Trouble Writing TRUE reviews of Guests?

[Jennifer955]

Have you ever felt bad after leaving a true, fair, and honest review about Guest(s)? I know we have! I’d like to know if anyone else has had a bad experience after leaving a fair, honest, true review.

What happened?

Have you changed your present review process?

Have you been treated hatefully or unfairly by Guest(s) because of this?

What has Airbnb done to assist you as the Host(s) with these types of issues?

What would you like to see change about the review process for Guests &/or Hosts?

Thank you for reading! 🙂

[Jonathan6]

I personally have never had any issue with leaving a bad review, I think it's my obligation to other hosts.  I don't feel bad about leaving a poor review for someone that does not respect my property.  Having rented to almost 150 guests for over 400 days, I have only had to post a bad review 4-5 times.

It's important in your listing to be as clear as possible, to make sure your rules are up to date and to communicate you expectations with your guests.  I send out detailed instructions to the guest before arrival that clearly lays out everything (both to be clear and as a CYA).  This comes from years of experiance in renting/management and perhaps thats why I am a superhost and exceed ABnB's expectations and why I get repeat business.

You have to look at if you created the disconnect on expectations or did the guest simply disregard your rules.  If the former than yes, I would feel bad about a poor review, if the latter then you should feel good that you are protecting other hosts.

[Jennifer955]

We agree 100%, and feel the same way, I do however; have feelings related to reviewing guests. I wish I could shut those off somehow. Ideas on that? We have a set way we review which coorelates with the Airbnb guidelines. 

We have tried to be as clear as possible with our short-term rental agreement/house rules. We also send out instructions/pics/arrows, to each guest as soon as they are confirmed. Then f/u one day prior to arrival. We only have about 2-3 years of experience and are Superhosts as well. We do get a lot of repeat business as well. 

Typically the guest claims ignorance or is dishonest and disregards rules to accommodate themselves.

I guess I need to feel good, because I am truly informing other hosts appropriately and professionally.

[Carol347]

I need to write a review for my latest guest , or rather group of guests but am having trouble deciding whether to be honest  or take the easy way and not write one at all. I host groups of up to 16 and this time it was a hen party of 15. The friendly young lady who booked the weekend has an excellent track record of reviews. I don't want to spoil it by writing that there were red wine spots all over the living room carpet after they left - some of which I haven't been able to shampoo out and are permanent,  as well as some indelible black marks on one of the duvet covers. Should the organiser be responsible for all in her party and take the bad review? There should be another system of reviewing groups when it has probably been just one or two careless persons to leave such a mess.

[Jonathan6]

Have you contacted the guest to give the opportunity to make it right?  If she responds that she will take responsibility for the damage then you can give her a good review.  You have a large place so it has the potential for large groups, if you place a bad review that seems to nit-pick without giving the renter the ability to make it right, I think it will put you in a bad light as a host.

It is always better to try and work with your guest first, get a resolution and then be honest in your reviews.

Food for thought.

[Letti0]

@Carol347   As part of my rules I state: The person who reserves the property must be the person checking in and will be responsible for all other guests in the group. 

Whether it was her or someone else, she is ultimately responsible for the group because her name is on the reservation. I do up to 12 people, so I am familiar with the issues of giving a bad review to someone who probably didn't do the damage personally. I still left a review that blackballed a guest from instant booking anymore, if he stayed with the other family somewhere else the same issues I had would be had by other hosts. Even though I am pretty sure it was the other family who was related to him that was responsible for the theft and damages he got the review. 

[Jennifer955]

We agree 100%. We also state it as a rule, that the Guest’s Sponsor is considered the Guest who created the reservation, and is considered responsible for ANY and ALL Guests, authorized Guest(s), OR Guests NOT EXCLUDED by the Guest Sponsor.

I’ve never considered not leaving a review OR leaving a set answer 2-liner, OR every review the same, until recently. I completely understand why Hosts do this now.

Two months after a guest’s stay, they were able to make a complaint. In this case we were told the guest ‘thought they were treated poorly because they traveled with their children’. We left a factual review, the Guest must have been upset about it, because what the guest said they thought, makes no sense, as we have kindergartener and 3 older kids.

Anyway, any issue was immediately closed due to additional damages we could have claimed, but never requested compensation for, and proved it with pics and dates on them.

What my husband and I have noticed though, is that when a guest doesn’t like a review, or disagrees with it, Guests seek to retaliate against the hosts, even months after, and will lie to Airbnb, which Airbnb’s believes. Even after a very clearly written review. What’s funny is .....this is precisely the reason I took the time to write a clear and honest review, to prevent anyone else from being blind-sided by this type of guest. How can Hosts protect themselves from bad guests, when guests retaliate?

[Victoria567]

Hi@Jennifer

there is a section under the guest review for the host to answer.

Its not a case of a host retaliating to a poor review this is YOUR opportunity to reply and justify your response in a clear concise manner  to a dishonest review.

By saying nothing it then becomes a case of "put up " or "shut up"......as host you must defend your reputation by replying and justifying your point of view.

[Kenneth-And-Lilia0]

Nope. Not in the least. I've only had to leave one bad review but it was well deserved. When you trash a place (500 sq/ft) that it takes two people SIX hours to clean it and you disregard every house rule, hell yea you get a bad review and I don't lose a seconds sleep. I just want to warn the next host.

[Jennifer955]

Wow, now that’s ridiculous! We have had some pretty bad experiences, but I think that tops us! I guess I’m going to have to not worry about how I feel and be glad I’m being clear, and honest, truthful with other hosts, which will hopefully warn a future host or at least give them the heads up they need on that guest. I sure appreciate your wisdom and experience! Thank you 🙂

[Juliane29]

I find this very difficult too, I think the hole reviews stem is like school and I don't like it. 

[Jennifer955]

Yes, it’s tough not to have any personal feelings envolved. I’ve created a sort of science-type approach to writing them, this way they are consistent, fair, and honest to guests, and also helpful to hosts. 

[Victoria567]

Hi @ Juliane 

you read a couple of wishy washy vague reviews about a guest from a fellow host who does not feel comfortable ticking the good ship air bnb.

Wait till you get a rogue guest that you may have accepted on the back of such a vague review ..... And then see if your perspective changes regarding writing a straight talking review about such a rogue guest..... It's only a matter of time before one of these rogues crosses your path.

I had a girl with 17 glowing reviews, she refused to pay up for my clearly stated fees.

I messaged her reminding her she had inadvertently forgotten to pay.

No reply so got resolution centre involved and this time she faceva cheeky reply to air bnb and refused to pay up.

Air bnb paid up instead outbid their own funds.

Particularly galling as I had waived my strict cancellation policy for her to change from 2nights to 1 night so silly me I lost £62.50.

I wrote a tongue in cheek review about this entitled young lady.

The review is there for all to see and a warning to other hosts about this entitled con artist!

Do I feel bad? Absolutely not as I wrote a factual honest review for this appalling individual

[Victoria567]

Typo sinking the good ship air bnb

Typo this time she gave a cheeky reply to air bnb

Typo Airbbnb paid me using their own funds

[Jennifer955]

Hello Juliane,

You’re so on point with saying you have read wishy-washy reviews at times from other hosts, we’ve all been there, and you’re on point too, I think with saying eventually a host will be clear and honest with at least one review. I’d like to see Hosts somehow getting together on a style, that works well for everyone but I’m sure that’s like saying, I wish I could grow a money tree farm! Haha!