Lost Superhost Status due one bad review

[Krystal16]

I had a guest from the depths of the underworld stay with me for 11 weeks.  The guest tried to leave the reservation early and since the long-term policy applied they weren't refunded; they were rude obnoxious and a multitude of other things and in the end of course they left me a 1 star review.  The guest reported to Airbnb that my listing was inadequate which I provided all the information to Airbnb and after I wrote my review they reported me to the Anti-Trust department for having cameras installed that they didn’t know about.  In both cases I had enough documented information to prove to Airbnb that this person was telling lies however it seems now in the end they have won.  I am not sitting at a 4.73 because of their one star rating, so I have to get 14 more 5 star reviews between now and the next review time.  It’s unfair we work so hard and it can all be taken away by one guest. 

Anyone ever had any luck getting a review removed.  The only time I ever have, and it was a 5 star review was because the person put the address of the home in their review.  How do other Superhost manage to stay Superhosts? 

[Emiel1]

@Krystal16,

it's bad luck when such a guest shows up. I read the reviews and comments.  For M it was his first review, so not a good start as a guest. For you the review is way out of line of your other reviews, so potential guests will not take it that serious, people do not have the time to read it all, after reading 30% you already know: this is a nonsense. Your comment is also too long.

A one star review is just not okay, but when asking Airbnb to remove it, they will only compare it to their terms. You can give it a try,  but i fear without result.

Yes, 1 guest can do a lot of harm to a reputation. But it's part of the business, you have to accept such things can happen

best regards,

Emiel

[Patricia1644]

Hello Kristal, I am a guest and have used Airbnb twice.

The fisrt time it was fantastic, my whole family staid in a house for 3 weeks and we all became friends whith the host. Doors opened both side, we could access his part of the house and he obviously could enter ours, no cameras, no safety keys no mistrusts from any side. 

Then, I rented a room and the host had anti 'theft' cameras in the shared living room space. Call me naive but I thought anti-theft meant cameras start recording when there is a break in. But they did not, they started recording the minute I entered the accomodation and images from the living room were then sent to me claiming I was in a (now) forbiden area. I cannot emphasize enough the detrimental effect CCTV cameras has in your hosts. I left the accomodation within 2 hours of arrival instead of the five days planned. Indoors CCTV cameras are dreadful and should be iligal if something is broken or stolen there is a security deposit for it. From now on I will make sure we sign an agreement of no CCTV in my stay or I would look for another place. I came into this site to try to understand why  people would like to use these survellince devices and who could accept them?

[Krystal16]

@Patricia1644

I understand where you are coming from, you should also be aware that interior cameras are actually forbidden and the host would be removed from the platform.  This was not the case in this scenario, the cameras were exterior cameras at entrance ways and the guest checked in prior to their installation was aware they were being installed and thanked me in a text message for installing them because his wife and mother would be alone in the country.   This guest used the airbnb rules against both myself and airbnb in trying to get a refund for his 11 week stay and have my listing deactiviated, if not for those text message exchanges he would have been refunded.  I have no cameras in my home only on the exterior and my guest was aware of them before they were installed and was even present in the home the day they were installed.  

[Huma0]

@Patricia1644 

I totally understand your discomfort about internal CCTV cameras, especially if these were not disclosed on the listing. However, as @Krystal16 has clarified, her cameras are external and the guest was aware of them beforehand.

I wanted to respond to your statement 

---

@Patricia1644 wrote:

if something is broken or stolen there is a security deposit for it.

Erm, not there isn't really. The security deposit on Airbnb is a bit of a myth. Airbnb do not collect any deposit on booking and the host certainly doesn't get one. Should something be broken or stolen, the host has to jump through all sorts of hurdles in order to claim any compensation and many hosts get nowhere even if they have all the evidence that is required.

At the same time, a guest can leave a retaliatory review (and that is the main topic of this thread) because a host asked them to pay for things they damaged, or asked if they had an item that had mysteriously disappeared. They can post false comments and leave 1 star ratings across the board, costing the host their hard-earned Superhost status as well as having that horrible review plastered on their listing and profile. It is almost impossible to get Airbnb to remove such a review, even when you have proof that it was in retaliation for a guest being brought up on bad behaviour.

Because of this, many hosts are too scared to ask a guest about damages etc. let alone challenge them in any way for breaking serious house rules. It puts us in a super difficult position. 

Although most guests do not behave this way, there are enough of them out there. @Krystal16  is very wise in having her external CCTV cameras because she needs to protect herself, given that Airbnb don't actually do it, despite their widely publicised 'Host Guarantee' and 'We've got your back' slogan. Also, it's not uncommon for guests to bring additional, unregistered people to stay at the property or throw parties. The CCTV cameras are really useful in not only proving this behaviour, but deterring it in the first place.

Internal CCTV is just creepy though.

[Huma0]

@Krystal16

I would give it a go and ask to have the review removed. I can't promise it will work, and it probably won't, but it does seem to depend on the CS rep you get (call Airbnb, don't email) as some are more sympathetic to hosts than others.

I have had one bad review removed because the rep went through the correspondence with the guest as well as my house rules and decided the review was retalitory and inaccurate (basically the guest had damaged my property and then when nuts when I brought it up). 

Another time I asked for review to be removed because the guest was claiming she had not been informed of something that is mentioned twice in my listing and that she was messaged about three times before her stay. This rep was not in the least bit interested. He just kept giving me scripted answers like, "It's not in breach of policy," and "It's the guest's experience". No, it's not the guest's experience. She is saying something that is provably untrue! Anyway, I let that one go, but a 1 star review... I wouldn't let that go so easily.

[Krystal16]

@Huma0

I was aware that Airbnb would remove a review if it was retalitory, I should give it a try, however when I call now since my superstatus has been revoked I am in for a long wait  on the telephone 😞

[Huma0]

@Krystal16

Sorry to hear that. Here in the UK we get through to the Irish call centre and it has always been really quick and painless and the reps were super helpful and well informed on policy etc. The Superhost line doesn't get me through any quicker and the reps you get are hit and miss.

I had heard though that in the US, it can be hard to get through on the phone.

[Krystal16]

wasn't aware I meant to say above

[Helen3]

Sorry this has happened @Krystal16, but I am afraid your response is in some ways is just as damaging as the initial review. 

You would have been much better to summarise into a couple of paragraphs rather than the overly long response which sounds rather nit picky..

[Krystal16]

@Helen3

I was trying to address his complains, 

[Susan48]

There's no need to provide details - sometime less speaks volumes. Be kind, but clear about the guest deficiencies.

"Thanks for choosing my home.  I'm confident that a closer reading of the listing and house rules will prevent your frustrations in the future." 

[Lisa723]

@Krystal16 to answer your original question... if a guest thinks they should have a refund (and is in a position to review), I give it to them, period. If anything goes wrong, I proactively offer a partial refund and ask them if they think it's reasonable compensation for their inconvenience. I have occasionally given refunds I considered excessive but consider it a worthwhile investment. I don't like it, but in the Airbnb universe it seems like a reasonable survival strategy.

[Lisa723]

Also I agree with other hosts that your response to this review shoots yourself in the foot. If you can't get the review removed, try to get your response removed. Wrestling with a pig, etc.

[Cormac0]

@Lisa723 

thats great news Lisa, I must book your place and make up some BS to get one of your pragmatic refunds.

I can’t decide  whether it will be the bed bugs I’ll bring with me or the toilet rolls I stuff down the toilet, or perhaps I’ll stain your mattresses and complaint that’s the way they were when I arrived, or how about another old chestnut of tampering with you WiFi router and claiming it’s broken and my sick mother is  perilously close to deaths door and I can’t communicate with her.