How to not get impact by Rude and inappropriate guest negative review?

Ethan83
Level 1
New York, United States

How to not get impact by Rude and inappropriate guest negative review?

I recently host a guest who checked out later than my prescribed time. I had to waited for him to leave my place before I can move on with my day. He used my foam shoes in the shower without permission and gotten it soaked wet. While he was still in my apt, I asked him to clean it up. He refused to do so and told me not to be strict. At that time, I asked him to leave since he it was already past check out time. He insulted me and my place. As a result, he angrily left a negative review which leads to my account suspension. It seems like airbnb system only protect guests and giving them a free pass demand whatever they want. When they do not get their way, it is impact host's listing. This is an unfair system. I am sure other hosts might have experienced these pathetic guest; what do you do when they left you a negative review because they couldn't get what they want and fabricated their review? 

2 Replies 2
Jonathan6
Level 10
Mamaroneck, NY

You may not like my opinion, but I'm not sure you are suited to be a host based on how you framed this situation.  Hosting is about Hospitality, in doing that you need to set clear expectations for your guests by creating rules and communicate them well, you need to not create opportunities for you guests to do something you don't want done (i.e. using your slippers you left out). 

 

Further, you need to figure out ways that you can interact with your guests that do not antagonize them.  I'm sure this could have ended without be heated and even if it did you should have documented that with AirBnB immediatly.  You could have sent a message through the ABB system to the guest saying "Just a reminder that checkout was 10am can you please let me know when you will be ready to leave".  That may not chase them out the door, but it at least documents the guests behavior.  You could have then a little later called ABB before creating a confrontation to ask for help in getting the guest to vacate, they would have called the guest and agian you would have looked like you were doing everything possible as a host.  This is what ABB (and your guests) expect of a host.

 

From what you have said in you post, if the guest just gave an honest review of how you handled this situation any to any reader it would appear to any to be very negative, but ABnB may have taken down the review if it had been well documented.

@Ethan83 has Airbnb told you why your listing was suspended? Usually one bad review won't have that effect, however, this might: "actual owner of the flat didn’t allow AirBnb" ... Is that true?

 

I agree with @Jonathan6's remarks.

 

Also, your response to the review is not good. You should write your response for future guests, using it as an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism. In this case, I would have said something like, "This review is retaliation for my attempt to ask the guest to check out on time and leave the place clean. Just a note for other guests, my landlord has approved my listing."

 

And if the latter is not true, stop hosting before you get evicted.