Wonder if friends of competition hosts booking to leave a bad review

[Roberta150]

I've had some guests book from a city less than three hours away from here where it's common for people to own a second home in my town and/or have friends here. My last two such bookings stayed this past week, and both caused me serious problems - one leaving a completely unfair review with false statements about my listing and leaving a day early without cause. I'm starting to wonder if they were friends of someone who also runs an Airbnb in my town and booked in order to deliberately leave a bad review to sabotage my listing, which has many five-star glowing reviews over the past two years and I'm a Superhost. The other guests snuck in extra people, brought four cases of beer, and started partying hardy until I put a stop to it. They seemed to be doing it deliberately to make me not want to host anymore based on their attitude (I'm already there so they needn't have bothered) - and stated they wouldn't leave me a review if I didn't leave them one. It all seemed well-planned to mess with me, and they left a day early when confronted. So both left after one night (no refund due to strict policy) and seemed to have planned it that way - zip into and out of town just to mess with me and my listing.

I realize this may sound paranoid, but I had a similar experience about six months ago. These two happened to occur almost back-to-back. Has anyone had a similar experience with possible friends of another host who is your competition booking a stay merely to lie and give you a bad review, or coming to break House Rules and mess with you? I suspect this is happening more often than we may think due to unscrupulous hosts wanting to hurt their competition. A tell-tale sign is that the guests are coming from somewhere fairly closeby.

I'm getting out of the hosting business as soon as my last pre-booked guests stay in early November. All other dates are blocked for the next two years to ensure no bookings while I prepare to sell this house and move to a small home in another state to live blissfully alone and invest the balance (a better way to earn income.) It's a darn shame the bad 1% of guests ruined what started out as a nice business for me, and possibly some unscrupulous competition. Would like to hear if others suspect something similar happening to them.

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

De list the booking instead of blocking

[Roberta150]

As I stated near the end of my post, that's EXACTLY what I'm doing as soon as the last bookings from months ago are over. Thanks so much for the unhelpful comment.

[Lisa723]

@Roberta150 frankly it sounds far-fetched. Would you ask friends to pay to stay at another host's listing just to down-rate or "mess with" them? Do you have friends who would do that? I wouldn't/don't. Hosting can be stressful, and bad guests do happen. Take care.

[Roberta150]

No, I wouldn't. But there are those who would and do. Wake up.  As a former police officer, I can tell you there are lots of bad people out there - and some close by.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Roberta150I agree with @Lisa723 and think it is unlikely. Maybe if you were the only 2 listings in town and direct competitors and even then why would anyone bother if you intend to sell your house and move to another city?

[Roberta150]

I haven't advertised to the world that I' selling my home and moving - haven't even listed it yet. And one of these instances occurred months ago.

[Linda108]

While I agree with the other hosts, that your analysis of guest sabotage might be as you put it, paranoid, @Roberta150, it sounds like you are just done, right?  I think the share home experience is difficult for most people to maintain over a really long time.  Like most of us, you are not a professional in the hospitality industry.  I hope after a while you will be able to enjoy the memories of your great guests who appreciated you as a host.  Good luck with your new adventure!

[Roberta150]

Actually, Forbes magazine did an article on problems with Airbnb and lists competitive hosts sending people to pose as guests in order to give bad reviews to other hosts in the area as one of the problems. So, yes, it goes on. I didn't want to hear from naive people like you - only from those who may have had the same thing happen to them as mentioned in the Forbes article.

[John1080]

@Roberta150, competition is one thing, but if 'friends' are doing this, then maybe it's time to find new friends. 

[Roberta150]

Uh, not MY friends but friends of the competition hosts. Duh.

[Roberta150]

My last reply: I only wanted to hear from hosts who think this may have also happened to them. NOT from trolls. I'm done with this forum. Bye - and good luck all you naive newbies!

[Emilia42]

See ya!

[Sarah977]

@Roberta150    FYI none of the hosts who have replied to you are naive newbies and none of them are trolls, but experienced hosts and active members of this forum, who have seen many types of outrageous and dishonest guest behavior. 

You are but another example of those who post on public forums but can't handle anyone disagreeing with them.

[Robin4]

@Sarah977

If you haven't already, take a look at the listing Sarah, it is quite revealing!

Cheers.....Rob