breaking house rules

[Rondi3]

Hi All, 

I'm new to AirBnb however have been in the hospitality business for decades.  My first three guests this year - great!  The fourth couple - not so great.  They were nice enough people but broke rules from the moment they arrived (I think it's their first AirBnb trip).  Last night I finally spoke with them about damage to my property (a huge safety issue which they never told me about)  as well as overcrowding in their house.  I mentioned that they really needed a larger place and offered a refund. They were very apologetic and said they wanted to stay.  Late at night, they evidently decided to go and I received a 'refund request' from them in my account.  

I'm happy to refund them for the nights they aren't staying - would like to collect for damage but I don't request damage deposits so might not have the right to and that's ok.  My main question is, does any of this affect my reputation as a host?  I'm not sure how all of this works.  Thanks so much for any advice! 

[Alice595]

@Rondi3  If they are nice and honest, they may leave you a fair review or don’t leave one. Otherwise, you may receive a bad review with lies. And Airbnb may not remove it.

The bad review definitely affect your lusting in the search ranking. Even you can respond to the bad review, there will still be some guests stay away.

I have got a 1 star retaliation review from a guest who canceled two hours after staying because he told Airbnb the house temperature was too high. It was at 71F shown on the smart thermostat. I refunded him the unused night except for the first night. But he was still angry at me for not refunding him the first night and cleaning fee. He did use the bathroom and left drug type substance in the toilet and bathroom sink. If you search for 1 star retaliatory review in this forum, you will see my post and know how Airbnb handled the retaliatory review. Hopefully the answers from other hosts there can help you.

[Helen350]

Spelling @Alice595 ! (Quick, correct whilst you still can, it doesn't give you long!)

[Rondi3]

Thanks - one thing I haven't figured out is how reviews work - it seems like if I don't post one about them anything they post about me won't show?  Any clarification about that would help too! 

[Alice595]

@Rondi3  That is not the case. A guest review shows after 14 days or on the date when you publish your review.

[Rondi3]

But if I don't review them, nothing will show as far as I have learned.  Yes? 

[Alice595]

@Rondi3 @Please see my posting response above. It does show. 

I suggest that that you write a review in the 14th day. Otherwise, you miss a chance to let other hosts know about the guest.

[Mark116]

@Rondi3   No.  A lot of hosts think this, but it's wrong.  If they leave you a review it will show at 14 days if you don't do your own review. 

[Anonymous]

@Rondi3  The Help Center is far from perfect but a lot of your questions are right there in the FAQ and searchable in seconds. I strongly suggest that you give yourself a crash course on Airbnb's policies before proceeding with anything else. Renting a house to strangers is a very risky endeavor and a thing anyone should stumble into without understanding their rights and responsibilities.

Some pages to get you started:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/13/how-do-reviews-work

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/264/what-do-i-do-if-my-guest-breaks-something-in-my-place

Yes, you can request compensation for damage even if you don't have a security deposit (which isn't really a deposit anyway). And yes, the guest is still able to retaliate in their review. This is why over time a lot of hosts find ways to "guest-proof" - i.e. choose furnishings that minimize the possibility for damage, and screen guests to verify that they're an appropriate fit before accepting a booking.