Should I accept a guest with bad reviews?

[Mike1034]

Dear Hosts, 

I am seeking your inputs about accepting requests from guests with bad reviews. I have following questions and your input and suggestions are appreciated

(1) If you accept a guest with bad reviews, how many of them (or percentage) of bad reviews you would consider acceptable?

(2) What kind of bad reviews would you consider not acceptable at all? e.g. messy and unclean, not replying your messages, not observing major house rule such no party, no smoking, not observing minor house rules such as keeping quiet, leaving retaliation reviews to host etc.

(3) Could you share your experience with accepting guests with bad reviews if you have any?

My personal experience with accepting guests with bad reviews seems to be bad. Two guests I accepted with bad reviews still behave the same. One had minor issue while the other had major issue.

Thanks.

[Marie21]

@Mike1034 Guests with less than 3 stars is a big NO for me, as any hosts who will give less than 3 guests that meant the guest were very bad

[Mike1034]

@Marie21  Thanks for your input. The number of stars is  indeed a good measure. But it seems that stars have disappeared from me recently. I can only read reviews when a request comes in.

I have a listing with Instant Booking on. Normally a guest with good reviews and recommendations from other hosts can book directly. Do anybody know what the criteria are when a guest could not perform an Instant Booking when his ratings or recommendations fall down below?

[David6]

Most hosts underplay just how bad guests are. Some hosts seem fearful to offer honest review.

I take bad reviews and multiply by 50% just how bad they really were. If a guest has few reviews and couple are bad I would decline booking. I operate instant book and would immediately telephone CS and get booking cancelled if more than 1 bad review. We don’t need smokers or party types  or disrespectful guests under any circumstances. 

[Mike1034]

@David6 Thanks for your input. I agree with you. Hosts seem to write reviews more graciously than guests. One reason is that most of hosts rely on the reviews for getting higher booking ratings. Guests care less because they don't travel or use Airbnb frequently.

[Ange2]

@Mike1034   I have accepted some guests with bad reviews.  I wouldn't accept major rule breakers, or guests whose reviews of hosts are rants, petty and retalitory. As for quiet,  some people do not seem to know what noisy, heavy handed , heavy-footed, door slamming, creatures they are,  and there is nothing that will change that habit overnight, I wouldn't accept noisy guests either.  I look at their other reviews if they have any, and reviews they have left for other hosts, and reviews the bad-review-host  left for other guests.

In my case guests had low cleanliness ratings:  3 stars and 1 star.  But both were super clean and respectful.    In one of the ones I accepted the bad review was from a host who complained about the same thing for every single guest they had !   I also reiterate rules in my messages to them with special attention to whatever they got a bad review for and double stress that I live here (oversight).

[Mike1034]

@Ange2 Thanks for the input. Normally I use Airbnb mobile app to manage my listings and bookings. On Airbnb mobile app, the links to hosts who give the guest reviews don't work. Therefore, I am not able to read guests review to the hosts. This seems to be funcational in the website app. 

It is worth to read the guests reviews to hosts in certain cases. This also helps to avoid some picky guests who often give low ratings to hosts.

[Sarah977]

@Mike1034  I would never accept a guest with bad reviews, in all the categories you mention. Of course, if they had a number of good reviews, and there was one bad one, I'd investigate futher, checking to see if the host nit-picks all his guests, seems to think that a guest should clean the place to a standard to be ready for the next guest, etc. And if I had a whole house listing, which I don't, I might disregard reviews which mentioned the guest not being particularly friendly, or a bit socially inept, as those wouldn't be deciding factors if I didn't have to share my home with them. 

And a host posted here an experience with a young guest who was new to the platform, having only one review which spoke to cleanliness issues. She took a chance on him and he had obviously taken the review to heart, as he took his shoes off immediately upon entering the house, and behaved respectfully during his stay. So if I had a similar request, I'd first message the guest to voice some concern over his review and seek assurance that he had learned something from the experience and was prepared to comply with cleaning up after himself and following house rules. Then I'd accept or decline based upon the content and tone of the response.

But to me, if a guest has a number of bad reviews which all pretty much indicate the same objections to the guest's behavior, it's obvious that the guest is not about to change their ways, either because they just don't get it, they're in denial, or they don't care. So I'd take a pass. I don't quite understand why any host would accept a guest like that, unless you're willing to put up with anything for the $.

[Mike1034]

@Sarah977 Good advice to message the guest about the reviews he/she received before. Then making the decision afterwards.

[Ann72 · Accepted solution]

@Mike1034 Good post.  I had a request come through on my phone that showed me the guy had 4 stars, and his message was simply "Hi I will be coming with my friend!"  I was in the middle of doing seven things and wasn't able to dig down, so I wrote back:  "You have a low star rating, so my caretaker and housekeeper will need to check the house every day.  If you're not comfortable with that, you have the option to cancel within 48 hours at no penalty.  Let me know!" 

He wrote back and said that would not work for him, but asked me to read his reviews and reconsider, because they were all postive except for one.  And sure enough, one host dinged him because he "didn't handle the garbage right."  For the love of Pete.  I thought that was unreasonable, so I accepted, and the booking came in with only an initial for last name.  At that point I called him for a friendly chat.  I told him that hosts would see three red flags there:  low stars, no last name, and a lame booking message.  He said he was glad to have the feedback and promised to be a good guest.  We had one exchange of messages during the visit and it was extremely cordial and respectful on his part.

BTW he also asked me where he could see his stars.  I went to my own guest profile and couldn't see my own star rating.  Does anyone know where you see that?  Or does it just show up to the host you're booking with?

He's checking out in an hour, so I guess I'll find out if he has indeed been a good guest.  🙂

[Emilia42]

Well played ,@Ann72. As far as I know guests cannot see their star rating. I've never seen mine. And I believe star ratings are only available to hosts once the reservation is confirmed.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ann72 

"You have a low star rating, so my caretaker and housekeeper will need to check the house every day." He wrote back and said that would not work for him..."

Why forever not? I hope everything worked out alright for you. His star ratings suggest OK, but thats a really weird answer.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  Wow, you handled that really well and fairly. Guests can get shafted in the star ratings from fusspot, unreasonable hosts just like hosts can get it from guests. Hope he was true to his word with you.

[Pete69]

[quote]messy and unclean, not replying your messages, not observing major house rule such no party, no smoking, not observing minor house rules such as keeping quiet, leaving retaliation reviews to host etc.[/quote]

Partying? Reject for sure.

Smoking? I took a chance with a guest who had 2 good reviews and 1 bad review about how they had smoked pot in the room. I figured they had learned their lesson and would smoke outside. Unfortunately, sure enough, I smelled weed billowing through the vents. Same day booking. Go figure.

Messy and unclean? I would probably accept unless they trashed the place. Play that one by ear.

Since I don't actually share any interior space I am much more lenient that most. I can understand being very quick to reject guests if you have to share interior space. Personally I would never share any interior speace with strangers in my house. I still find it hard to believe that so people do it.

[Sarah977]

@Pete69  I do share my home with guests and it has never been a problem. I've been fortunate to get pretty much 100% respectful guests and it's actually been a lovely experience to host this way. My guests have a separate entrance to their bedroom/bathroom and are welcome to use my kitchen, where they have all cleaned up after themselves and some barely use it at all except to stash some drinks or food in the fridge or fill their water bottle. It helps that I only host solo travelers, who tend to be self-sufficient, adaptable and friendly. And I don't use IB, I want to communicate with guests before approving, and require 3 days advance notice- I'd never take a same day reservation. 

Sharing a home successfully depends on a lot of factors- the personality of the host, the guest, the house set-up, the area as to what type of guests it attracts, so many things.