hi, I've been hosting for a few months and just recently had my first two bad experiences with guests - consecutively. I'm a bit disappointed with the whole review system because it seems completely fake and unreliable. I've used Airbnb in the past as a guest and relied entirely on reviews to book, but now being on the other side I understand how some things that any potential guests/hosts SHOULD be aware of, never make it to the reviews! I'm reconsidering being a host because I realize us hosts are very much on our own in the "bad cases"...

In my worst experience, the most recent, the guest left the place trashed. Floors and rugs completely filthy, they didn't even consider taking of their shoes (that week we had had the first heavy snowfall of the season) and even the sheets were very evidently stained because of this. Towels were soaking wet on the floor, with countless spots. They ripped the toiled paper holder from the wall. Microwave exploded with food. Trash everywhere, underneath furniture, etc, and even left a mess in the city's trash containers - they dumped everything including clothes, organics, etc.. in the recycling container, completely overflowing it and leaving trash all around it. They took with them my portable cooktop and a pan. I submitted a claim for all this but in the meantime my husband had called them about the cooktop, they said they had taken it by "mistake" and returned it within 20 mins (3-4 hours after check-out). This was a profile created in 2016 with no reviews, and from a city other than mine. The car they were driving had plates from my state and they were able to come back and return the cooktop within 20 mins...so I'm guessing they are living locally (I also just saw that the guest has her first review, a 5/5 from a host in my city - supporting this idea). They also left evidence of drug use in the premises. 

I cancelled the claim because at this point I had read claims for additional cleaning were subject to the guest's "approval" and since they had returned the stolen item AND they seemed to be locals, I didn't want a bad review or something worse now they know where I live. I thought I could report the drug use anonymously, I have pictures to prove it and considering all the above I don't think it would be far-fetched to say they were bad guests, thinking that by doing so I could "benefit the community" by putting them in Airbnb's radar and avoid any future host's problems...

If I were to pursue the drug use claim, they will know it is about their stay at my place. In my claim, I included pictures of everything (including what they left behind of the *alleged* drug use) and wrote a lengthy message to the guest. They didn't even answer, which I believe says a lot. I'm still within the time frame to review them; for all of the above, including the *potential* bad review in retaliation, I won't leave a review myself. 

I was hoping to hear about other's similar bad experiences and how you've handled them. 

Thanks!

[Laura2592]

@Pamela761  that is a tough one. You are new so you really need to build up your reviews if this is something you want to keep doing. So the right answer may not be the best answer.

One of our early guests was a nightmare but we were so new and had so few reviews we didn't want to scare off future guests and we did not review them. We spoke with them about the issues and explained that though we were new to the platform we were not fools. I think a lot of guests take advantage of hosts with few reviews. In our case, building our bookings and reputation took primary importance. Now that is not a host friendly stance, so many would tell you (rightfully) that you should warn others. Maybe you can find a way to do so very gently? Something like this:

There were some misunderstandings with this guest and being new to Airbnb, we learned a lot from this hosting experience. We think this group may be better suited for a different type of accommodation than we offer.

I would leave it on the last possible day so there is less of a chance of retaliation. Sorry this happened and I feel your pain. But it will get better!  Hang in there.

[Pamela761]

Laura, I agree "the right answer might not be the best answer", and of course I'm also thinking about building up my reviews. Your example is super useful, many thanks! I am interested in warning future hosts as I would've liked to be warned. 

[Sarah977]

@Pamela761  "I'm still within the time frame to review them; for all of the above, including the *potential* bad review in retaliation, I won't leave a review myself. "

The guest can still leave a bad review and it will appear whether you post a review or not. Wait until the last quarter of day 13 to leave an honest review and the guests will probably not notice that you've left a review in time to leave one themselves.

The reason this horrid guest has been a member since 2016 and has only one review, which is good, is probably because all the previous hosts were thinking just like you and declined to leave a reveiw, which is why you got unknowingly stuck with them. If you don't review, you are disrespecting other hosts and giving this guest license to go on destroying other people's homes.

[Pamela761]

Thanks, Sarah. The only review this guest has came after I hosted, and it is a 5 star review, noticing this and learning more about the reporting process I realized exactly what you say, that this guest has been doing this since 2016 but I do not feel comfortable as I would in another case where I wasn't almost certain they're still in the area (pursuing the claim further, not the review). They've reviewed my case multiple times, or so they tell me every time I call or contact them, and the options they've given me are going through a process between me and the guest and THEN with Airbnb, or just "blocking" them. I don't like either. I like the option of leaving someone gave above about leaving a review that warns other guests and maybe try to find a way to make a report. I hope Airbnb had another option for special cases like I believe this is...

[Emilia42]

@Pamela761 

"I won't leave a review myself."

Perhaps you received this local(?) guest because the guests previous hosts didn't bother to review them. It's a shame that possible other hosts, yourself included, could have been spared from this unfortunate booking in the first place. 

I am so thankful that a fellow local host left an unfavorable review for a guest who was trying to pull the same stunt with me. 

Reviews are all we have as hosts. Please take them seriously. 

[Pamela761]

Thanks for your comment, I agree with you and that is why I came to this forum. Also, the review the other host left is a 5 star review saying he would host again without hesitation. I've contacted Airbnb support multiple times since check-out, last time right before posting here, and the follow up always ends leaving the responsibility in my hands to confront the guest personally - when I'd expect Airbnb to work as an intermediary. Or what I tried to do today, try to submit a complaint or report so that Support looks formally into this (and I'd be happy to provide pictures, etc), not my case in particular but the profile in general, without the process involving me confronting the guest yet again, specially considering what I'm claiming and that I don't feel comfortable knowing they're still in the neighborhood. 

[Emilia42]

@Pamela761 

You have to think about your safety and Airbnb is of little help. If you threaten or ridicule this person, then yes, they could become unhinged. But a simple review that says, "XX's stay resulted in much extra cleaning. I would not host again" and then give them all 1 stars and click "No, you would not host them again." At least this way, they will not be able to book with you again or instant book with other hosts. Other hosts would at least have the heads up to make a decision and know that different hosts had different experiences.