Unjustified 3 Star Rating

Esther13
Level 6
Doylestown, PA

Unjustified 3 Star Rating

I recently received a 3 star rating with 4s and 5s in the sub categories.   The guest had no issues with the accommodations. The entire review was "Thank you".  This should not be possible.  Yet, it is and Airbnb refuses to remove the review even though it makes no sense and serves no value. Both my super host status and my listing are in jeopardy.  I am now left to stereotype this guest to avoid future re-occurrences. Any booking requests from a guest with this profile will be informed that I have been experiencing problems with guests fitting their profile.  They will be asked directly if they will be engaging in this behavior.  If I do not get the assurances I require, they will be declined.  I am venting here because Airbnb makes such self destructive decisions.  It makes no sense that a guest can destroy a host and/or their listing without justification due to nothing more than ignorance on understanding of how the rating system is used against a host.  It is easy to program a check in the rating system to prevent people from giving a low overall rating with high ratings on sub categories.  Hopefully, while we are waiting for that to happen, a competitor will arrive on the market.  One can only hope and pray.

36 Replies 36
Judy479
Level 2
Cobb, CA

Yes, I have the same issue and lost my super host status, which is important to me. The guest did not read description of house and location properly and Airbnb is being hard on me about issue I could not change , like driveway , stairs , and double bed all clearly stated. Wow no way to treat a good host, is what I say. 

Mary419
Level 10
Savannah, GA

I have often wondered what causes the Overall Experience to be rated less than the specific categories. I am pretty sure it is the psychology of the review process. It is frustrating for every host regardless of the volume (I have thousands and it still bothers me). If Airbnb wants to consider anything less than 5 stars a failure for the host then they should reconfigure the review form. Something in the current "cosmo quiz" long review process makes people need to throw in variety and give at least one category less than 5? @Emilia42 is upset by 3 stars as we all are when it happens. But I think the most interesting part of this is that the guest rated the sub categories higher than overall experience.

Had a guest complain about a black hair they found on the floor, the pool was dirty(pool

guy cleaned the day before but storms always bring in some dust and such from the air), having pool party 3 days after arrival and 2 hours before, which is when she informed me about it, demanding pool guy come out on a Saturday morning. Her kids developed sores from running around the pool deck, it’s textured to prevent slipping when wet. Then demanded a full refund after she sent a “1” star rating. Lowered my overall to 4.8, so that tells you what our other guests were rating us. 

On another property, first guest. Everything I. The bedrooms were new, carpets cleaned 2 days, again, before arrival. Accused us of bedbugs. With the exception of one other guest, who requested a grill, stopped that day to pick up a new one on the way to clean the pool, then they arrived, unannounced, early. Complained because the pool wasn’t vacuumed upon their arrival. I was doing it last thing so it would be perfect for them. 

Some folks you ain’t never going to make happy. 

Mike1034
Level 10
Mountain View, CA

@Jimmy210 @Mary419 @Esther13 @Judy479  Only guests are Airbnb customers.  Hosts are NOT.  Airbnb only cares about customers.  Therefore, do not expect that they will make any major changes. 

 

Otherwise, the review system, guests screening system, and security deposit for damage claims would have been changed long ago because those are the three major things complained by hosts.

Judy479
Level 2
Cobb, CA

Really want to change the way Airbnb rates us as super host , that change I see possible. 

 

Eric-And-Grace0
Level 2
Gatlinburg, TN

Sad but true I got a guest who lied about the stay. She gave a 3-star and it’s intentional. I just got started and her negative review is not helping. 

Giancarlo213
Level 1
London, United Kingdom

I just stayed at a place that was good, so I decided to write a good review (only positives and "very clean, very good location, etc etc). Then I was presented with the rating, and as it was between 1 and 5, I assumed that if I was happy with what I was provided with, I would have selected the middle score e.g. 3 stars. If something was slightly imperfect, it deserved a 2 and if something was very good it deserved a 4. I generally avoid the extremes like 1 and 5 unless something is an outlier.

 

At the end, as I really liked the host, I pushed my rating to 2 five and as I thought that the price was fair, I rated the price as a 3. 

The host contacted me furious for providing what he thinks is a bad review, while I meant to be very positive and over-reward him.

So my immediate reaction is never to rate anyone on websites as the rating is very weird: it seems everyone expect 5 stars just for things to be good, but I am also curious: I didn't find esplanations on AirBnB as to what the numbers mean in AirBnB world. Had I known that 3 is a bad rank I'd have given a 4, but how is one meant to know?