GIVING UP on hosting after 2yr. Guests left defamatory and lying review, Airbnb DONT care!

[Piper-And-Andrew0]

We had 2 first-timer guests staying with us for 1 week and it was not pleasant. They broke our houserules and did not respect our home. Made us scared to come back to our own home... I tried to suck it up for days but couldnt handle and was going to cancel but the case manager was not there and never called me back, so they stayed the night then left us a horrible review.

So here's their review translated in English as their review is in another language:

Communication with the hosts was no more than basic, showing no interest in giving us information about the region. They only spoke to us when we asked something or to impose rules. Also we were not comfortable to use the sofa as there were seats for only two people. Although we are clean and organized people, we feel a lot of pressure in this regard. As examples we can mention the concern so that our shoes did not touch, at any moment, the floor of the house, not even to leave them in the room. The cat (which is very cute, by the way) jumped all the time about our food while we were cooking or eating and we could not pick it up with our hands because we would be getting the cat dirty. Also the cat could not possibly eat human food, but as he jumped all the time on the table and the stove, we were left with various concerns about it. At one point the hostess was very angry because the cat stole food while I cooked, screamed at us and locked herself in the bedroom, slamming the door. But the responsibility for the cat is definitely not of the guests. The ad also said that cooking is allowed, but every time we cook (even turning on the cooker hood) they are clearly bothered. Anyway, it was a complicated week, we spent the whole time in the room laughing about how our breathing could contaminate their environment! We did not feel comfortable

I cried when i saw it.... just so much false info, hiding details and lying. We were chatting happily until the accident when 'our cat stole food while they cooked', they were cooking raw chicken and she told me Koko licked the packaging, im like are you sure coz raw chicken could be dangerous, he could get samonella, then she started giggling...?!??!?! I pick the cat up and said its not funny, she kept giggling as i walked away into the bedroom, not slamming the door. She did not talk to us after that day. She seemed happy while playing with the cat all night in their bedroom but thought the cat was annoying when they wanted to cook one day at 5pm another day at 9:30pm. We had to tell them to turn the exhaust fan on 3 or 4 time as they would cook stir-fly dishes at early morning and late night, which they did not mention in their review. 

But we chatted plenty before, we know they lost their jobs, their dog jumped over high fences and they locked their house up to come here to study English in order to get a high level job in their own country. We showed them where our swimming pool and gym are... told them where to get this and that.

I dont know what he means by the shoes. We said he could put his shoes next to the front door or in the laundry, he asked if he could leave them in the bedroom, we said yes. Also the sofa part???? it has been used by 4 people plenty times (IKEA Friheten sofa-bed). They never said anything about it during their stay...

They failed to mention that they locked our cat in the bedroom without telling us because they needed to cook. Left our cat in a room with no light and scratching the carpet under door wanting to get out... Their response 'But the responsibility for the cat is definitely not of the guests', I dont know what to say. 

What shocked me more was their following part: 'we spent the whole time in the room laughing about how our breathing could contaminate their environment!', I cannot possibly imagine anyone saying anything like this.... it was not their breathing, it was their attitude, their lack of respect, their treating our place like a motel, their breaking of our houserules, their thinking they can do whatever whenever they want. 

Airbnb will not take it down whatsoever. Clearly lying is ok, defamatory comments is ok. Done hosting.

[Angela537]

it doesnt matter what we say back.. they already killed our rating and home reviews.

I have had it done also, and complained to Airbnb.. that randomly I all of a sudden had a bad review, as a super host!  she was good and knew what she was doing. it is what it is and it Airbnb can not see that. well maybe they do not care, its not their home. 🙂

[Piper-And-Andrew0]

Yes exactly. I do not want to reply. 2 years effort all killed and over when they decided to give a 2 star review.

[Elena87]

''2 years effort all killed'' ??

That's surely way over the top and unneccesarily dramatic.

Two stars, these are only fake internet points anyway , why even take it to heart.

Plus it's written in Portuguese...no one will even bother translating it.

[Piper-And-Andrew0]

Nah I wish it could be easier for me!!!! I have had a very bad run with not pleasant guests. Its hard for me to get over these things and just makes feel exhausted. 

[Geraldine60]

Piper and Andrew I am in the exactly the same position as you.This summer I have had really awful horrid guests.  The reviews which some of them gave me have been soul destroying.  I am just at my wits end as I just can't seem to please them.  I have been doing this business for six years, three of which have been with Airbnb who seem to attract or maybe it's my apartment weirdos.  I am a pensioner and rely heavily on this income.  However, the stress which it is now causing me via Airbnb.  I wonder if it is worth it!  Good Luck in the future.

[Helga0]

@Geraldine60, your place is very charming.  I checked your listing and texts, which are very clear. Nothing special comes to mind, why you attract more strange folk this summer. Maybe the price is a bit too low - that's often tricky. Too high means bookings come in very late, too low and you get people you can't satisfy. 

However the Korean guest's review was not so bad. It was a typical Asian young person, hysterical about flying insects. 

You should not answer so long. Write answers first, think a few days about them, shorten them and then post. If you have still possibilities to answer to good ones too, answer a few with long answers too. 

Only one idea: your listing feels cool. That is great for the hot summer in Nice, but it might attract those emotionally cool people. Add a few warm generous elements on the pictures. Flowers, a meal on a table or the result of shopping in the kitchen, with texts tat make it clear, that they are not included. Like "Enjoy cooking with fresh produce from the markets" or something like that. And pictures from the markets later. More outside pictures of Nice. I added pictures of what they see from the metro to my alley and from shopping in the neighbourhood to my listing. That makes them see familiar sights, when they arrive, they arrive with less stress and in a better mood. 

If you offer a bottle of wine or a few local cakes or olives, add a picture of that too.

You cannot exclude all, and at the moment, my listing is paused, because I got a crazy lying review too and I'm mad about it, but generally I get mostly good guests. I believe, if you have pictures of generous things, art, flowers, food, pretty pillows and covers, you attract people who like those things and it irritates the emotionally depraved ones, they feel not safe, when people are nice, smiling, generous, whilst they themselves are not. It acts like a filter.

[Sally221]

Dear Helga

I admired your insight about using generous images as a subtle fitler to discourage unkind people-I put up a "In this House" statement in our listing  to dissuade  those whose politics I find cruel and bullying from considering our home, but your ideas are perhaps more generous- and I do need to add more pictures-we are very new to this but so far we have had lovely guests with only one family giving us less than 5 stars- I don't think we were the best venue for what they wanted but as we don't have a mnimum stay perhaps they felt like they had no better option.   Pictures of the neighborhood - that is a fabulous idea as some peolpe (me for one) have the ability to get lost no matter how clear the directions and a visual can be incredibly reassuring to those lost souls, thank you,

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Sally

[Helga0]

@Sally221, thank you for the compliment! 

I get lost everywhere, that was the main reason to buy an iphone - for a line with a monthly 5 Euro phone bill. 

One thing, that works for me and which I use in my description how to find the place, is putting the outside in relation to my body. At crossroads, I find a big landmark, the railway station, a towere, a church. I tell them to place themselves back to that building. Back to the church, you have on your left hand a cinema. Turn right.  or Back to the station, you are looking at the tower. Then turn right. 

That works for the eternally lost. Before I did that for myself, I had descriptions or memories, to turn right at the exit of the metro. But hey, wait, did I use the same exit last time? Was it right immediately or only after I looked at the map at the exit, because if so, it would be left... 

Most of my guests arrive very surprised how easy it was to find the place. Only today's guest called me from a doorstep two units farther, having reached the garden wall. I hailed him and lured him back. Entering, he saw the black cat on the table. Poor Simba, the neighbors' cat who practically lives on my garden table, was pressed against the wall and sheltering under a bit of overhanging branches, as it was raining. Seems to my guest, the red door and handpainted tables were invisible whilst looking for a black cat. I may have to adapt the text: Orange-blue tables with maybe a black cat on them, but a very slim one, if it rains. 

[Valerie238]

You would be surprised! Reviews are translated. The worst is that the world view of rude americans is so false but it makes them feel better about themselves. 5 star ratings should be changed to thumbs up or something it makes people think of hotels this is not a hotel service for the puny fraction of what a 5 star hotel would codt them

[Linda356]

Excellent idea about the thumbs up hope you pass it on the airbnb admin.

[Donald28]

so true. Ignore it. I'm sure your next guests will too!

[Guillem2]

I see both sides of this problem. I too had one bad review EVER and it cost me Super Host status for one year!!!!!!  The bad review resulted from my claiming  many $100s of damages; the only time I ever had any damages. And Airbnb, despite evidence of all my claims, sided 100% with the Guest, and did not collect one cent from the security deposit for the damages.... Lesson learned - don't ever complain about a Guest, suck it up and absorb the loss. Every other Guest (well over 120) has been great!!!!

[Richard-and-Dee0]

I am concerned that your claim for damages was ignored. Did Airbnb say why? I understood superhosts' status was an average and that one bad review would not affect your overall status but obviously not. It seems very worrying that your claim would be ignored as you have obviously never needed to claim before so why would any host randomly request damages from one guest.  Still your other guests obviously didn't believe the bad review 

[Piper-And-Andrew0]

Thank you for your sympathy! I feel much better. But I’m not planning on leaving any reply as we have decided not to host any more. 

[BedandStay0]

It is important to leave a review about them too so other host are awared of it.

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