Airbnb Refuses to Remove Retaliatory Review Despite Clear Policy Violation

[Lisa9832]

I’m sharing my experience in case other hosts have faced similar issues and can offer advice on how to get a review removed that is clearly retaliatory and full of false statements.

A guest blatantly violated our clearly stated pet rules by leaving their dog unattended, uncrated, and noisy for hours. They admitted this in messages, and we have video evidence. The guest then posted an obviously retaliatory one-star review containing false claims that damage our hosting.

We submitted photo evidence disproving the false claims and requested to submit video evidence of the guest breaking the rules, but Airbnb never gave us the opportunity. Instead, we received a generic reply stating that the review complies with their policies and will remain.

Until now, all our reviews have been stellar 5-stars, so this review and its low rating unfairly impact our overall score.

It’s beyond frustrating that Airbnb makes it so difficult to remove an obviously vindictive review. We’re seriously considering legal action for slander, as these false claims will cost us financially.

We are deeply disappointed that Airbnb allows slanderous and clearly false reviews to remain on the platform, undermining hosts’ reputations and disregarding their own policies. If Airbnb doesn’t enforce its rules against retaliatory and false reviews, we may have to take down our listing.

Has anyone successfully escalated a similar case? I’d appreciate any advice. 

[Michelle1058]

I have had the exact same situation here with two separate guests who brought dogs and violated our pet policy they had already agreed to.  of course, I spoke with them and also documented this in the AirBnB messages. In one case the review was so horrible (falsely claiming that I was running around drunk and chasing guests) that AirBnB delisted my accommodation for two weeks and now I am on probation.  yes I have submitted my request for these retaliatory reviews to be removed twice. And both times AirBnB’s new AI “removal” process responded within minutes, declined,  and no explanation. I have called almost a dozen times as you can well imagine I am very frustrated. One AirBnB rep even wrote to me and told me that even if they know the review is not “a reflection of the facts” they cannot remove it.  I am still researching other options for removal and will follow this conversation to see if anybody else has had any luck. Good luck to us both!!

[Rachel2399]

This happened to me too.  I sent a damage claim to the guests after he checked out and he reviewed the next day making up stuff about me yelling at him during his stay, my cohost spying on him and being in disguise, the property unsafe and under construction, stating he was creeped out because the neighbors are watching them sleeping, and more.  I could not even believe it.  I got the same response from Airbnb even though you can tell he made all this false statements because he could.  They don't care. He also called safety team two days after my damage claim and filed a fake report of us entering the house to watch him.

[Rachel2399]

We went through this recently.  The good thing is I found the location of the guest and my cohost and I are going to sue him for slander, fraud (he made a statement he was going to find a way to get a refund), and violations of public forum information regarding location of property and the property not being secure (he writes its unlocked for entry.)

[Joan2709]

@Lisa9832 

Unfortunately Airbnb has decided to turn over review disputes to AI. It is doing a terrible job and Hosts are suffering the consequences of a "toddler AI with a chainsaw" that has no adult supervision. Reviews that are clearly retaliatory are not being removed, even when it is clear they should be according to Airbnb's own written policies. 

I have advised all my clients to stop using Instant Book, list on other platforms and consider a direct booking website.

Your only other recourse is to file an arbitration claim against Airbnb under their Terms of Service for not upholding their own written policies:

Arbitration

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2908#22

[Lisa9832]

It's unfortunate that Airbnb won't protect good hosts from bad guests. Do you have a recommendation for another platform instead of Airbnb? 

[Joan2709]

@Lisa9832 

Yes...you can send me a Direct Message if you like 😊 and I will share that info.

I would suggest that you indicate shared spaces in the Guest Safety Section under Property Info. Since you live on property, even the driveway is a "shared space." If any of the outside areas are shared, you should add the as well (front yard, back yard, deck, etc.)

I would immediately post a public response to their 1-star review to inform future guests about what happened. Be factual, non-emotional and brief.

"Unfortunately, this guest posted a retaliatory review after they admitted not complying with our House Rules and policies for pets. We cannot recommend this guest to other Hosts and would not host again."  

I don't see your review of this guest? Did you ask Airbnb to remove your review?

[Danelle21]

oh my goodness, it is AI! I was wondering because my appeal was denied within 15 minutes! And I had third-party objective documentation about my claim! Sending it to some faceless "team that will be emailing me back"

[Jean651]

Thank you did not know about the arbitration..I will try it after I get turned down for my current claim the 5th time!...😂😓...yet...I doubt there is any better outcome than another couple weeks of run around and a big NO🥒!

[Elaine979]

Can I have the alternative listing place

[Joan2709]

@Elaine979 

Please send me a direct message and I will share the other site. It is designed for 30+ stays only.

[David9694]

@Joan2709  you are a STAR on these boards. It's obvious you take your personal time to really try and help Air Bnb Hosts. We are all very lucky you put so much time into research and provide such key guidance for your fellow STR hosts.  

[Eunicia1]

We have recently been in the same situation. The guest & his group, including many unregistered guests, broke multiple rules. For both nights of accommodation, they have been careless, ignoring of accommodation rules, smoking inside the house and causing property damage. Also neighbors bothered by huge noise and screams, extremely loud music and shaking the whole building. They literally turned the home in a public space, and the 2nd night when we asked the Airbnb support because of safety issues, providing them with live evidence via phone, Airbnb basically let us on our own. We had to call the police finally. 

While we are still waiting to be compensated for the damages to our property, we were shocked to receive an automatic response within only 8 minutes stating that the guest’s retaliatory, deceptive, outrageous and dishonest review was in line with Airbnb's rules and standards. When we asked Airbnb to contact us directly to clarify the matter—and despite providing them with all the recordings and supporting information—Airbnb never addressed the issue.

One week later when I called Airbnb, an Airbnb support person just asked us to fill the review removal request application again and adapt our request to their AI generated program in order to potentially get removed this guest's review which is retaliatory, false, dishonest, and totally biased against us, the host. Seriously????

The only message that Airbnb sends to us, the hosts,  is that they do not protect the victims, just doing shockingly the opposite. Moreover, allowing unlawful content to remain publicly visible on their platform,  Airbnb purposely denies valid review removal request. Finally, Airbnb agrees that these retaliatory, false, defamatory, and biased reviews are in line with their rules and standards.

[Joan2709]

@Eunicia1 

Yes...sadly this is currently the situation and Airbnb seems unwilling to address their absymal AI control over review disputes. 

I suggest you list on other platforms and consider a direct booking site.

[Elaine979]

I agreed. I have been experiencing the same issue as well. It sux . I no longer want to list on Airbnb anymore. No support . Feels like they have the attitude that risk on host if anything goes wrong. Really disappointed .