Can you alter a recent review if you find out that a guest has used drugs during their stay?

[Kerry-Phil0]

We have a strict " no illicit drugs" policy on our listing. Even if we didn't, I would expect that guests would obey the laws of the country when staying in another's home. We had guests check out yesterday and I gave them a positive review. In preparing for our next lot of guests tonight however, we found evidence that said guests had consumed illicit drugs and/or brought them into our house. Now I want to change my review and am wondering if there is any other penalty that can be applied? To say I am FUMING is an understatement. I feel totally taken advantage of and want other hosts to know that these guests do not respect very reasonable house rules

[Eileen4]

Since it's a question of legality, I would contact Airbnb, let them know and ask to have the review changed. Maybe take photographic proof? This is the sort of thing other hosts do need to be made aware of. 

[Kerry-Phil0]

I have contacted Airbnb and they say reviews can't be altered but the safety team will investigate. Very disappointing I want other hosts to be warned

[Eileen4]

I have heard of them pulling reviews rather than altering them. I think the idea of alteration is one that is 100% no-go with them and probably for good reason. Imagine how many requests they'd get from hosts wanting to change a review after writing a good one. I've found hidden damage too and kicked myself for having written a good review too quickly. Now I wait for a few days. 

But Air will, on occasion--at least from what I've heard from other hosts--pull a positive review when something like a safety issue comes up. Keep an eye out on your site and if it doesn't disappear contact them again in a couple of weeks. 

I had a long term tenant once who had some sort of drug problem--I couldn't find out exactly what because he would deliberately play around with giving me access to the apartment. The thing is, he left food on the stove a few times, setting off the smoke alarm. So I finally called his parents and said I was going to get the law involved unless they helped him to move out ASAP. They did. 

[Clare0]

@Kerry-Phil0 Your situation is exactly why I don't write a review until I have cleaned the house and have done a complete inspection.  I find too many hosts all to eager to write a great review and then discovering later that the guest didn't deserve one.  

[Eileen4]

That's a great idea. Another thing that's happened, although this has happened to me by accident, not design, is that the following guests will occasionally find things that I didn't think to check. I've come to the conclusion that even waiting until my next guests have been in for a while is a good idea too. Not everything can be attibutable to the previous guest, but most things can be.

For example, I found out that a store of goodies I had in a partially hidden and very difficult to reach storage area had been cleaned out by guests who stayed for two days and who were going on to camp at a local, federal park. Since it was clear that the bin was a storage bin--there were paper towels and other non-chemical things in a large plastic, sealed container--I knew that they would have understood that the contents were not there to provide a huge, extra supply of things.

So I found that about 6 boxes of individually wrapped gourmet cookies, along with 1 box of individually wrapped gournet granola bars, had disappeared when the present guests said they'd eaten the portions I usually leave out and wondered if there were any more. When I told them where to look, they messaged me back saying the container was empty, save for the paper towels and face-cloths, etc. So this family had left enough cookies and granola bars out to look like they hadn't taken any, but had then taken my entire supply in my supply cupboard.

 So they were sneaky. Anyway, I know this sounds like a totally first world problem, but the point was that the cookies and bars weren 't expensive--they were just not available in my immediate area and necessitated a trip to a store in another small town about a half hour's drive away. So I was glad that I hadn't written the review yet because I was able to say they'd cleaned out my entire supply of condo snacks and that future hosts should make sure to nail down anything they didn't want taken. 

[Matt26]

@Eileen4

I hope you went to the resolution center to charge the guest for consuming goods beyond the free amounts provided. Even if you just charged $25, I think it would get the point across; and perhaps cause them to think twice about using ABNB or stealing things that don't belong to them.

My blood is boiling reading what they did - to have the audacity to root through your person items and then take something!

[Eileen4]

@Matt26 Believe it or not, the father wrote some fairly hefty criticism in a private message to me!  He didn't think the way I arranged the furniture was good, the beds were uncomfortable, etc. I couldn't believe it, since I spent tons on the mattresses and everyone loves the beds. I dunno. It was probably a way of rationalizing. You know, this isn't a quality place, so we're entitled to take this food. 

I do hope other hosts read the reviews and say no to this family. I'm not sure how many hosts actually check. 

[Matt26]

@Eileen4

Err, those are the worst guests! I call them 'to-cheap-to-stay-in-a-hotel-but-I-have-the-same-expectations'. I had a family last year that left every single dish they used over the weekend in the sink and then were the only guests to give me a 4 star review.  They were unhappy with fact I didn't clear out my entire closet for their 2 night stay. I wish there was a better to screen for those types. 

As for your reviews, I'm pretty sure the large majority review them before they host a guest. At least for me its my primary way of judging.

[Kerry-Phil0]

Right so the Safety team refuses to do anything about it and says I can't alter my review and that's that. I let them know this was unacceptable and at the very least it should be pulled and a warning letter sent from the so called Safety Team to inform guest that they are aware of his behaviour and future incidents will result in a block. I am not holding my breath! Very disappointed with the lack of support provided by Airbnb on this occasion.

[Stephanie-And-Steven0]

The only option you have is to reply to their review and hope that when other hosts are deciding whether to accept them or not, they check out the reviews they've left for other hosts when they're looking at their profile. I've started doing that wherever possible and it is helpful.

We just had a guest who marked us down because she didn't like the brand-new bed. Five stars for everything, four for overall experience.

It was really a nit-picky, infuriating review. She called our bed "squishy." You can tell by the hundred and one autocorrect errors she just dashed the review off.  If I'm honest, I knew I wouldn't like her from the moment she got out of the car but you try not to judge, right?

I left it for a few days and then tried, very carefully, to answer her review but I forgot Airbnb compresses everything into one paragraph, so it looks long and breathless - for that reason, I wanted to mention that you can reply but also to caution you, any reply you make should be a one-liner. 

Otherwise it looks like you're going on and on.

All I really wanted in response to her review was - we always keep the kitchen stocked because we're civilized people. And - that bed is not "squishy" it's brand new. (and I wanted to add "you are an odious little Princess" - but I would have deleted that before posting, of course.)

But I didn't want to hurt her feelings so I softened it up.

For the same reason, we gave her a great review and she knocked down our star rating and I look long-winded in the process.

I still think newbies should not be allowed to post a review until they've stayed in at least two Airbnb listings. 

[Eileen4]

I've only had a couple of iffy reviews, but I have said something along the lines of, "Wow, I'm very surprised you feel that way (or had that experience) because no other guest we've had has told us this and we've been hosting for X amount of time. We will definitely look into X and thank you so much for letting us know. We appreciate the feedback."  

One guestwho complained said my neighbourhood was run down, so I countered by saying, "It's a historic and vibrant neighbourhood, beloved by many Montrealers. It's also a very creative space with plenty of artists' studios, but of course, it's not for everyone. However, it is very safe. I walk my dog alone after 11 PM, as do many other women who live in here."

Sometimes you just have to kill people with kindness. 🙂

[Kerry-Phil0]

Thanks everyone, some great advice as always.

The safety team is recommending I discuss this with said guest who has already departed. I've argued that will achieve nothing and for the safety of other hosts I'd like my review amended or pulled. Will keep you posted...

Lesson learnt Re prematurely reviewing!