Cowardly guests who hide behind their review

Brian68
Level 9
Surat Thani, Thailand

Cowardly guests who hide behind their review

I'm pretty much done with guests, who if they have a problem during their stay decide to say nothing and then moan about it in the review after.

 

Why is that?

It's very simple actually, the guest thinks if they request or complain about something during their stay that it will influence your review of them.

As a host,  I rarely hear from my guests and I do check in on them very occasionally to make sure they have arrived safe.

No news is good news they say, absolutely not!

For all intents and purposes you have been led to believe that there were no problems, issues or complaints?

Basically I feel like I am flying blind and 99% of the time give the guest 5 stars only to find out and to be fair, mostly private feedback that there have been issues.

I just feel that that reviews should be subject to more scrutinisation and changeable by Airbnb if the guest has failed at any time during their stay to message you about it on the app or via email and then gone on to make it public in a review.

I'm happy to listen to guests concerns or if there are issues and would not discriminate ( I already had to change a water heater out for someone who had no hot water for 24 hrs, no problem at all).

But DON'T keep quiet and then blub about it afterwards, because you are the worst kind of guests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

86 Replies 86
Zappa0
Level 10
Key West, FL

I agree but this is the society we live in. Instead of fixing it during the stay they feel more satisfied complaining later

Brian68
Level 9
Surat Thani, Thailand

Fair point Zappa it is unfortunately.

But Cheski always goes on about being a "Community".

That will never evolve/improve unless people "Communicate"

 

Evette2
Level 2
Birmingham, United Kingdom

I agree with you Brian, i think its a little unfair with the review system. Some of my guests have had moans because of their our personal mood at the time. A guest who requested to arrive late evening, complained that he couldn't see the number of the building in the dark. Another guest told me on a review that i shouldn't be on the phone to people when i had guests, even though i was in my own room. I saw on someone elses page a guest complained because she didnt have a tea bag, and only had coffee and chocolate. Now if i feel someones going to be difficuilt i dont leave them a review, i would rather that than to risk them leaving thier own insercurities 

Whow!  This is amazing,  There is not a one of these that do not fit what has happened to me.  One of the first things I say is to let me know if there is a problem so it can be taken care of.  They have  rules of the house not only on the listing, but their desk in their room has the same.  I even had one where they said the house was too small,yet I had photos of every thing.  The one that really hurt me was the young man who cried poor, so I gave him a nice discount and he turned around and got me for cleaniness and communication.  I am in my house most of the time, so I am there for the quest if there is a situation.  I feel like I was scammed.  My charge for a room per nite is very reasonable.  I know I should have broader shoulders, but how broad do they have to be.

 

 


@Marcia55 wrote:

''... I even had one where they said the house was too small,yet I had photos of every thing...''

 

Hello Marcia,

I had the same issue. A guest dished out a 3* because my house was too small. I don't mind constructive cristicism. But, how can we make a smaller house bigger? Airnbb helper did not see any problem with this issue. Guests who think that a host's house is too small should leave and  book an expensive mansion elsewhere. 

 

 

 


 

Marcia/Marguerite - similar problem with 3* ratings from one guest for me:

Accuracy - 'no TV' - my listing states there is no TV! Far from amenities - parade of shops and lovely Italian restaurant 5 mins walk away! Listing clearly states we're 4 miles out of town.

Check in - "This rental arrangement was managed entirely without direct human contact through sms and a key safe" - the guest booked 15 hours prior to arrival and I let her know we had a busy day planned - this rating has led to my listing not being included as 'business ready' by Airbnb (they require that guests can check in unassisted but this 3* 'rating' has let me down)

Location - "Scenic but far away from the sea and amenities There were bus routes in the neighbourhood. A pleasant walk downhill to the shore but an uphill walk back". We live on a hill - if you walk down you have to climb back up again! We are about half a  mile from the sea.....

What can you do - I keep adding info to the listing but now fear it is far too wordy!

 

Lindsey ,  I saw your listing . You've got a lovely place with a pool and free parking in Brighton, wow!

 

I thought for a long time, should I respond or not to my 3* location reviewer. I DID, so he would be aware that it wasn't acceptable to give 3* because he felt that my flat was small. 

I also found a temporary solution for my  '' 4* location reviewers'': In my review responses,  I welcome back publicly all the guests who appreciated my location with 5*. The rest can go West!

I don't even understand why some 4* givers  want to come back. it doesn't make sense. I find all excuses to decline their booking. I don't want them back. End of.

Jill99
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

i must agree there. i have stated in my profile/ house rules that we do not give a house key, this is because we are elderly and feel unsafe that someone ( who we do not know well ) could easily return when we are away with a freshly made key and do what ever. untrusting maybe but that is our rule. one man agreed with this, when he booked and then retourted on line  later that we should alter that rule. PHah!  he also stated that we are on a main road. ( I believe that this was to say we are convenient for buses etc)

 

Air bnb now say on line that it is a noisy place and that we must improve the noisey situation.. How can we divert traffic ?  ( there is a little, such as local buses but no huge roaring noise )  or move our home to a field site?  how stupid is that.   We clearly state on our page that there is traffic here,  as i defended myself by saying,  You cant have no traffic and convenience.

As Brian says most are good but there are always some who don't complain till the end or the review in an attemp to get refunds or even credits that Airbnb sometimes offer them. As Marcia experiences the ones we try to help and offer discounts to are to often the ones that bite you. Now I never give discounts up front and always offer any discount in the form of a refund after check out conditioned upon the guest leaving the unit clean and undamaged, NO EXCEPTIONS. I highly recomend all hosts do the same.

Brian68
Level 9
Surat Thani, Thailand

@Dan0

Why didn't I think of that, great idea and already implemented from my side.

Good incentive as well!

Thanks

 

Evette2
Level 2
Birmingham, United Kingdom

Love this idea, Thanks Dan 

Someone gave me a low score on communication because they

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

In some circles 'victimization' is the reason, people must adored being 'wronged' and then complaint to conclude the whole theatrical act with a bang.

Brian68
Level 9
Surat Thani, Thailand

Well put Fred, some people like to bask in the glory of their little reviews (acts) giving their little lives a bit of meaning instead of speaking up at the time and being supposedly a "Community"