Why did the guest see my review before he wrote his?

[Steffi16]

I just wrote my first negative review for a guest. Maybe I could have worded it a bit more diplomatically and done more writing between the lines (see the review below) but I wanted to be honest so that future hosts would not experience the same as I did. I took a chance on the guest as he had no previous reviews, and in the end wished I hadn't.

So, I left an honest review, with the understanding that the quest could not see my review until he wrote his - but he definitely saw mine, as he contacted me on whatsapp asking why I had written a negative review and then left an utterly horrible review as revenge. I bent overbackwards for this manipulative guest and although I didnt expect a perfect rating I am confident he would have written a better, more honest review had he not seen mine.

 I thought the point of Airbnb is the honest reviews that promote both good hosts and good guests? How am I supposed to leave an honest, negative review that will help other hosts in the future if the guest can see my review first and will punish my listing by giving me a horrible rating?

Here's MY REVIEW:

"Bruno was a clean guest, but he did not communicate well about his needs. He was extremely sensitive to house dust and allergic to dogs and did not mention this beforehand, even though my listing clearly states that we have a dog in our apartment. Although the room was spotless before Bruno arrived, I had to remove our goose down blankets, re-wash all of the bedding, and remove the curtains (which are washed 2 times a year), and re-vacuum the entire room due to his allergies. Note that none of our other guests have had any issues whatsoever. As I work 60% and am also studying for my Masters degree this is a lot of extra work and I would have advised Bruno to find another, allergy-friendly listing if I had known this beforehand. In addition to this he became very unfriendly towards me when, during his stay, he contacted me last minute about a ride in my car (I had already arrived at home) and when he requested to check out later than the stated time on airbnb and I declined due to my work responsibilities (he requested 12:00 pm, and my Airbnb listing has a checkout at 09:00 am). In addition to other factors (e.g. crumbs in the bed) I would not recommend Bruno as a guest."

GUEST RESPONSE: "I can forget things like dust, bugs, noise, but what turned my bad experience into a "never again" was host´s bad attitude, dishonesty and cowardliness."

Accuracy feedback: Noise, WiFi

Cleanliness feedback: Dust, Pests

[Latasha--Renee-0]

I got a temporary perfect 5-star review. My guest was purchasing a new home and booked 65 days out, but only stayed 32 days, the house she was buying became ready a few days sooner than she anticipated. My guest also knew I had a nonrefundable policy.

During my guest stay, we got along perfectly for the most part. On the day of her move, things changed. She reported to Airbnb that I locked her out of the house.  Does this make sense to anyone?  Especially since we had no problems during the stay.    I treated her and her family like they were staying at the Mirage Hotel

Airbnb immediately blocked my account and gave her a refund without communicating a word to me. The stay was not COVID-19 related.   My account was blocked for 14 days.

Airbnb also allowed the guest to change her review from a 5 star to 3 stars to match the 2.5 stars I gave her. The Airbnb customer service confirmed that she was allowed to submit 2 reviews. One before my review and one after my review.  After going back and forwards with Airbnb they did unblock my account, but did not keep the original review and did not protect my cancellation policy.   The guest got away with theft and she didn't have prior reviews, but evidently my reviews other reviews carried no weight.    

It's hard to mad at the guest when AIRBNB is also the problem.   I am considering legal action against the guest, but feel that AIRBNB is equally at fault.   

[Steffi16]

Consider the "dishonesty and cowardliness" part of his comment - that's a response to what I said, not a statement about the condition of my listing. 

[Jann3]

@Steffi16

Guests CAN "respond" to your review - but never, ever see it before they post - unless the 14 day time period has elapsed.

AirBnB *does* have a place - *after* your review is posted - for either party to "respond" to the review. I can't locate it now, but I was offered to respond to her review ONLY after I - as the host - entered mine. I don't exactly - like I said - know where that option is right now.

[Ange2]

@Jann3      "but never, ever see it before they post"   

More accurate:  but are never, ever, supposed to see it before they post.

I have, on occasion, seen guests reviews before I have posted mine: Glitch.

[Lisa391]

@Jann3 .   I've had people tell me they can see it.  So, like smart pricing - that actually doesn't turn off sometimes when you turn it off.   The reviews have been able to be seen prior to reviewing the other party.  A glitch - apparently not fixed yet.  

[Kevin1322]

"dishonesty and cowardice" … Wow!  That's worse than a harsh review, that is personal and crosses a line. Completely out of order and over the top, regardless of what he perceived happened.

[Helen3]

Hello @Steffi16

Sorry you had such an awful experience.

You certainly didn't have to go to all of that trouble, but should have called Airbnb explained the situation and asked them to cancel the booking for you and help the guest find alternative accommodation, as he hadn't advised you in advance of his special requirements.

Also I think you have misunderstood the review system. Reviews appear either when both the host and guest leave a review or after 14 days. So your guest wouldn't have left a review in revenge, they just left a nasty review without seeing yours.

However I think something strange has happened as I can't see your review on the guest's profile.

Don't respond to the guest on what's app or through other communications.

However you can respond to his review. Just be calm and professional. Reiterate (in a shorter version) what happened and how you went out of your way to accommodate his allergies and all the hard work you did with extra cleaning and were therefore sad and disappointed to see his response.

[Steffi16]

Hi Helen,

Thanks for your insight. I really should have contacted Airbnb, I know that know. I suggested it to he guest so that he would be re-housed to a place without a dog but he said it would be alright. If it was only the allergies it would have been ok, although I still would have left a review noting that he did not communicate his needs clearly beforehand. Still can't fathom why someone allergic to dogs books  a room in a place with a dog.

You are also correct about my second mistake, responding through Whatsapp. The Airbnb app isnt available for my old, useless Windows phone that I have to use until my Android phone is fixed, so when the guest initiated contact on whatsapp it made life easier to reply directly there. Won't be happening again though.

As to my understanding of the review system, what you explained is how it thought it worked, up to today - that is why I dared leave a negative review in the first place! Thanks for pointing out that my review can't be seen on his page - I definitely have to contact Airbnb about this.

Thanks also for your suggestion about a response. I am considering not responding at all. I hope my other reviews which are a stark contrast to his will do my speaking for me ...

[Marzena4]

@Steffi16 Concerning their message on Whatsapp, they received an email from airbnb notifying them you had left your review. And then played their trick.

[Katherine-and-Suresh0]

But how is that a trick? If he knew that she would leave him a bad review anyway, why did it make any difference when she'd posted it? I don't get it. Basically if you are an awful guest, you can just leave a bad review - whether or not they write a bad review for you! 

[Steffi16]

Hi @Katherine-and-Suresh0

He may have guessed I wouldn't leave an amazing review what gives me cause for concern is his review:

"I can forget things like dust, bugs, noise, but what turned my bad experience into a "never again" was host´s bad attitude, dishonesty and cowardliness."

Without the context of my review of him, his review makes no sense whatsoever. There was no instance during his stay where "dishonesty and cowardliness" came into play. "Bad attitude" I could see as a reaction to my declining to change my checkout time for him or having to tell him sorry, I was already at home, I could not give him a lift in my car. But previous to my writing my review I had contacted him about several items he left in the room (including a pair of his underwear and some kind of heating pillow he used on his legs) asking if he wanted them back or if I could discard them. He replied with that I could discard them, or if I wanted, keep the heating pillow for myself - positive, no? Why not be horrible from the get go if he was going to accuse me of dishonesty and cowardliness in the review anyway?

The second part that seems weird to me is that my review of him, despite my being the first one to write a review, did not show up on his page until over 15 hours after his showed up on mine.

And thirdly the whatsapp message he sent me asking "why did you leave me this comment" before his review of me was completed. Whatsapp received at 20:13 pm, email from Airbnb stating that Bruno had completed his review of me at 21:24 pm..... 

One positive thing is he's replied to my review of him on his page showing what a manipulative guest he is. If only I had insisted on getting him rehoused when I learned about his allergies on the second day. Never again.

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

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@Steffi16 wrote:

Hi @Katherine-and-Suresh0

He may have guessed I wouldn't leave an amazing review what gives me cause for concern is his review:

"I can forget things like dust, bugs, noise, but what turned my bad experience into a "never again" was host´s bad attitude, dishonesty and cowardliness."

Without the context of my review of him, his review makes no sense whatsoever. There was no instance during his stay where "dishonesty and cowardliness" came into play. "Bad attitude" I could see as a reaction to my declining to change my checkout time for him or having to tell him sorry, I was already at home, I could not give him a lift in my car. But previous to my writing my review I had contacted him about several items he left in the room (including a pair of his underwear and some kind of heating pillow he used on his legs) asking if he wanted them back or if I could discard them. He replied with that I could discard them, or if I wanted, keep the heating pillow for myself - positive, no? Why not be horrible from the get go if he was going to accuse me of dishonesty and cowardliness in the review anyway?

The second part that seems weird to me is that my review of him, despite my being the first one to write a review, did not show up on his page until over 15 hours after his showed up on mine.

And thirdly the whatsapp message he sent me asking "why did you leave me this comment" before his review of me was completed. Whatsapp received at 20:13 pm, email from Airbnb stating that Bruno had completed his review of me at 21:24 pm..... 

One positive thing is he's replied to my review of him on his page showing what a manipulative guest he is. If only I had insisted on getting him rehoused when I learned about his allergies on the second day. Never again.

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He didnt see your  review before hand. It was just from his experience with you. He was going to write that all along. Nothing indicates  he magically read this prior but his opinion of you was formed during his stay.

[Fred13]

Cunning rascals.

[Nina75]

Lol

[Omar667]

.