The frustrations with hosting, especially with ratings...trolls in the system?

[Joa1]

I am both an Airbnb host, and guest.  I have written in the Community Forum about my frustration with the lack of clarity and direction provided by Airbnb to both hosts and guests in regards to the Airbnb review system.  I just hosted another Airbnb host in my place, and we were discussing the issues we are coming up against.  From talking to other hosts, and participating in and reading the Community Center Forum, it seems that a large number of hosts are having the same problems.

First of all is the issue of the refusal by Airbnb to remove or modify negative reviews by disgruntled guests who have broken the host's house rules, or who have caused property damage.  If an extremely bad review is a complete anomaly for a host Airbnb should review the situation and contact the guest to clarify what their issues were.  It is completely unfair for Airbnb to allow "trolls" to affect a host's overall ratings when previous reviews are good.

Secondly, when a guest gives less than a 5 stars in any of specific areas of their review (cleanliness, check-in, etc.) they have the option of leaving a comment as to why they chose to give that review.  If Airbnb does in fact want to improve the "experience" for both hosts, and guests, a comment on a less than 5 star review should be obligatory.  The host needs to know specifically what this guest found lacking in order to improve the situation for future guests.  As it is, we are left in a vacuum of not knowing why we were rated down in a particular area.  This would be extremely simple to do...if Airbnb has algorithms to continually modify our listing pages with statistics such as the percent of "recent" guests who gave 5 stars for cleanliness, they can certainly modify the guest review page to include obligatory comments.

Which brings up the issue of the stats that are now showing up on our listing pages now, and how are they generated?  There was absolutely no notice from Airbnb that they were modifying my listing page with this information.  What do they mean by "recent" guests?  They provide no information to define who "recent" guests were.  In general I get good reviews, but I had one guest who for some reason gave me 4 stars on check-in (it was a totally normal as usual check-in).  No other guests in my 6 years of hosting have given me 4 stars for check-in.  Yet, now it appears on my listing page that 90% of my "recent" guests thought check-in was good.  Come on Airbnb...play fair...

Finally, Why doesn't Airbnb provide hosts with the names of all of the guests who will be staying.  It is uncomfortable for both the guests and the hosts for the host to have to ask each additional guest their name when they are checking-in.  If Airbnb wants to make the guest-host experience "great" (as they like to say), why are they not transparent in providing the host with the names all of the guests?

I really don't understand why Airbnb seems to be working against us hosts instead of with us.  I thought the point was to provide a great experience for BOTH the guests and the hosts.

[Poshpadz0]

Agree on all points Joa!

[Nicolas257]

Thats why im jumping ship. Best location in my town, triple checking the cleaning but always so who will make your super status an uphill battle. Long term rent is my new solution as far as im concerned

[Jan386]

I agree Nicholas, my lovely rental was completely trashed.

I'm done with these trabients. Most are quite nice, bit one or two have ruine it for everyone

[Rebecca181]

@Joa1 Airbnb recently attempted to 'clarify' things with this post I link you to here: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Airbnb-Updates/Clarity-about-the-recent-Superhost-criteria-chang...

As you will see, hundreds of hosts share your concerns. So, it's not just you. 

Hope knowing this helps. 

[Joa1]

@Rebecca181@Rebecca Thank you. I too received the email from Airbnb with the newest host "news".  Unfortunately, Airbnb did not address these specific issues.  Instead was they sent us was a (in my opinion) obtuse and unclear explanation of why they will be reducing the number of Superhosts.  In reading the comments following the Airbnb post I too saw that many other hosts are very frustrated with the increasingly muddled review system.  In large part it was those host comments that prompted my post here.

[Rebecca181]

@Joa1 I never receive these emails from Airbnb, for some strange reason, even though I signed up for them. That explains all the comments that post has gotten the past couple of days. I have read most of the comments on that post and the issue you bring up was mentioned by several hosts. Let's hope Airbnb really looks at these comments on their 'Clarity' post and addresses concerns like yours, which are quite valid. 

[Marzena4]

True and agree, especially on that part about commenting any rating lower than 5 stars by the guest if 5 stars is a stadard for Airbnb.

[Catherine827]

I’m with @Joa1 & @Marzena4 with regard to guests being required to give a reason for choosing less then five stars. What if a guest loves you and your place, then leaves thank you gifts? But they just just don’t think they need to thank you with a review? A super guest’s failure to write a review blows a super host status out of the window. Ugh.... 

This wouldn’t be such a problem, if Airbnb was realistic about the star rating system;  with the understanding, that some individuals do not believe in giving 100%. Outside Airbnb, this isn’t a problem, but there should be room for guests to have an opinion, without it jeopardising a good hosts dashboard and superhost status. An opinion also give the good host something to work with.... or to challenge via Airbnb.....

Airbnb need to do their homework and be more laterally thinking when they have their star and review system distressing hosts who are pretty awesome, at what they have been doing! 

[Adriana100]

I agree 100%. I had a guest who gave me a 1 star review and his comment was a dot "."

he booked me for 2 nights and was pissed that I didnt allow him to extend. I had other guests comming. I needed to clean the room. I had to insist several times that he leave because he stayed past the check out time. He got mad and this is what happened.

Actually I suggested the same thing to airbnb on their suggest page. I said to enforece comments to be at least a specific length, 200 chars or soemthing.

This isn;t the first time. People want cheap, cheap , cheap but they expect the Ritz. A guy gave me a 3 star review and a . as comment. I asked what he didnt like, what I can imporve... no answer. A month later he books the same room a second time. I got mad, I explained to him that if he booked me a second time it shouldnt have been that bad. I explained that a 3 star afftecs my business and I asked him again what did I do wrong. He didn't reply. This time he didn;t rate me. After this I blocked him so he wont see my listing and wont be able to book me.

I also dont find any value in location. that shouldn't be a criteria to evaluate a host. Many people chose a place because they need to be someplace and they chose the place by looking to the location. Many ask me prior to booking "how far are you from x?" If you deliberately chose a place, you can complain about the location. If it's too far from your point of interest it's your fault not tho host's.

So I submitted this onjection on their sugestions page. Im curios what they are going to implement in the future.

[Joa1]

@Adriana0 I totally agree about location not being a valid criteria to rate a host on.  A potential guest can certainly ask specifically where our listings are located BEFORE they book.  Additionally, it is Airbnb, who for some reason only they are aware of, not us hosts , who choose to keep our exact locations "secret" until after someone books.

[Pedro-And-Michael0]

Hello Adriana!

Totally agree with how useless the "Location" is. You couldn't said it better.

Question: how can I block people in Airbnb. That's awesome if I can do that, I have a few people I would LOVE to block! 

Thanks!

Pedro

[Debbie210]

Adriana, I totally agree with with the rating of the " LOCATION" If they choose this location, and they can see a map!  If  the location isn't where they thought it should be or it's too far from their favorite places,  that is a mistake from them. The Host shouldn't

be responsible for that! 

[Rebecca160]

@Joa1I agree with you on all points. 

I woukd kindly suggest that you also copy your post and put it on : https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Airbnb-Updates/Clarity-about-the-recent-Superhost-criteria-chang...

We can only hope that the comments to this post will be read and action taken. Your comments will just add more fuel to the fire there.  There is only one or two trolls on that post and plenty of pissed off hosts.

[Joa1]

I sent my comments to the Airbnb support desk yesterday regarding another issue, and was informed that there is a way we call can leave direct feedback with Airbnb.

Follow this link:  https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1640/how-can-i-give-feedback-about-airbnb

and on the bottom left of the page click on "give feedback".

I copied my post in this thread and sent it to them.  Perhaps if enough of us sent them our feedback about the review and host status issues someone in the great Airbnb ether will begin to get the idea!!