Guests not reading listing and giving less stars in reviews

[Hitomi3]

I would like to know how other hosts are dealing with guests not reading your listings/rules properly.

As I hosted more guests, I have noticed many of them don't read the listing and rules properly, even though I added a couple sentences both in the top of the listing and the section where they must agree right before booking.

My guest room is facing a busier road and can get loud. So I write that on the listing very clearly and tell them I provide earplugs, but it's not suitable for light sleepers. Recently, I've had a couple guests complaining about the noise and reducing stars in their reviews. The most recent guest gave me a 4 star on Accuracy and pointed out "noise" in the improvement area. I mean, I had fully listed that and she didn't read it. I don't know how I can improve in this situation.

Questions:

1. How do you deal with guests not reading your listing/rules/manuals? Any suggestion to prevent this?

2. Have you been able to get it corrected by Airbnb if it's due to the guest not reading your listing?

I never got anything less than 4 stars, so it's not the end of the world, but it does get frustrating when I honestly disclose potential flaws that they may experience and they reduce rating because they didn't read it.

[Todd-and-Reese0]

@Hitomi3I'm pretty sure AirBnB made the 48-hour cancellation policy available to all guests and all kinds of bookings. We as hosts have no say in that and can't offer it or not offer it.

[Hitomi3]

@Todd-and-Reese0

Yes, I found information on it and I now understand it's available for the first 3 times of cancellation. I probably didn't see this because I was using incognito/wasn't signed-in to look at my listing! Thanks for your reply. 🙂

[Sylvia148]

I share your sentiment, the more I host quests as well. I also noticed that many of them don't read the listing and rules of properly or arrival time. Many of my quests tell me that they only look at the reviews.  

Therefore, each quests that book, I send them a thank you message for booking. A few days just before they arrival I send a message, saying, `It’s nearly time for you to arrival, by now you should have received you itinerary from Airbnb.

To my surprise it worked, because recently, one quest read his itinerary. Therefore he was forced to respond regarding his arrival time.

[Nutth0]

@Hitomi3 My house is no AC and I mention in my listing too but like you, some not reading. What I do is I write in hello message ( When IB will see ) or if it is an inquiry I always tell them.

This is a message I always use

"I noticed that this will be your first time using Airbnb, I love receiving guests that are new to Airbnb 🙂

Before making a booking please carefully review our AMENITIES that you okay with everything as our house is no air conditioner. But I also prepare 2 fans per room and normally is cool at night ( 20-25c )"

[Jacqueline1]

I like your message to New Airbnb Guests... will start using it. Thanks for sharing!

[Dave878]

This is exactly the same solution I ended up using... It works well, especially for new Airbnb-ers.

[Brent23]

In my picture gallery I use captions to add certain disclosure stuff. Sometimes I tell booking guests, "If you have not done so already, please be sure to read the caption to the very last picture in my gallery."   And in that caption says this:  This is Airbnb and my home, this is not the Hilton. I leave 5 star reviews and something positive to say about all respectful guests. If I have some useful feedback to give you that may not be so pretty I will do so in the space provided for private feedback, I'll never make you look bad in a public review. 🙂 Hopefully I can expect the same courtesy from you and if not, please don't book with me. I believe in "review karma," in fact I make sure it works. 😉 I try very hard to present a quality product for a fair price and I believe I do that quite well plus I do everything within my abilities to make sure you happy and comfortable. The room is as described in the description and pictures and captions, please carefully read them all especially this one. 😉 If you are of delicate descent please note the following features: There is an "accordion" door on the small bathroom; the A/C is a window unit and works great and makes the same sound as most A/C window units; although my place and backyard are quite serene, there are traffic sounds from the main intersection and sometimes you'll hear a siren, twice per week the trash and recycle people come down the alley and make noise taking the trash, normal stuff; there is always one queen size bed in the room, extra beds are added by your request; this is Florida and though I do keep the property quite pest-free, there are lizards and squirrels and other occasional critters coming around, one time a ferret came passing through, I do my best to keep the property mosquito-free; the room is over 60 years old and although it is very clean and comfy and fully-functional some parts look old, the shower is old but clean and hot; as noted above, this was once a garage many decades ago, converted in early 1960s to a studio apartment, it's very cozy but again, it was a garage, it now has nice tile and rugs and warm furnishings throughout, there is no TV; although there is plenty of room in the shower, it is tight quarters in the bathroom but big enough for any one person, there is a great, big mirror in the room for vanity; If you bring a pet, please make sure your pet is clean and groomed, I do not have a standard cleaning fee but I do often assess a $20-$60 fee AFTER your stay if there is excessive pet hair to clean or if there is any "dog smell" when I enter the room that requires more than reasonable effort to clean I will assess a $20-$60 fee AFTER, if necessary, replacing any rugs will also result in a fee, I'm extremely reasonable and fair about this policy. 🙂 So there you have it, all the possible drawbacks of the room. If you can't deal with it and can't manage to give 5 stars and something nice to say then this probably isn't the place for you. I have 227 reviews as of today, 225 of them are nice reviews, a couple of them are from people that couldn't deal with the accordion door on the bathroom. 😉 END CAPTION.  One time someone left me a somewhat disappointing review citing the accordian door on the bathroom and lack of tv, it was quite condescending. SO, in my public response to the review instead of replying directly the the reviewer, I spoke directly to the reader of the review saying, (something to the effect of...)  "To those reading this review, please note that it is very important to thoroughly read all the description, house rules and picture captions before your stay......blah, blah..."  It works, I don't always specifically direct them to that caption, but I do when I suspect that their 8 dogs for 8 days may leave me considerably more clean-up than I bargained for. (yes, that really happened, unannounced! lol Fortunately it was a wonderful experience) Peeps usually respond with such as, "ok, got it, sounds fair to us!" Also, the public response option is a great, free little tool to generate good energy, and also to manifest good habits in your guests. For example, (keep in mind that the person reading this is looking to book now) "Sue and Joe, thank you so much for the kind words, I think you'll like what I wrote in your review as well, and also thank you being so tiday, hosts LOVE when guests are clean and leave a small footprint, you're the bomb, please come back anytime!"  That's something I would write. I chat with my guests about the importance of good reviews, it works most of the time, sometimes not. Wow, I'm pretty longwinded tonight. 🙂 

[Jacqueline1]

Using the captions to set the expectations of reviews, plus the actual wording you use is so helpful, thank you for sharing

[Wayne33]

I have recently refunded for one night as the guests did not read my listing in full. I state "not suitable for people with cat allergies". This guest requested a refund which I took on the chin and agreed as I was concerned that I would receive negative review. To be fair should I have had to refund for the 2nd night as they didn't stay the second night as she had an allergic reaction. Also she did not come to me and say I have an allergy to cats 

[Hitomi3]

Thanks everyone, I have received advices I needed and therefore won't be checking this page any longer.

Those who are having similar issues and posting their problems, I hope you can refer to helpful advices people have given. 🙂

[Philip153]

When I send Pre approval I request the guest to read the description,  house rules etc.  thoroughly before confirming. 

[Fred13]

Of late, I have used the phrase in my conversation: 'Remember that reading the House Rules is a ~condition~ of acceptance". It appears to get their attention.

[Gail108]

Hi Hitomi, 

I had a similar thing happen. The rental is not far from a set of railroad tracks. the guest even mentioned knowing it was there but didn't think it would be that loud. So obviously he HAD read my listing rules that stated we had occasional trains that went by. But he gave me 4 stars because of it. Like I have the power to keep trains to not go by during this guys stay!? He gave rave reviews about everything else though. (He was the only one that gave me 4 stars.)

So I went back into my rules listing and stated that the occasional train may be intrusive and to bring earplugs if they are light sleepers. 

I try not to take these comments personally. It's all about them, and their need to complain about something. If they are not happy within themselves, they will not find contentment anyplace else, even at the most wonderful Airbnb.  

Best to you,

Gail

[Sally-and-Katy0]

We too are experiencing this with Location.  I was really hurt by the 4 stars because they left glowing written reveiws but then less stars.  And surely you would research where you were booking so that you knew where you were?!

One thing I discovered was that all of our details about where we were was in the Getting Around section.  And they only read that if they click on the link to "read more" in The Neighbourhood section.  So, I included a little note saying, "Please read more details in the Getting Around section."

While there is great advice here to be proactive and reiterate with guests some of the particulars of your listing, it's incredible to think that the Location of where they are going to stay would be something to clarify with them.

Someone told me, "Don't worry.  If they booked in the centre of town, they'd give 5 stars for Location but then say, 'It's a bit noisy....'"  🙂

I keep tweaking my listing as I get reviews, but it looks like I won't make Superhost this time because of these reviews.

[Jeanette37]

Hi Hitomi.  OMG, yes unfortunately people will be human lol.  They don't read listings/profiles and then complain about issues that could have been avoided if they'd just done so.  You could give them a "lecture" when they arrive about your expectations and ensure that they're fully informed or, possibly have them sign a hard copy of your listing so that then know that they can't complain about it later.  Try it.