Guests unhappy wants to leave? how do i avoid a bad review?

[Thomas689]

Hi, I am brand new to hosting. I finished renovating a brand new house and have taken my first booking for an entire month. I offered a massive discount to two people from abroad who have never used AirBnB before. They asked lots of questions regarding the house and location etc and i was completely honest with them obviously. I gave them the full address before booking. They wanted to know the houses' location because their daughter lives locally (university student). Everything was fine at check in, they said the house was absolutely lovely. It is absolutely brand new and there are no other nice houses in my local area. I left them a welcome basket and made sure the place looked amazing.

However, at check in they were already mentioning about the location being quite far from where their daughter was living. They are from Italy and don't drive. I had a call from them the day after check in to say that they thought that the house smelt of paint... it has obviously just been renovated but i've had many friends call round to see the house and no one has mentioned anything apart from how nice the house is. I can't smell anything at all apart from a new smell from the new carpet etc. I obviously said that if they are not happy then perhaps they should cut the stay short and go to a hotel. They have looked around and can't find anything comparable because my house is currently half price (in the hope of getting some good reviews).

I offered a full refund the moment they said they couldnt stay there and wanted to help in anyway that i could. I know that there is absolutely no paint smell in the house and the location is the real problem but i haven't argued at all and just said that they are welcome to a full refund.

They have been in the house now for 3 days and are planning to leave tomorrow. I would love any tips on how to handle the posibility of them leaving a negative review. I have offered obviously the refund, plus offered to drive them to a hotel of their choice etc but i can't stop them writing something innaccurate about the house to save face. I met with their daughter who again mentioned the location of the house and how far it was from hers so i know that that is the real problem.

Do i offer a full refund or give them a refund minus 3 days? I don't care so much about the money, although it will probably cost me £200 when all is finished with to clean all of the bed linen, the house etc so i would make nothing. I'm much more concerned with having only one review and it being a bad one. They will not be aware i'm sure of how big an impact on my new business them leaving a bad review would be. Perhaps i should explain to them?  Seems truly unfair as the house is perfect. Any advice on how to deal with it would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks, Tom

[Paul154]

If you give them a full refund, you have no guarantee that you won't get a bad review.

For them, your house is too far from their family and so it is undesirable. Yes, it is unfair, but business is risky.

At a minimum, keep their cleaning fee. 

Don't beat yourself up, but take this opportunity to realize that this is business. You have just put in a lot of money into this place, you will need to recoup your costs. 

Do not give big discounts, it attracts problems. 

Do not take risky long term stays at first. You're still learning the ropes.

Learn not speak prematurely "I'll give you a full refund". Patience often answers many questions and Airbnb governs payments. Use them.

Protect yourself and learn to have a smiling poker face. Guests are able to smell desperation and use it

against you.

Manage guest expectations

You will recoup yourself. There are many great guests out there. You just got a stinker. We all do now and then. Good luck

[Thomas689]

Many thanks for your kind advice. I guess I’m just worried about the first review being bad! It wouldn’t be so bad but the house is immaculate! And I’m very proud of it. I think I’ll ask them to cancel reservation, do they need to give a reason when they do? Thanks, Tom 

[Paul154]

 @Thomas595

Don't worry about a bad first review.  Your pictures say everything. You have a beautiful, pleasant house.  

Not everyone will be turned off by "new paint smell" or "new carpet smell"

I would respond well to have the opportunity to stay in a freshly painted/carpeted house 🙂

[Fred13]

My first advise is to relax, I know this is your first booking so you wanted it to work out but it is not. Neither did my first one.

1. Best to start 'small' when first hosting, shorter stays, to give you time to work out the kinks.

2. Monthly bookings are tricky by nature and sometimes a legal quagmire in some countries (i.e. U.S)

3. You are being exceptionally accomodating and about the main 'flaw' they keep mentioning, which they knew about up front, is your location. You certainly can't move the home to accomodate them. They chose where to stay, not you.

4. When and IF they write a review then you handle it in a smart way, but cross that bridge when you get there. And you most welcomed to bring it here, and perhaps we may hasve some good suggestions for you, again IF they leave one.

5. Lastly, read everything you can here and elsewhere about hosting, knowledge is king.

(Was writing this while Paul was also posting, thus the repetition of some of his points).

[Clara116]

 @Thomas689 Hello ---- Read Fred's response again and again................his advice is PERFECT. RELAX - sure you want it to be perfect. But, you will learn from every experience and esp. the negative ones. I know it seems big and bad right now.  

My thoughts: NO DISCOUNTS - your place is totally lovely and don't undersell it. and don't give it away.

It is NOT your fault about the location ----- BUT, renting long term - for me, anything more than 10 days is long term. Go for the shorter stays and you will get more reviews. 

I wouldn't give a full refund esp. since they have stayed and so WHY must YOU take this full hit. 

As pointed OUT already - NEVER give out address before booking - they will get the address and they can look on the map and see approx. location. 

Take a deep breath and plan for the next guests.  And read everything on CC here about all kinds of situations. You will learn loads and like FRED SAID Knowledge is King. 

one more thought: what i have read and learned on here is: when folks give big discounts they encourage the less than wanted guests and the towel thieves and the pain in the neck guests - as many folks will work the system for refunds and we want to discourage them renting our places. 

My guess is in 9 months you will be alot less concerned about this first guest review and see all this in a really different light..............keep asking and reading. It can be an awesome thing BECAUSE you get to pick your battles and your focus.  Happy Hosting, Clara

[Helen3]

Hello @Thomas0 

I agree with @Paul0's comments. Change your setting so that you take booking for a maximum of two weeks. Don't offer large discounts - I discount by 10% maximum and sometimes 5%.

This situation is the guests fault not yours. They had your full address before booking (something you should never, ever do by the way). So could easily have found out how close you are to their daughter. She could and should have advised them. (I have to say if someone says they are visting friends/relatives I alway ask for the location and advise them if I think it is too far or difficult to get to via public transport).

I would make sure you message the guests and say you are sorry that they have chosen to leave because they didn't feel the property was as close to their daughter as they wanted to be. And that you were disappointed that was a the case as they had the address before confirming the booking.

Make it clear that even though you didn't have to you have offered them a full refund less the three days they have stayed and cleaning fee and that you hope they enjoy the rest of their stay.

You can't stop them from leaving a bad review but hopefully they are decent people and won't. If they do you have a chance to respond.

[Thomas689]

Thank you for the great advice. I think I’ll explain the situation to them and ask them politely to leave no review. They are not likely to come clean about the real reason etc. Will they be pushed by Airbnb to leave a review? Emailed afterwards etc? 

[Ben205]

@Thomas689Hi. Bad luck! They will be asked to leave a review, as will you. Personally, I wouldn't mention the review to them. I certainly wouldn't ask them not to leave one or try to tell them what to write.

I've seen reviews like 'Smelled of paint, too far from buses' and the best responses are always 'I'm sorry it didn't meet your expectation. We're still learning what guests want and hopefully we'll get it right'.

Don't try to answer their criticisms, that makes you look argumentative.

That said, they may well be embarrassed that they didn't check the map and won't say anything!

[Thomas595]

Good evening! Thanks for the messages

Point 1: I always say the price performance, the must fit, in the first place YOU (!!!) what you offer and want for that must fit for you !! You have the hassle, you have the strangers and you are never allowed to sell below value, everyone else just earns, even the love of Airbnb! but you have the work !!! And if it does not suit some cheeky people, then they should live somewhere else,

Point 2: because the master in the house is still you !!!

Point 3: Just a few days ago I had a conversation with Airbnb because of a negative review, with this please delete, no chance! All other guests and reviews were / are perfectly super satisfied (!!!) I always give the utmost effort, 3 4 I had a problem because of a "system misunderstanding", and I got 3 x too little money for the bookings, because the additional costs of the other people were not charged / booked, at the 3rd time I contacted Airbnb (Aridam is the guest) that I do not want to accommodate the people anymore, because the price for three men including breakfast I offer perfectly, was too cheap / little. I met them VERY MUCH (!!!), if they paid the cheap price, instead of one person it was 3 people, then without breakfast and with check in please only in the evening so they can keep their sleeping place with me, I got just cheeky no gos and no answer from those (that does not work and that does not work ,,,,) that I then said at the end, ok then you have to cancel please, thanks, that does not fit for me then! Airbnb has then perfectly for me and those regulated, but I got an unjustified criticism that bothers me, because I am a good host with the most beautiful 190 sqm apartment in Vienna including the best breakfast! the saying goes ... you give the little finger, take the whole hand! Do not fret, you choose your house! Greetings, Thomas from Vienna!

[Heather787]

Hi

I would like to know why you shouldn't give the full address?  If I book a hotel I am give the full postal address, why should it not be the same with airbnb?  Concerns would be: is it a bad area? Is it a legal let?  What are you hiding? etc.

[David126]

Worst comes to worst delete you account and relist. Them being Geographically challeneged is their problem, not yours, never make somebody elses problem yours.

[Linda108]

I hope you are able to use the good suggestions offered here and recognize that you might be over reacting due to your being new to this business.  @Thomas689 it is good that you came to this forum for input.  In addition to what has already been offered, I hope you had communication with the guest via the Air BNB messaging system so there is a record of the communication that can be seen by Air BNB rep.  If you did not communicate through Air BNB, summarize the communication in a message to the guest in which you list the complaints and your efforts to satisfy them.  Be factual and neutral.  Good luck

[Thomas595]

What I would like to say in addition is that airbnb always has a solution at hand and the conflict only arises if one does not respect the other, misrepresent or the situation is really so different, between what is offered and the reality, then this is natural justified, but that's why there is this community, so that one can discuss it, that's the point of the matter! , i think airbnb is the best there is for tourism !!! Greetings to the whole team too!