Review changes needed

[Irene215]

I think Airbnb should rethink the review system. 95% of my guests (including losts of new Airbnbers) have been wonderful, however
 I now realise the ones who were not and did not stick to my house rules...do not leave a review , and I think this is because they are more than well aware this stops the host being able to leave a low star review about them. Anyone else noticed this trend?

[Todd-and-Reese0]

It does not stop you from leaving a review for them. You can absolutely leave them a review with low stars and no recommendation. If you don't want them to leave you one, wait until day 14 to leave theirs and they probably won't be notified in time to review you. Both reviews get posted once both have left one OR if only one party leaves a review it gets posted after two weeks (and then it's too late for the other to review).

[Irene215]

Thank you Reese, I was unaware my review could be posted even if they did not leave one for me...I wish I had.!!... I have had mostly  fantastic guests but 2 groups last year left my place in a real state, but it was my understanding both parties have to leave feedback before they are made public. So I can leave feedback anyway? Irene

[Kelly149]

@Irene215 Please read some help articles about how reviews actually work. This isn't at all right. 

[Momi0]

@Irene215   I am writing to you to ask you one question please.

If you have a challenging guests who doesn't follow your house rules, and you would not want to host them again,  you don't leave them a THUMBS DOWN and an  honest review?  Please tell me I am understanding your post wrong. 

FTR:  All of the other hosts who replied back to you are 100% correct.  I hope you appreciate their efforts to correct you.  Its not a good idea at all for you to post inaccurate information like this.  It only confuses other hosts, especially the new ones.  Please be more mindful of this in the future. 

I do agree that the ABB guests review system should include hosts being able to see the "thumbs up" "thumbs down" as well as the stars for each category that we rate our guests just as they can see each of our stars in all of the categories. This is something I continuously keep writing about in the surveys that ABB sends me.  If a guests has 3 Stars for Cleanliness from a former hosts, but the hosts gave them a good review, that's not gonna be my ideal guest at all.  I want a minimum 4 Star guests for that category as that's very important to me and my family.   Which is why I put MY STARS for each category in the reviews of my guests.  

For instance, my current guests who checked out this morning will be getting TWO STARS in her review for "Respecting House Rules."  THREE STARS for Communication, and FOUR STARS for Cleanliness.  oh and a "THUMBS DOWN!"  Make sense? 

[Irene215]

HI Momi.

 I think you have misunderstood me. I am unable to leave ANY review if they do not leave one for me...is this not the case?

[Irene215]

Hi Momi, another host has explained to me you can post one after 2 weeks even if the guest did not leave one...i did not know this, though I wish I had! lol
Thank you for your reply

[Kelly149]

@Irene215 Goodness, no, no, no

Please go read an actual help article or several about how reviews work

To summarize:

Guest stays

After checkout either or both of you can write a review for the other

(you should always do this, always write reviews, detailed truthful, etc)

The reviews that have been written will be published when either one of two things have happened: 1) both parties have written a review, then both are published immediately simultaneously regardless of how many days post stay it is OR 2) at the 14 day mark then either party's review is published regardless of whether the other party wrote a review or not

No one can go back and do a review after the 14 day period ends.

[Irene215]

Thank you for this. I totally get it now! I just wish I had realised earlier 😞   The good news is, apart from 2 groups, all of my guests have been fab and have all left lovely reviews..as have I, but good to know now I can STILL review someone even if they dont review me.
 Thanks again. x

[Momi0]

@Irene215   You are very welcome.  I'm happy to help. And thanks for taking the time to express gratitude to a host who is helping you.  Make sure to give a THUMBS UP to any host who helps you with their reply post.  This is done at the bottom of each comment posted.

Please make sure that you are taking the time to actually read what is being written by me and the other host giving accurate information.  It seems that you still are quite confused about the review process and timeframe.  Here is the BEST ADVICE anyone can give you.

1.  I want you to go to your Airbnb Account.  At the top of your account are TABS.  I want you to choose the HELP tab.  Ok?

You will be given a search bar to type in the subject matter in that HELP section.  I want you to type in "Writing Reviews".  This article will pop up on your computer screen directly from ABB website. Read that. This is what every host should be doing.  After 2 years,  I am still using this feature because things change quite often at ABB.  But what has not changed one bit, is how reviews are done, processed and posted by each guest and host. 

2.  Also, another helpful tip, go to your Account Settings and make sure your account is set up to receive UPDATES, NEWSLETTERS and EMAILS from Airbnb.  This seems to be the biggest issue I have noticed with hosts everywhere not receiving important helpful information from ABB because they didn't have their account settings set up correctly.  You will need to "Tick Off" each box in your settings.  I also want to encourage you to choose the box of getting guests instant messages emailed to you because in the past when a guest sent me an IM from their Airbnb account, it was not posted on my mobile app in their account, but I got a courtesy copy emailed to me which was SO GREAT or I would not have known that they had written me.  Its always better to use each function ABB gives you then to only use one.  Make sense?  (I hope this post gets a thumbs up -  haha)

[Irene215]

Thanks Momi

[Lawrene0]

@Irene215, it is not the case. You are misunderstanding the review system.

@Momi0 and @Kelly149 and @Todd-and-Reese0 understand it very well. Read what they have written, and read the Help Centre article on it. 

Also, no you cannot post a review AFTER the two weeks are up no matter what that other host told you. 

You won't regret the time spent learning how it all works.