A plea to all hosts

[Tania-and-Andrew0]

Hello all!

Over and over again I keep finding posts of hosts asking for advice after a negative experience and if they should or not give a bad review. 

Here is my plea: PLEASE, do not hesitate to leave a bad review. Airbnb is a growing community and more often than not guests do not even know they will be graded upon their stay. We need to protect each other, especially hosts that do not share the space with guests are in even more danger from abusive people.

I know it's hard to speak ill about someone you just shared your space with and probably had nice times. Guests can and will request reviews to be deleted if they get too heated and personal. Just make sure you remain neutral, straight and to the point. Especially the key phrase "I would not welcome them back nor recommend to any hosts".

I have had bad experiences with guests that are new to Airbnb or, if they are not, they still think you're a hotel and expect the same service. This is why I put something like "the guest did not follow our house's rules, he/she would be a better fit to a hotel or at a place that has little to no rules. I would not welcome him/her back". If they are new you can just say "guest was new to the Airbnb experience, was a really nice person but did not really get the hang of this. Probably with more Airbnb experiences this could improve" and give personal feedback of the does and don'ts of staying as an Airbnb guest.

Please, PLEASE, always leave an HONEST review. PLEASE.

Thank you.

[Marsha1]

@Tania-and-Andrew0, Just a note of clairification, "catch 22" comes from the title of book and refers to a "no win situation" where it seems you lose no matter what you do. 

🙂

Marsha

[Melanie140]

@Tania-and-Andrew0  Yes, you are damned if you do, and damned if you don't!

[Barbara175]

I agree with @reese that reviews should NOT be optional. I just had a very messy guest who silently was sneaking off early morning without returning the key. To my horror she left the hairdryer blowing air on medium heat, laying on a wooden table and I dont know for how long.  That could have gone so wrong. I am certain that she will not leave a review. In return I can not let other hosts know that she is a careless guest and  very messy on top. 

Please Airbnb, make reviews MANDATORY to protect guests AND hosts.

[Kelly149]

@Barbara175 You are mistaken, your review of a guest remains regardless of whether the guest writes anything or not. 

[Barbara175]

@Kelly149 @Kjesten0 Thank you Kelly for your comment ! I was not aware of that and appreciate your clarification. I am still pretty new on Airbnb. 

[Kjesten0]

I don't understand the problem, I posted a review on a guest who didnt post one about me the host and my review is able to be seen on the guests profile. 

[Di17]

Please can leave you a positive comment and still give you a low star rating out of spite if they think you'll give them a bad review.

However, I think the issues whether they arise in person or over messaging should be reviewed by airbnb for validity.  I'm talking about major issues (bad behaviour, damages, etc) before these reviews just stick. 

If a guest leaves a review, I've found that I cannot read it unless I provide a review.  Does this mean that If I leave a review for a guest and they decide they don't want to leave a review, my review won't get posted? 

[Tania-and-Andrew0]

Hello Di, your guest cannot read your review before they do theirs, that way they can't give you a bad review out of spite becuase you left a bad review. Guests/hosts have 14 days to leave a review. If you write a review and your guest does not after 14 days your review will be visible on the guest's profile, it does not matter if they left a review or not.

[Sheryl-and-Tim0]

I'm new at ABB but I thought that guests and hosts cannot even see each other's reviews until they themselves have left a review.  That way no one is 'punished' for leaving a bag review of the other.  Is there some other way that reviews get left that I'm not aware of?

[Deborah1]

Reese: What I do in this case, is wait until the last moment to write a review. They have little time to decide to write a review, but I can still warn other hosts. Please DO write reviews. It is a service to other hosts and the only way this works.

[Kjesten0]

Please explain this, Deborah, I don't understand your wait until the last moment to write the review comment. Thanks.

[Rachael26]

@Kjesten0 (and Reese)

The review process works like this - after the guest leaves - both host, and guest have 14 days to complete a review. These reviews cannot be seen by either host or guest until BOTH have submitted their review..... OR at the end of the 14 days when only one review will be published.

So - a common practice if you want to avoid prompting the the guest into writing a review (hoping that they will forget maybe)... is to mark it in your calendar and wait until the 14th day - and close to the check out hour. Then submit your review of the guest - and the notification from Airbnb telling the guest you have written a review will come too late after the deadline. So the guest will not (hypothetically at least) be able to respond or write their review.

After the 14 days is up - your review will be published on the guest profile. And they cannot respond or reply. So at least you have written a review giving a heads up about a problem guest.

Sorry I can't actually tell you if this works or not - but in theory it does.

Best Wishes.

[Melanie140]

@Rachael26  It seems to have higher odds of working, especially when you are dealing with new guests who don't understand the rating system.  I'm stuck in the situation of being too scared right now with a guest to say a word because the man was psycho, so if I say anything about him it will set him off so I can't even warn other hosts which I feel bad about.  But, I have contacted Airbnb to let them know that he is a danger and not safe to be staying in anybody's house!

[Rachael26]

@Melanie140

Totally understand - and you are right to do whatever you need to make sure you feel safe. Best advice - leave a neutral but bland review - something like Thanks for booking our place - we appreciate it.

But this where the important part comes in - and it is not public and the guest will not know - write exactly how you really feel in the section for Airbnb (it's private) and DO NOT give the guest a thumbs up - give a thumbs down as you do not want the man back in your home.

Also do not give high stars unless you feel he earned them. That way you can be helpful and honest to other hosts and Airbnb - but not in an open way that may come back on you. Nothing is worth that!

But leave a review - brief and bland - because that is better than no review at all.

Best Wishes - and remember - the community center here is for all hosts and good for answers and support - so please do continue to write in and ask anything you want.

[Jeanette37]

Wow, you shouldn't have to put up with a guest who is potentially dangerous.  All that has to happen is for him to have a bad day and he might pose a threat to your safety.  If you feel you've involved Airbnb as much as you can I'd be contacting the Police and letting them know so that they're alert.