Guest with damage claims leaves bad review

[Isabel457]

I've just filed a damage claim on a guest because they checked out without cleaning and stained all my bedding with something that's weird and purple. I have a no food rule and they were eating in the room and left food stains on the walls, carpet and furniture.

He is now furious that I claiming for the replacement cost of the stained bedding and mattress and has left me a pretty bad 1star review. Everything he said in the review is false especially the part about wifi (the password is in the check-in details), and the room being too hot, he actually asked me for an extra blanket because he was cold, (so was he hot or cold?). He also accused me of scamming him for more money as revenge for his crying every night. This actually made me really upset because while it was extremely annoying to be kept awake till the wee hours of the morning by a crying child, I was really sympathetic with them and offered to help them. When they insisted that their entire of family fo 4 should sleep in 1 room, I rearranged the furniture so they could be more comfortable, I offered the daughter ice packs because she apparently had a fever. Even though I gave him a negative review, I kept it diplomatic by only stating the facts. I actually went above and beyond for them and it's so upsetting and disappointing to have your kindness taken advantage of. 

This has really negatively impacted my ratings, I've had almost perfect ratings prior and all of my previous guests had positive reviews. I personally think if you've raised a complaint on a guest, they shouldn't be allowed to review or they only see the complaint after they've reviewed because after a complaint has been raised you are going to be biased instead of giving an honest opinion.

Although I know ABB will probably not do anything about the review, any advice on should I deal with this going forward?

[Clara116]

@Isabel457 The review you wrote the guest on her profile was perfect..............BUT, when they wrote on your  listing page you made what I would say is an unfortunate mistake. All that long detail and crazy stuff was too much. You could have just copied the review and posted it. Also, when you mention a claim it will often get your review removed. Maybe you will be in luck and they will remove your response. I think that will go against you more than what the guests wrote. I know it is unfair, I know it must be awful - but, for you to get all emotional makes YOU look bad. All your reviews were great - so people will see that you had someone that was HIGH maintaince and you might want to next time just post the review and take a deep breath and let the rest go. Sorry you had a bad guest, that lied but it will happen and the more we can be cool as Host the better! This too will pass and the next will be better. take care, Clara

[Lisa723]

@Isabel457 I agree with @Clara116-- call Airbnb and ask them to remove the review and your response. If they won't remove the review, still try to get your response removed. In future:

- If you need to file a claim, try to get the guest's review posted first, by immediately posting your own review and then waiting until they review OR the deadline to file a claim is imminent before filing your claim.

- If you get a bad/unfair review remember that the guest will not even see your response. Your response is only for the benefit of future prospective guests considering your listing. Either do not respond at all or keep it short, dispassionate, factual and professional, e.g. "this review is retaliation for my attempt to recover damages from this guest"

[Isabel457]

Thanks @Clara116 and @Lisa723 for the advice, I guess I got a bit hotheaded when  I wrote the response rather than stay cool like when I wrote their review. 

I had guest staying back to back and since the claim had to filed before the next guests checked in, I had no time to wait for let him write his review first. 

I had a look at the content policy, and I just want to clarify the suggestions both of you gave me because both the guest's review and my response mentioned there was a damage claim, is it a violation of the content policy: 

• Content that provides specific details or outcomes of an Airbnb investigation

So I try to use this as grounds to get the review and response removed?

I'm really grateful there is a supportive community of host around, ABB can be quite useless, I still haven't heard anything back about the damage claims. Thanks both 🙂

[Giedre-and-Andre0]

@Isabel457

I do not agree... I can't see anything terrible wrong in your reply (perhaps little to detailed, but it's a very emotional situation).

They accused you to get "extra money" out of them and you have all the right to reflect the situation from your point of view. I always try to cross-read reviews to see what future guests wrote about past accommodations. And sometimes its eye opening. This is the last chance to get your opinion out what went wrong.

BTW: Robin is full of great advice and always a good source for excellent help.

[John1080]

@Isabel457, I agree with @Giedre-and-Andre0 and don't think your response is terrible. I read it and view it as factual and calm. I agree with the others and would certainly try to get the review removed, as I see it as a retaliatory review. 

I agree with @Lisa723, in that if possible, you should wait to make the claim after they leave their review. Of course, you need to make the claim before the next guest checks in, so it might not always be possible. In general, leave your review at once and most guests will then leave their own review fairly quickly. At that point, then you can make your claim, but many will refuse to pay and Airbnb will often side with the guest as well. 

I hope you have success with the outcome of this! 

[Lisa723]

@Isabel457 yes. If you hit resistance, keep quoting their own policy back to them.

[Fred13]

Exactly, if you want a review removed by Airbnb always give them a way out.

[Clara116]

@Isabel457 yes, I think if you specifically mention Airbnb and then put claim, or police or such it will get removed.  But, I would very sweetly call and tell Customers Service you need Their HELP! when we kinda surrender on a small level it will often serve us well. Tell them you got so upset and wrote yours BECAUSE the guests was totally untruthful and you were being emotional - and you know THEY can help you cause you broke their rules - and didn't mean to write all that - AND THE GUESTS WAS COMPLETELY UNTRUTHFUL - maybe it will work - AND if not, just shine it on- cause new guests will come and that will slide down in your reveiws - but think of it  like this - You learned a big lesson and probably others did too that sometimes we can make stuff worse when we get all excited - I do it all the time and it never seems to help me. (my husband always mentions to take the emotion out) Easy for that guy to do, I suppose. You will have great guests like you have had - and as I see it - on here - we go along and learn and make changes to adapt and learn and make some more tweaks, changes and keep on. So it will be a brighter day. Blessings, Clara

[Robin4]

@Isabel457,

Unfortunately you have given yourself a 'black eye' here! At times guests make your blood boil with some of the crazy things they come out with....I got called "a creepy old man"!!  How do you think I took that Isabel?...I have a wife I have loved non-stop for the past 50 years. That hurt me, hurt me terribly and I had every right to lash out just the way you did. But this is the way I handled the review....

Isabel, you don't go into specifics...you lose your diginity if you do! Stay calm and aloof, resist the temptation to get into a verbal 'fist-fight'...the only one that will lose will be you! This review and your response is going to be read by countless people and all of them are going to see you as a 'prickly' host....maybe best to be avoided. You started off ok but when their review came....all hell broke lose. You come across as a host who demands high standards! Good for you, but guests may see that as a turn-off, they will feel uncomfortable and feel that at any time they may inadvertantly do the wrong thing.

Now having said that Isabel, this does have the hallmarks of a 'revenge' review....particularly if the star rating was bad. Where the guest mentions money after the stay and the review relating to that Airbnb might well agree, and Airbnb do not like revenge reviews. Get onto a CX agent on 0285203333, the Sydney number for Airbnb....Be really pleasant and ask their advice on how they might see this review. Don't demand anything or be overly aggresive, just ask their advice and they may very well side with you and remove this review.

But learn from this Isabel, ....never write a review....or a review response in anger, remember the review says as much about you, as it does about the guest.

I wish you well and hope you can learn something from this.

Cheers.....Rob

[Isabel457]

Thanks @Robin4, I love your approach and etiquette. I'll definitely call up CS and hopefully get a reasonable one that will side with me. I want to ask, after check out this guest actually wrote me a thank you note, does this help reinforce that this is a "revenge review" because I filed a damage claim and help get it removed? Thanks 

[Robin4]

@Isabel457

Yes Isabel if there is an item in the message stream that the guest wrote you a nice note after their stay, that will do you a lot of good.

CX are going to side with the guest because guests make them money, hosts cost them money but, when you have proof that the guest liked their stay through the official message stream, CX have no option but to accept that and award in your favour and delete their review!

I hope this helps Isabel.....I love that name, one of the great female names!

Cheers.....Rob

[Chris168]

I was just told by Airbnb that they will never get involved in reviews...

[Fred13]

Two things.

    Airbnb's policy that a claim must be filed before the next guest, will cause this type of confrontation with the guest just about every time because the timing is all wrong, meaning the departing guest will be aware of the claim probably before leaving a review and may not have even intended to leave one in the first place; .but now they will, usually an angry one. If the guest is reasonable, an arrangement perhaps can be made before they even leave, but if they are unreasonable expect a bad review every time. One of the dilemnas of the Airbnb Review system.

   Any host that tries their case (as in a court of law) or is too unnecessarily detailed via a wall of text in their responses is already at a disadvantage, since it will inherently give the impression that the host is defending  their place or position. A short, well written one that rather 'paints a picture' of a bad guest is usually safer and helps the readers (aka future potential guests) dismiss it as just that;  it is really going on the offensive, but with finesse.

[Chris168]

Totally - I just tried to explain this to Airbnb about the timing issue but they weren't intrested