Listing Absent Amenities

[Andrew157]

I wondered about calling this don't look at the pictures but read the words.

On our listing our apartment has the usual amenties listed without the box for washing machine being ticked. There is a washer in the apartment and it is shown on the bottom of the two photos of the kitchen. Currently it does not work. We cannot decide whether to get it fixed or replace it with a dish washer. Drying would be an issue as this is a second floor apartment (UK - so two levels below). 

The last guests have dinged us for overall experience (4*) and accuracy (3*) as "the advertised washing machine does not work". Well it was never advertised" and "we would not have stayed there if they had known". Well it was not advertised and you did not ask. They raised no concermns on the morning after arrival email to check everything was OK.

Basically just a rant as guests are entitled to their own opinions. However it does raise the question of whether absent amenties should be listed as well.

They could claim the they could not see views on the locality photos whilst sitting on the loo.

[Karen-and-Brian0]

Hi @Andrew157 It's been my experience that guests don't read the amenities section very closely, or any part of the listing for that matter, but they do look at photos - so you'll want to remove the photo that shows the washing machine. Even if you put something like "Please note: there is no washing machine" on your listing, chances are they won't read that but that photo with the washing machine in it will be forever seared in their brains. Still, you should probably note that on your listing, just in case. Rant away, it's extremely frustrating, we here completely understand. 🙂 - Karen

[Marzena4]

Imo, @Andrew157, any out-of-order or non-existing amenities should be removed both from the tick-off list and from within the photos asap so as not to confuse guests. Otherwise they can always claim they chose your listing because of a certain appliance, even if they never used it. Some guests seem to be on a mission of a mystery shopper.

[Andrew157]

My other question is what does the public review mean. It just says "Q".

Unfortunately I don't speak Australian 

[Karen-and-Brian0]

@Andrew157 Thanks for the laugh, it made my day.  - Karen

[Matthew285]

I agree with you that you were not listing the washer as an amenity for your listing.

But is it surprising at all that some people, upon seeing a washing machine in photos, will assume that there will be a washing machine available to them?

For example, if I were to post photos on my AirBnB listing that include views of a swimming pool,

I should not be surprised to discover that guests had packed swimsuits.

Is there any way to shoot the photos so that the broken washing machine is not visible?

[Andrew157]

@Karen-and-Brian0

Two countries divide by a language.

Does anyone know what "Q" means in the Australian sense?

[Karen-and-Brian0]

Hi @Andrew157 My opinion but I don't think it means anything at all & there could be a number of explanations for it - i.e. he didn't want to write a review but it wouldn't let him leave it blank, so he put in a Q; he accidently hit Q then entered it & didn't know how to go back & edit it; his cat walked on his keyboard & hit enter. How were the star ratings he gave you? That's really all you need to be able to access how happy he was with his stay. Hope that helps - Karen

[Andrew157]

@Matthew285

We will try to take more photos no showing the washing machine. However it is an apartment designed in the 1970 so has a small seperate kitchen rather than the kitchen been open to the main living room which would be the case in more modern apartments and houses.

I guess that it is a case of one picture gives 1000 ideas