1-star review includes false information

[Radka11]

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure if I can get any help here, but I may as well try. Me and my partner are new hosts (we started hosting in June 2025) and since then we received ten five-star reviews. All guests have been very happy with the accuracy, communication, cleanliness of the listing and we have worked very hard on providing great service. So imagine how surprised we were when we suddenly received a one-star review! I contacted the support trying to have the review removed, as I can argue that it is both retaliatory and irrelevant. But within a few hours the request was denied. I believe that the guest did not review the pictures and did not read the listing description either. 

The reviewer never communicated any issues to us and his claims are also false.

- The unit not having a/c and ceiling fans. In the listing we clearly state that it does not include a/c and no pictures suggest there are ceiling fans.

- They complain about the suite being very warm and humid. The suite actually runs very cool, so while we upstairs are quite warm, the bottom part of the house stays nicely cool and previous guests even turned the heat on. Also, they arrived here during a heat wave with temperatures averaging  35C, which likely increased the downstairs temperatures slightly.

- The suite being smaller than expected. In the listing, we show pictures of all the spaces from multiple angles and I can't what more to include in the listing details. Other reviewers stated that the suite was spacious.

- The guests state that the fence needs to be fixed, but we have no idea what they are talking about. The fence and metal gate are in excellent shape.

- They complained about the dog being extremely loud, but our puppy was away for most of their stay or was supervised by us. Only on one occasion he played with his toy when I stepped out of the room for a minute. This was addressed immediately, but the reviewer makes it sound like our puppy is non-stop stomping and making noise. No other guests shared any such feedback with us.

- They complain about low water pressure in the bathroom, but the water pressure is actually higher everywhere in the house, which we address in the house manual.

I'm beyond frustrated that Airbnb allows for false claims to be included in the reviews.

Thank you for reading this! Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

A very frustrated host

[Sam5003]

You can cancel your account and start over with zero reviews.  Then, vet your guests accordingly and educate them on the rating system.Post this in your rental

[Helen3]

That's not great advice @Sam5003 

Airbnb can and do suspend /cancel the profile of hosts who delete listing to hide poor reviews  and set up duplicate ones.

[Radka11]

Thank you Helen, much appreciated.

[Radka11]

Thank you Sam! The rating system is certainly helpful.

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Radka11 

here’s what you can try

1. Contact Airbnb Support → Explain that the guest left a 1-star review due to lack of A/C/fans, which were never listed in your amenities. Ask if this counts as a review that’s “irrelevant” or “misleading.”
2. Provide evidence → Point out your listing screenshots showing A/C or fans were not selected.
3. Request removal → Phrase it like:
   “The review is misleading because it penalizes me for an amenity that was never offered in my listing. Guests are rating me for something I never claimed to provide.”

If Airbnb denies removal (which happens often), 😔 the best fallback is to publicly respond to the review so future guests see your side.

For future reference, it’s a good idea to use the “Other things to note” section in your listing description. This is the perfect place to clearly state what you do not provide, such as air conditioning, portable fans, or ceiling fans. You can also use this section to set the right expectations.

Being upfront here helps avoid misunderstandings, ensures guests know what to expect, and can even improve your reviews.

[Joan2709]

@Patricia2526 

That is good advice to add info to Other Details....the problem is this guest never read the listing in the first place. We all know guests don't read.

Since Airbnb is not removing retaliatory reviews as they should, I suggest my Host clients either put something in their pre-booking message about No AC, or in not using Instant Book, advise the guest in the first message after receiving a request to book that:

We would love to Host you! Just a few details and information:

We do not have AC or ceiling fans which is typical for our area. The suite stays cool.....blah, blah blah. This is a downstairs guest suite with private entrance. We live on the upstairs (blah..blah...blah)

Property Type - Shared Spaces - Potential for Noise

I would correct your property type as it says "Entire Home" when in reality this is a guest suite inside the home and appears the Host also lives on the property. This can get you in a lot of hot water as it means the listing is NOT accurate as it is not an entire home. You should also list all shared spaces under Property Information and in captions on your photos (even if you are just sharing a driveway, yard, deck or other outside areas). I would also indicate potential for noise since it appears you live above the downstairs guest unit and the guest complained about "stomping" of your dog upstairs: