How to review a guest that canceled?

[Renée36]

Hi all!

I hope you can help. We rent out our houseboat when we are on vacation. Guests also take care of the cats. We didn't had a lot of guest so far (friends also like to stay at our place), but everybody was very postive. Untill last week, we hosted a couple. We weren't there on arrival (wich was communicated), because we were out of the country. That canceled upon arrival, saying they didn't like the bed and there was a weird smell. (Our friend came in half an hour later, saying he smelled nothing weird. But as we live on a boat, somethimes something smelly floats by.) I regret accepting there booking, because we love sharing our place with people who love it, and they didn't seem to be a good match. I guessed this guest are better sueded in a hotel or a Airbnb which isn't someones home (there seemed to be more and more of those these days..). 

But... now I have to review them.. Any tips?

[Alexandra316]

@Renée36 If you're referring to Carole and Ron, it's too late to review them: their review has already been published.

[Renée36]

Yes, just after I posted this, my boyfriend wrote an review.

[Fiona285]

If a guest arrives, stays one night and then cancels the following nights, is it still possible for reviews to be submitted? 

[Alexandra316]

@Fiona285 Absolutely. A stay of any length is subject to review, whether or not guests cancelled subsequent nights of their stay.

[Fiona285]

Thanks Alexandra! We started a new listing at a  cheap rate for our Garden Room Retreat, as our more expensive  Superking En-Suite in Woodland Retreat  hadn't been getting many bookings on Airbnb over the last couple of years. In the description it states: " If you don't like wildlife - e.g. spiders, birdsong, badger and hen sounds - consider the en-suite room in the main part of the house." When asked for the sudden reason for her cancellation, our guest messaged that it didn't match her expectations, and what made her decide to leave was a big spider which woke her up in the morning, and she hates spiders...I need help with how to deal with this, as it's new to me, having done Airbnb occasionally for 5 years without anyone leaving early.

[Alexandra316]

@Fiona285 That really stinks. It's summer: bugs happen, especially in the countryside.

If you plan on leaving her a review, I would leave it to the very last minute, unless you see that she has left you a review. The fewer reminders she has to review you, the better: maybe she will forget.

Your place is so cute. I love Hastings. We have old family friends who live there: beautiful town.

[Fiona285]

Thanks Alexandra! 

Good to make a connection. I drowned my sorrows in a bottle of Waterloo, Belgian beer, which a couple of lovely Belgian guests brought over last week! Win some, lose some.

[Jackie237]

Fiona, I don't know what your cancellation policy is but mine is on strict so if it's short notice cancellation or same day or even shortly after arrival (Which has happened once) then I still get the full fee. Unless it's illness and the guest can prove to Air BnB by way of a doctors letter. The guest that cancelled shortly after arrival  thought he was getting the whole house not just a private room in the house, it was a low season booking so my bouble room was only £25, he must have thought he had bargain of the year, a whole house for £25 lol. 

[Bob128]

What if they arrive, there is a problem with the a/c and they decide to leave rather than wait for the person I called, and then cancel and leave within an hour?

[Alexandra316]

@Bob128 They are still allowed to review. As long as they have actually been onsite and seen the property, they are allowed to review and their review is considered valid. If the guest has never set foot in the property, you have a valid case for having it removed.

[Bob128]

Thanks.  I am concerned because they are expecting 100% refund of what they paid.  I said I would refund the balance, which I thought would be 50% of what they paid.  As it turns out AirBnB sent me the full payout since they cancelled after check-in time.  I am planning to send them 100% of what AirBnB sent me, but that will not include the fees and possibly taxes.

Someone came after they left to check the a/c and it is working fine.

[Alexandra316]

@Bob128That's very nice of you. If the guest gives you a hard time about the fees, I would give them Airbnb's contact info and tell them to ask Airbnb to waive the fees. I had to cancel a booking recently as a guest, and I successfully got Airbnb to refund the fee with very little effort. It's worth a try.

Best case scenario, they may not even review you. If you plan to review them, I would leave it until the very last minute, unless you get the notification that they have left you a review.

[Letti0]

@Bob128  If there was nothing wrong with the A/C and you paid someone to come look at it for no good reason, I would not refund a dime. AirBnB will back you on this one as you have proof.

[Dana-and-Vance0]

Something to think about . . . having someone else take care of your cats???

I worry about my guests letting my cats out and them not notice, what would you do?  Also, the odor could likely be if one of the cats had just used the litter box.  It's a tricky situation when you are not there, especially on a boat & cats.