The new system for reviews

[Sam163]

I've just been reading about the new review sytem which asks the travelers why they give less than five stars - this is great, really helpful. It's been difficult before to work out who gave less than five stars for what as it didn't show up before, you just saw their comments and then had to check if your stats had gone up or down. If I get less that 5 I follow up to find out why - sometimes it's because people just don't give 5 out of 5 or because they think they are comparing to top hotels because it's stars. I've been trying to find an email address to contact Airbnb to tell them this but can't find one. I think if they just put one sentence up there for travelers saying that putting 4 stars means something was wrong rather than it wasn't five star hotel accommodation it would be helpful. If you're advertising a rustic retreat or a boat it should be marked out of five as a retreat or boat. Actually if you allowed travelers to give half stars there'd be loads mor 4.5 reviews. Some people just don't believe in perfection, or there might've been one tiny thing. I would get rid of the stars altogether and get them to mark out of ten.

[Sandra406]

Have you written in the house rules that while medical is legal you do not allow it? If not then they were not breaking your house rules or the law, unless you call the cops and can prove that the medical was gotten illegally. They actually could probably harass you for false accusation.  If you just wrote illegal drugs then you would have a reason to kick them out on the spot if you had reason to call the authorities. Otherwise, they did nothing wrong but annoy you.

The girls, on the other hand, is another story, Again if you have not written your house rules to include: everything that you will not allow, then you have a leg to stand on.

I do not charge a lot, therefore my guests are almost always young.         I just might be known in the future as the queen of notes: 

[Suzanne139]

hello

I do not believe in Airb&b system of rating - to use somone's idenity and publically flog them is  not acceptable to me- I think I would privately contact them and explain your concerns. Airb&b should have a system where a host or a guest can be privatley rated - for Airb&b only.

A questionair should identify what the issue is - for example a host with a verty nice place is give a 3 out of 5 because they are not on the water and do not have kingsize beds - it is all dependant on what a guest expects or is comparing it to - 

Hosts should be rated on the response to a questionaire like this ..... below

clean

good beds

kichen with kichen well equiped

porch

living room

TV ...and so on ...

If all the answers are yes then the rating (1-5) is set by Airb&b ( not the guest)

Same for guest - depending on house rules set in advance

Quiet

no damage

communicated well

arrived on time / left on time

Left accomodations in order

cleaned ( only if this is in the house rules)

did not add more people withpout permission

Again Airb&b rates them (1-5) only after looking at house set in advance. 

I do not think that Guest or Host should be able to publically rant using the person's identiy - left on the internet for ever - this in my mind is not acceptable - the Host or a Guest could be a phycopath and they could ruin the person's reputation and the Host or the Guest has no recourse. Both Host and or Guest should be able to challege the rating with Airb&b and there should be a place to defend yourself in private.  I do not want to go on an Airb&b site and read all the gory details of a bad Airb&b stay. This needs to stay betwen these people not be public for ever. Sooner or later someone will take someone to court for defamation of character - then Airb&b will change this.  People make mistakes - unless something is habitual this informaion should not be public. I guest could be banded from logging into and using Airb&b. A Host could be not allowed to list their place - but public lashing and name calling is not acceptable and unwise.  Airb&b needs to be challenged on this outdated juvenile system. But they do not care - making to much money...   

[Sandra406]

I disagree, while I would never willfully write nasty or name calling on a review. My space is a single room and private bathroom separated from me in my home by a room divider that is locked. My guests have their own entrance and keypad to enter at their convenience. I do not offer my kitchen nor any other part of my home for their use. I also provide snacks in a sm. frig,/microwave/coffee pot etc.  My booking is automatic and when a guest has questions they can ask without an actual booking. Having said that a couple asked in advance if I would cook them a vegan breakfast, I told HER that I do not provide any meals. SHE then asked to use my kitchen, again I referred to what I was offering. She insisted that I wrote breakfast ... A big resounding NO, she argued/bulled and finally I told HER that perhaps she should find another place as I do NOT offer to cook for anyone and how can she ask to use my kitchen to cook vegan food when clearly vegans will not use pans that meat has been cooked in. They did not go elsewhere they booked and complained the entire time.  I learned a lesson when I first started and gave everyone a glowing report even if they were stinkers. Guests that are stinkers must be called out for bad manners and expecting the best for the least. You may want to take a look at how you are representing your setup. Perhaps you are exaggerating and then people are disappointed.  

[Jack70]

Sandra, what I do in every inquiry, is tell them to please read our listing very thoroughly so that there will be no misunderstandings. That way if they except our rules they will book, in 4 yrs with AirBnB we have only had one group that walked away and we kept the $$$.

[Sandra406]

If they were smoking Cannibus and it is legal in Vegas then you cannot write them up for illegal drugs. If you have in your house rulles no Cannibus/no illegal drugs then you can. They did not break the law  and they did not break your house rules.