Non-staying guest wanting to blackmail with negative review if not getting refund

[Jorge260]

Does anybody know the policy regarding guests who can still write reviews even if they do not stay at the villa? They want to cancel their reservation but cannot be refunded because they are in the "no-refundable" time a little before they arrive. Which is devastating for us as we are on an island and we do not have flights to substitute their reservations just like that.... They say if we don't refund they will not cancel and leave it as "occupied". But they are also threatening to write a negative review (even if they had not stayed at the villa).

I am not worried that it remains "occupied" or "unavailable". I am concerned that this type of situation opens up the possibility for review fraud...

What do you think?

[Emiel1]

@Jorge260,

If this communication with the guest is in the airbnb message system, better call Airbnb and inform them of the threatening.

Contact Airbnb - A Community Help Guide [UPDATED] 

Hope this helps,

Emiel

[Rachel177]

@Jorge260 do as @Emiel1 says and report them to Airbnb. They are not people that many hosts would want staying with them and that behaviour is very poor.

[Kath9]

@Jorge260, this is Airbnb's extortion policy which you can find here: https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/548/what-is-airbnb-s-extortion-policy

As others have said, contact Airbnb and report this guest.

[Sudsrung0]

The key here on getting a bad review is how you reply back to them you cannot have positive reviews 100% of the time sometimes people think that is also strange as they dont beleive it,

[Pete69]

[quote]They want to cancel their reservation but cannot be refunded because they are in the "no-refundable" time a little before they arrive.[/quote]

It's self explanitory. They cancelled too late. The rules are the rules. Airbnb makes the rules -- not you. Nothing to be ashamed of if they write a nasty review. Future guests will understand.

[Sudsrung0]

Exactly the way I think

[Stefanie212]

Hi I got e very bad recension after people did not want to stay and they did not get refunded.

I feel very bad the way they treated me. The 2 pages!!!!! Of lies about everything that was wrong and the 1 star.

the people who came after her were surprised about how nice it was after what they read but I can imagine a lot of people do not come after having read al this bad things she wrote about me. Can I do something about it? Or just accept ..it s just high season.. thanks for your help, Stefi

[Alexandra316]

@Stefanie212Did the guest threaten you at all prior to giving you a bad review, or did they just ask for a refund then give you a bad review when you didn't give it? If they threatened you at all, I would contact Airbnb and ask them to remove the review. As mentioned above, guests are not allowed to extort you. 

If their review didn't voilate the rules, all you can really do is respond to the review, which you've already done. 

[Stefanie212]

hi Alexandra, 

the person does write a review that is completely untrue, I said airbnb to come to have a look

I do not understand, I have a severe cancelling police, she wanted a discount and I asked her to pay 1 night but she did not agree, what is the sence of this policy if people have the strenght to give you such a bad review because I do not do what they want. she already forced me in the house, they were 5 and I was alone, they behaved very mean and unrespectfull from the entrance, I still feel bad about it , it never happened to me in all these years , 

[Jeffrey214]

This exact thing happened to me. A guest emailed me and told me he would not be coming. He never cancelled thru Airbnb. The next day I recieved an email asking if I was going to give him his money back. I told him that my refund policy is handled thru Airbnb. He left me a bad review when he did not even stay here.

I contacted Airbnb and told them of the situation. After they reviewed it they removed the review.

The thing that everyone has to remember is to only communicate thru Airbnb with your guest. This provides documentation in case of dishonest guest.

[Pete69]

SOLUTION: Punch right back with your OWN threat of a "trade defamation" lawsuit. Their threatening emails = slam dunk case.

[Joanne567]

Pete: How much do you think it would cost to go to court with a "trade defamation" civil lawsuit? 

$10,000 check for Attorney retainer, followed by at least $25,000 to get into court for 1st preliminary hearing, followed by bills of $350 per hour to have Atty review said emails ( or wait around in courthouse for 5 hours@ $350 per hour,for your case to be re-scheduled ) This is without filing fees, paralegal fees @$100 per hour, plus your time all day long for months tracking and managing all this.

$350 billed for per hour every time you text, email, or phone your Atty.

Is that a slam-dunk?

[Kingsley17]

There are 2 sides to this story and we are only hearing one side.  I have stayed in Airbnbs all over the world and I have had a fantastic time, and I have met outstanding hosts along the way.  Unfortunately, I have been in a situation where I walked into an unacceptable property (not meeting Airbnb safety standards) and asked for a refund.  I noticed that some of @Jorge260 properties have abysmal reviews (a couple different properties with over 30 reviews and a 4.3 rating, and 1 property with a 2.67 rating)  There must be some issues with the property to receive that low of a rating.  As hosts we need to make sure we are focusing on the guest experience.  @Jorge260 focus on the guest experience and make sure you outline all the negative aspects of the property up front.  You will make up that money quickly and find a lot more success in the future. 

[Stacey268]

I'm wondering if the circumstances under which the guest wanted to cancel matter here?  @Jorge260 Can you tell us more?  Did the guest arrive and find the place unsuitable?  Or did they just decide to cancel their vacation altogether? 

I had a situation as a guest where I arrived to a house that was absolutely unbearable. Mold on the walls, exposed electrical wiring due to mold rot, and the smell was absolutely horrid.  I was there for less than an hour before messaging the host that I could not stay.  I took a gamble on a well-priced listing with no reviews, and I lost.  I wound up getting a 100% refund from Airbnb because I submitted pictures to the case worker.  If I had requested a refund from the host in exchange for not leaving a review, would you consider that "blackmail"?  I know that things usually work more favorably for guests vs. hosts, but there are always 2 sides to the story.