An Issue about Unresolved and Ignored Retaliatory Review by Guest

[Keisha115]

Good day!

I am writing this as a means of getting the attention of Airbnb, regarding my concern that is continuously being ignored. It is about a guest that left an obvious retaliatory review, leaving a 1-star rating which we never had before. I've reported numerous similar reviews before (that was reasonable to report) as they were acts of retaliation, but Airbnb team kept ignoring and dismissing these even without proper investigation. Despite providing detailed context with proofs and screenshots, they always give out email that it will not be removed since it follows Airbnb rules. However, I read the rules and the reviews clearly do not abide in those, which left me wondering how they were not removed.

The guests' comments were not only misleading but clearly stemmed from personal frustration from their own mistakes for not reading established rules and policies. I understand Airbnb's commitment to balanced and fair review, but in these kinds of instances, the review penalizes a host for enforcing standard policies and house rules that were disclosed upfront, which is something Airbnb states that can be requested for removal if the review is clearly in retaliation. 

I'm reaching out not only to raise this issue again, but also to emphasize what hosts alike may feel for the oversights in how cases like these are handled. I trust Airbnb values fairness and transparency. I truly hope this will be resolved, considered, and investigated properly. Attached are proofs of conversation between guest, and the situation.

Thank you.

 

 

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[Joan2709]

@Keisha115 

I'm doubtful this review will be removed as retaliatory, as it doesn't appear to violate Airbnb's Review Content policies. 

Review Content Policies

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2673

Prevention

The key to prevention of issues with the pool passes and availability for the future, would be:

- I would definitely update the Pool details in your amenties list for all your listiings with pool access as you haven't done that?

- Add something to your guest messages after booking reminding them of the limitations regarding getting pool passes and what they cost.

[Keisha115]

Hey! I read the policy too and it does fall under the reviews should be unbiased one. The guest actually ignored the standard policies we have enforced several times.

And yeah, the details and everything else was actually already written a long time ago. We also have a confirmation message, which includes all those details, emphasizing what was written on the listing description. 

The guest argues that we did not disclose those things when in reality, she was the one not reading. It can also be seen in the timestamps that we informed them of everything else they needed to know, except she kept ignoring it. 

She then got upset, which she later on poured unto us, giving us a 1-star review for something that was clearly her fault. She blames us for not telling her, but as you can see from the screenshots, it was her own fault (you may not be able to understand the convo since it's in our language, but basically speaking she's mad at us for not accepting her requests that is out of our control). 

It's insane how she can get away with her review, causing us our business, because of her own fault. This is infact a retaliatory review, as it's clearly a revenge for not getting her way. Furthermore, she did not let us know of the other problems she encountered, when we could have done something about it. She got mad, therefore, the unfair and unjust 1-star rating. 

[Joan2709]

@Keisha115 

If you feel the guest review violated Airbnb's Review content policy, you would need to convince Airbnb of that in your request to remove it. Unfortunately, it appears they don't feel it violates their Review content policies. The guest review (if this is the one you are referring to) only says the AC never got cold and admin late notice:

"Late notice, for the admin not available. air-con not went cold."

I don't believe that is violating a House Rule? Just complaining the AC wasn't cold and probably referring to not being able to get pool passes. Even if the guest was at fault for not reading the restriction about pool passes, that is not violating your House Rules. The complaint about AC may not be true, but Airbnb doesn't take sides when it comes to the truthfulness of guest statements. You did leave a professional response to the review, so don't don't think there is much more you can do except take steps to prevent this from occurring again, as I already suggested above.