More options to flag guests

[Alexandre205]

Dear Community,

Dishonest/nasty reviews are one of the nightmares of serious hosts, if not The nightmare.

Since it's extremely difficult to get such a review removed (as long as it represents the author’s personal experience ...), could it be possible to add more options (reasons) to flag guests?

Presently, the choices to report a user (guest or host) are only:

- I think they’re scamming or spamming me

- They’re being offensive

- Something else (then I’m concerned they’re hosting in my neighborhood or Something on this page is broken)

We can now see guests' ratings in Cleanliness, Communication and Observance of House Rules, but none of the flagging options allows to flag typical guests that most hosts would like to avoid, namely those:

- Impossible to satisfy (they never give you 5*, whatever you do for them)

- Asking for discounts (they probably do it all the time, and  )

- Bringing unauthorized guests (they usually fail to hide it)

It would be relevant to add those motives to flag a guest.

For example, we are always caught by surprise by "serial hitters", who always tell you positive things during their stays, who always write nice (if not dithyrambic) things in their reviews, but who can't refrain from hitting you with 4* rating(s) in categories, or/and even overall, nastily, even though nobody will see them except you, indeed.

From our experience, they often regret and think that they can edit their reviews afterwards. Which isn't true, of course.

Some don't and never give 5* by principle.

When we write in a review that we would be happy to host a guest again, before finding out that he gave us nasty disguised 4* ratings, we wish that we could have warned future hosts of the penalty risk to host this guest. But we can't, once both reviews are published.

Hence this idea of more flagging motives. And they would become known to hosts when receiving inquiries or bookings, as well as guest ratings.

What do you guys think about that?

[Robbie54]

There is the option to comment on the guests review but, of course, it's too late given the fact they've already issued you with a 4* rating.  The problem I have is a lot of hosts have built up a reputation over months and years but it only takes 1 or 2 disingenuous clowns to totally mess it up. With no moral back up from AirBnB, even with proof that guests are lying, it's a nightmare. AirBnB could quite easily, in my opinion, get a handle on this but they won't.  They dont even have a complaints department!! *put head in hands. 

[Cor3]

Hi @Alexandre205,

I couldn’t agree more!

Especially the passive aggressive guest behavior, is what makes my blood boil (had it fortunately only once).

We do our utmost best and think the guest is happy. And when they are back home, they seem to think: Okay, Now let’s see how we can hurt this guy. I know some people are just like this. Maybe envy or something?

And I always just think about an elderly business acquaintance of mine. As he always said: If you only want to do business with nice people. You can close your shop at noon on Monday 😞

To Airbnb it doesn’t really matter. The dime of guest A is as good as the dime of guest B.

And we just have to make sure, both of them will be happy.

[The-Magoh-s0]

It is so unfair and hurtful! For a guest they may only use this service once or twice a year but for hosts it’s our livelihood. A friend gave me a tip that I swear by. If a guest during their stay mentions anything that is remotely negative the highest rating you should give them is a four because they will most certainly do the same to you. The double blind review process is flawed and all the explaining in the world won’t make that four go away. If the listing is not ready for the next guest to bring their toothbrush in and stay, their highest cleanliness rating is a four. I think we as hosts try to give fives because we think the karma of good deeds and grace will return to us. Unfortunately Airbnb attracts bargain hunters who believe the only thing better than a great priced stay is a free one. And if you don’t give in they try to make you pay. Fourteen days is too long, the review should be the day of checkout whether they are sell traveling or not, it only takes a minute. 

I had a guest say to me for all the money we must be making we should have robes, airport pickup and cook hot breakfast. They literally asked other guests in the shared home how much they paid to determine the gross then rated me poorly for value saying the amount I make for all the rooms was unfair lol. 

My Superhost friends with all fives send screenshots of their review to guests to try to guilt trip them into returning the favor. Others leave breadcrumbs of review solicitation like snacks with a note that they cost a 5 star review or make their WiFi passcode fivestarreview. I believe all those behaviors speak to the need for more options to let hosts know this guest believes perfection doesn’t exist or asked for half off for no good reason or has never rated anyone a five after fifty stays nationwide. 

[Karl143]

I own a couples only resort in Wisconsin and have run it for the last 18 years with 5 * acrosse the board on google, tripadvisor, and my facebook page.  "I DO NOT HAVE ANY CABINS LISTED WITH AIRBNB"

Why you may ask ? I have tried to comunicate with them for the last 4 or 5 days just trying to find out their costs to owners.  The reviews every where is the same,  guests can say as they wish yet owners responces get checked before made public.  Do not be fooled some guests will even say to owners " I want a discount coupon for the next stay or I will give you a bad review "  This has happened to us and we responded with "give the review and do not come back"  May sound harsh but the review never came. Point being is we all put too much thought in reviews where we should be putting efforts in getting it to the public how reviews should be taken with a grain of salt.  but I do agree all sites should give the business more to work with in handeling the liers out there.

[Cor3]

Hi @Karl143,

So, what’s the value of a repeat guest?

10%? 20%? Discount.

They were good guests the first time. So, they will be a good guest, the next time?

And I can count on a 5-star all-over glowing review again?

I only had a guest once, intending to really come back (not just one of those ‘threats’ to definitely come back, in the review).

The first time, it started off with an inquiry with loads of questions.

In the end, they booked and they turned out to be great guests.

The next time, they started again with an inquiry with loads of questions?

They did not book, the second time.

[Karl143]

Not really sure of what you are saying. I was refering to someone who checks out and loved the stay but wants a discount or they will wright a bad review. Another words a actuall threat that states do a discount or else !!  It is that type of person I do not want at my place. All in All it is needed to have a system in place that allows orners to protect themselves against those few.

Hope I explained it well.

[Alexandre205]

You should keep your exchanges with that kind of guest in Airbnb, and report such threats immediately (Go to Help -> Contact us ...). We would ask the guest to be kicked out of Airbnb without delay. Then no more reviews, nothing at all.

[John28]

Well, I knew the fairy tale hosting was coming to an end and boy has it come to a rather abrubt end!  When I first started back in 2015, I was charging and making more money than I am  now.  I am working more because there is so much more to do as far as trying to screen guests, figuring out what the heck is the real deal, etc.   Well, so it is New Year's Eve and I have been sitting here all night thinking my guests who came in and talked about how nice the place was, went out to their car and gathered their bags, then they said they were going over to a friends house, and he said "I've got your key and phone number, so I will be in touch".  I immediately said, "key?". I stopped giving keys when they started going missing, but he does have the code to the front door.  The four of them were also all wanting to know what my Wi-Fi was, well I have been having issues with my Wi-Fi the last few days, I went in and logged on as Admin changed the password, but somehow someone was already there and now I can't login as the admin anymore, even though apparently they were nice enough to keep the password the same so I could use it.  Well, I didn't think much of it until I noticed that all the bags they brought in were gone, I messaged him a couple of times, and even offered the other bedroom to him and his girlfriend and I got no response.  Then ten pm rolls around and that was the time the other room cut off time was to be booked for the night.  So, I messaged him again and said, since I hadn't heard from him, and I am tired.  I am going to go ahead and go to bed soon in that room I had offered him.  That is when he finally responds "you got it bro", which left me confused b/c I had asked earlier if something was wrong and got no reply.  I then said, "wait, you guys are coming back here tonight, right?".  He then says "nah, we had to go home".  Okay, now two things they mentioned stuck out ..one of the guys mentioned something about how they had brought their Xbox's, and when he came downstairs he turned it to Spotify on the big screen.  I had been getting weird notifications from Spotify (that I don't even use) and some "Game Center" which I don't play video games.  Now, as I think back I had sent out the directions and the wi fi password several days before.  They were using my Wi-Fi and password and getting free Internet, and then whenever I changed the password.  They made it to where I could not change it again, but they all needed it, and my stupid ass gave it to them, not thinking anything about all of this until now! So, If they try to pull some crap and try to give me a bad review or ask for their money back, I am going to be Irate.  They are stealin g my Wi-Fi as I speak right now, and they are probably reading this right now!  So, now what do I do?   I don't think the little kid that came up in here was even the guy in the picture.  As a matter of fact, I jnow he couldn't be b/c the guy in the picture had dark brown hair and a beard.  This kid had almost blonde hair, and definitlely could not grow a beard.  So, I believe they all came over here with one purpose and one purpose only- to get my new passwords to my Wi Fi, as I can't change them, and someone is using Spotify and the Game Center that I keep getting notifcations about.  OMG! What a night!  What kind of review do i leave them?  Should I report them now?  I mean I just can't believe I have had another guest like this! 

[Denise1309]

Host should have the option to throw out one bad score per year for guests that want to do harm.