Torn about leaving a not-so-great review, or not?

[Francesca15]

Okay, its my fault. I've been hosting for about 2 years and I keep learning the same lesson - which is - do NOT rent long-term to college age guests. But this time, I thought I would be in the clear because she was an opera-major grad student and for some reason, that sounded like a good bet. But, here's where I went wrong - because I am a soft touch and I felt bad for her - I agreed to knock 1/3 off the already discounted rent for FOUR months (approx $1200) in exchange for her helping me with admin stuff and around the house. It was very clearly defined, down to the exchange rate and amount of hours per month. Best laid plans ...

Here's what bugged me but are these too trivial to mention?

1. HELPING: The reality of it was that she was always too busy to help. And when I finally could rope her in to do a task for me, like sort receipts, she was clearly annoyed at having to put the time in and was texting on her cell every other minute. By the end of her stay she put in about half the hours we agreed upon - at the equivelant of $15 per hour - so I was out about $600. (That room is usually booked solid for the time she was here.)
2. ROOM: Only came out of her room to cook or use the bathroom, otherwise she stayed in her room with her door shut tight and locked. I'd hear her lock it when I walked by. Kinda creeped me out - but, it's her right. The problem was that I had two other guests complain to me about the stench coming from her room. When I finally got a whiff, I was able to identify it as the stale odor of unwashed clothes. (In 4 months she did her laundry 4 times.) I asked her to open her window and air out the room a couple of times a week and she just yessed me and did not. Now that she is out, I've had it cleaned, aired it out for over a week & had to launder every item in it but I can still smell her.
3. COOKING: She cooked almost twice every day - always sauteeing in oil on the stove. I have to be vigilant to prevent bugs and the VERY CLEAR House Rules state that you must leave the kitchen pristine - exactly how you found it. There was a constant spray of oil over everything and TWICE a day I'd have to wash the stove again after she did. Although I reminded her, there were always crumbs around, food in the drain, she never dried her dishes or put them away - which was posted on the wall over the sink. She never once took out the garbage, also in the rules for long-termers, even though most of it came from all the cooking she was doing. My brand new frying pans were all scratched up, even though she swore she was not using metal utensils. 
4. BLOOD: When she left, there was period blood on the sheets and the mattress protector. I don't think I can get it out.
5. BLINDS: She apparently broke two strips of the blinds and scotch-taped them back together.
6. COMPLAIN: She struck up a conversation with my weekly cleaning service woman and told her "there is too much to do here" - when, in fact, all the guests are asked to do is leave the shared spaces as clean as they found them.
7. ATTITUDE: Now, all these things are fairly trivial but it was all done with a creepy, passive aggressive "f you" superior, entitled attitude that irked the heck out of me. In comparison, I had wonderful guests come and go during her stay who all followed the rules perfectly and helped out way more than she did.

So, here's the dealio: do I let it slide and just say she was a quiet guest who stayed to herself or do I mention that she did not follow many of the house rules, left some minor damages (have to buy new pans, sheets, blinds, repaint the painted floor plus fumigate the **bleep** room) and did not keep her end of the bargain?

It seems so petty - but do I owe it to other hosts to be honest?

Thanks,

Francesca

(Superhost )

[Marit-Anne0]

I really feel sorry that this happened to you, but I think it is your duty to warn other hosts.  When occasionally, some of my guests do not follow the house rules - I write just that.  Did not follow the house rules.  Then depending on how bad, I give thumbs up or thumbs down.  Only once did I do a thumbs down, but if your case is as bad as it sounds, I would do a thumbs down.  

[Francesca15]

Thanks a lot, Merit, hmm ... I like did not follow house rules but I'd feel bad about a thumbs down though - maybe let other hosts decide if she's not their type of guest. Thumbs down seems more appropriate to me if she had wild parties or played loud music, you know. 

[Monica4]

I would not want her. Please leave a review even if all you say is that she didn't follow house rules.

[Wendy-and-Markus0]

Please give her a thumbs down.

Her behavior in not following the house rules, not keeping her end of the bargain, lacking personal hygiene, and stuck up attitude- DO deserve a thumbs down.

We won't see the thumbs down- BUT as a host when we may inquire to airbnb about a potential guest who we may have additional questions about- they would be able to see this and possibly help "guide" the host as to whether or not their intuition is spot on.

Sounds like a terrible AND long 4 months for both you and your other guests. Her behavior can be costly to hosts. For example- if she is creating a "stench" in the house, this might negatively impact the type of stay your other guests have thereby affecting your reviews.

Imagine the other guests mentioning something like:

Host was kind, sweet,helpful and the listing was just as described. Just be warned there is a stench in Francesca's home that can be unpleasant- best for guests who are not sensitive to smells"

Despite your best efforts with the extra cleaning, your housekeeper- this person seems nasty. If your other guests didn't mention the stench in their review you got lucky but if they had- they would have been in their right as it was true.

She kind of stole from you as she promised to preform duties that weren't completely done.

Please give her a thumbs down- this lady worked a long 4 months to earn it.

If you feel bad to do it yourself- (think of all the other sweet hosts who have a soft spot for students) do it for them.

Hope you only host great guests from here on out.

[Guillem2]

Francesca,

    I am not sure which would be worse - loud parties or all of the personal traits that your guest exhibited. I would tend to not do a public review of this woman AND do a private review to her alone. Be as specific as you wish and say that you are doing her a favour by not going public, and saving her the embarrassment of public exposure. I have done this a few times; I am not sure what the results were, but neither of us became subject to public diatribes. Good luck.

[Ma0]

Francesca, you feel bad about leaving her a review that describe the facts however, I will not be sorriest if this guest will trush you in her review and then you will be sorry YOU did not leave an honest review. sorry it happend to you. I have had many guests who are in college and they were pleasent I think it is more about personality then age. 

[Ernie0]

Hi Francesca, 

Guests write their own reviews. If a guest would like to have received a better review, their behaviors should have better exemplified the review they wish to have received. 

I think you should include all of it. I'd want to know all of that information when making a decision as to whether I should host this guest in my home. Nothing is petty if it is all factually accurate and left you feeling a certain way.

Hope that helps!

Ernie Thayer

[Francesca15]

Thanks, Ernie. I'll try to find a simple brief way to describe it.

[Maria-Lurdes0 · Accepted solution]

I would not be as specific as to mention something intimate like blood stains, personal odors, etc. but I would say that home sharing is not a good fit as this person would be more comfortable in a private situation that offered weekly housekeeping and where she could keep to herself.   Maybe mention that she prepared a lot of her meals and it meant extra cleaning by you as her levels of cleanliness did not match yours (or something like that).

Good luck!

[Francesca15]

Thanks! Good wording - I'll use it.

[Carol-And-George0]

We had several guest when we allowed them to cook, that did not do the type of cleaning we required. Since then, we don't allow any guests to do any of the cooking. We cook a breakfast for them and we do not allow any other meals to be done in our home. We tell out guests that they are on their own for lunch and dinner. It has worked really well.

[Treena0]

Thanks for your insight to longer term student stays.  I have been thinking of letting my airbnb space out over the slower winter months to the sutdent market. I use to host students in the family space  but mentioned that I did all the cleaning, laundry, and cooking as part of the hosting service just to keep the rooms fresh for them to come home to and a healthy study inviroment. (I did see some horrid things happening like what you mentioned at other friends places but thought that it was my friends fault just as much for letting it happen.) 

[Janey0]

So diplomatic! But why not be honest?

I dont think I could be as kind, sorry

[Mary21]

That was good advice. Other hosts need to know what they are in for. I would not be happy to host that person. It wasn't petty either.