How would you handle this situation?

[Noreen45]

Hi,

I've been hosting now for about 4 years. 99.9% of my reviews are positive and I love corresponding with my guest, but there is this one now that has gotten under my skin.

She and her friends had a lovely time at my place she said, but when checking out she called me saying there was something wrong with the washer machine and it was leaking.  I asked her to shut the water off to the machine and I was on my way.

When I arrived, the guest were gone and the cleaners were already there. My cleaners told me that they pretty much flooded the laundry/bathroom. We had to rewash all the linins and towels. We could not recreate the "leaking" with the 4 loads of wash we did and we chalked it up to, that they overloaded the washer and it flooded. I've done this in the past, so I know it can make a mess.

Besides that, they left an excessive amount of trash, which I normally wouldn't mind, but per my check out procedures, the recyclables are to be separated out. They weren't, and I spent an hour sorting through 7 large bags of trash in 90 degree heat so I could take it to the dump.

I tried to charge her for the added cleaning required. She, of course fought back, stating "oh I wasn't going to say anything, but their were bugs in the bed, your windows were jammed....." and some other things.  We went back and forth and nothing got resolved. I decided it was more aggravation than it was worth. There was no damage, just time lost and I told her I was just dropping it. Before I tried to charge her, they had wrote a in my guest book how much fun they all had too.

Well, a week later now and I get a notification that she wrote a review. I can't read it yet, but it's killing me that she more than likely wrote a scathing one.

I hope to write a response to it, but it just kills me 'cause I take this very personal.  I'm very open with my guest and tell them to text me any time during their stay if they have any issues or questions. Stuff she was claiming after the fact are 1. false & 2. could have been resolved if she had texted me. (she clearly didn't know how to operate a washer or open a window).

How do you all deal with guests that make false claims or just aren't the brightest bulbs, but know how to press your buttons?

99.9% of my guests are wonderful. I just keep telling myself that.

Is there any way to have a review removed due to false claims?

I appreciate your feed back.

Noreen

[Ana1136]

@Noreen45 Airbnb won't remove her review unless it violates their policy. The best you can do is write an honest response. Keep it short, factual an polite. The response is not for her but for your future guests. 

[Noreen45]

Thank you. That is my plan. It just really bothers me. I guess you can't please them all.

[Clara116]

@Noreen45  that all sounds like such a drag. Sorry you had that bummer guests! What I read you ended up not charging them? Correct? If so, I bet your review from her is fine. Its that nasty fight back with the bed bug mention, window threats AFTER the fact of machine and flooding that they started their nonsense.

Screenshot the stuff they wrote in your guest book - incase you need to use it. I would just write a review that is fair....and honest..

Most importantly is to work on learning to NOT take it personally - I  know its tough but can be done . Make it a job for you - with rules and standards and try to remove emotion - it takes work but it can happen. Just write that you wish communication had been better as they had challenges with equipment  while there and also there was extra clean up in excess.  And with that you would not welcome them back here. Something like that.................if she writes lies - you can respond, just remember NO emotion - facts. And the stuff about bed bugs - wow, that can cause much grief. Cost you much money and close you down until proven bed free. So let us hope she does not put that in a review. If so,,,,,,,,,,,contact Airbnb immediately and have that removed. Its not true. BUT you will have to prove it. So if she writes it on review...go ahead and call an exterminator and get verification to state NO Bed Bugs............then they will Have to take down the claim...just incase! Cause people will NOT even look further if they read such, even a lie......a shameful lie. good luck and keep us posted. Peace, Clara

[Yadira22]

Furthermore @Noreen45 

you could potentially use the note she left in the guest book as to proof that her review is not a true reflection of her or her companion’s stay and is incentivised by your request for a cleaning fee- thereby “extortion” and going against Airbnb’s own terms of use.  Hopefully a helpful rep will answer and Also see it this way.

if not- reply kindly to their review explaining the situation! Good luck ❤️

To Airbnb- when you going to step up and defend the bread and butter of your business (hard working/dedicated hosts) from the chancers who write retaliatory reviews. Honestly you should block the review for either party once any request for money is made- it would help both parties as long as you limit the prospect of times per year your users are able to do this. And actually investigate when a host says it’s a retaliatory review or extortion- these are not small things to accuse someone of.

[Noreen45]

Thank you Yadira, I may do that.

[Noreen45]

Thanks Clara,

I'm hoping I'm making it a bigger problem than what it will actually be.

Fingers crossed. 

Noreen

[Noreen45]

In my head that is. Lol

[Mark116]

@Noreen45   I'm glad I'm not the only crazy person who goes through my guests trash if they don't recycle!   

I would leave them a bad review, they were pleasant and seemed to enjoy themselves, but flooded the laundry room and didn't bother to recycle and that consequently you would not want to host them again.

Just remember your response to their review is not for them, but for future guests.  So make sure it isn't emotional, no ranting, don't mention any airbnb claims. 

[Noreen45]

Thank you Mark.

[Ann72]

@Noreen45  Sometimes they are so annoying - especially the dim bulbs.  I had one or two of those this summer.  

But you don’t know the review is bad until you read it.  In my experience it’s never as bad as imagination makes it.  Take a deep breath and post yours so you can read hers, reply if you need to, and move on to more positive and respectful guests.  As you’ve said, there are many more of those than the bad ones!

[Alice595]

@Ann72 You guests are better than mine then. When I am not sure if a guest leaves me a good review. Only half of them really left me good review while the other half left me mediocre or even negative reviews.

There was one particular case. I left the guests all five star reviews. But he left 3 stars overall even though all individual categories were all 5s except for 2. I then asked Airbnb to remove my review for him. Airbnb did remove my review.

[Noreen45]

Thank you Ann!

[Kelly149]

@Noreen45 maybe it won't be bad, afterall you acceded to her demand that she not pay for her mess.

But I did (once) succeed at getting a guest review removed when the ABB message thread showed that they loved their stay, but after ABB charged them for damaging our shower valve they suddendly had a complaining review.

So, start with thinking about how you want to review them. I wouldn't sugar-coat since people who really follow reviews might go and cross-reference your review to hers. If you ever entered a resolution center claim then DO NOT mention that. My personal MO is as little info as possible. "2 night guest with a great deal of clean up and mis-understandings. Not a guest we would allow back."

Good luck!

[Noreen45]

Thank you Kelly!