Bad Dog!!! And how to review their owner?

[Alexandra316]

Okay, the dog wasn't really bad: the owners were't so responsible, though.

We had a couple stay with us who had nothing but glowing reviews. They stayed with us for one night, and they left a mess. There  muddy dog paw prints on everything: the couch, the futon, the bed, the floors were disgusting, and they wiped the dog's paws off on our bathmat and towels, including facecloths. It was just gross. We do have rags and other cloths available for this kind of thing, which they obviously didn't use at all.

What also gets me is that they didn't apologize or even mention it. I'm still kind of annoyed a few days later, and I keep writing the review then not posting it because it feels churlish, but it was so dirty! We've hosted many dogs, and no one has ever left a mess like this, even during the winter when there is snow, or when the stay has been weeks long. It just feels like they were extremely disrespectful.

So any tips? I don't want to use "better suited to a hotel".  So far, I have:

Blank and blank communicated well. They were okay guests overall: there was some extra cleaning after their one-night stay due to their dog, with muddy paw marks left on soft furnishings and other amenities. I would host again without the dog, or if more respect was agreed to be given to the space.

[Helen56]

Hi @Alexandra316 I think most of what you wrote in your first paragraph would be a perfect review:

X and X stayed with us for one night, and they left a mess. There  muddy dog paw prints on everything: the couch, the futon, the bed, the floors were disgusting, and they wiped the dog's paws off on our bathmat and towels, including facecloths. It was just gross. We do have rags and other cloths available for this kind of thing, which they obviously didn't use at all.

[Marko-and-Kellie0]

 I have not gone through all the responses.   However, from my perspective as a host I honestly think you would be doing other hosts a disservice by not posting the truth.  Sticking to the facts and ensuring other hosts are not burned by bad guests to me should be the priority.

The platform review system will continue to lose credibility if reviews are not open and candid.  I do believe sometimes our reviews are not as candid as they should be and the same guests repeat bad behavior.

Just my perspective. Have a great day and to all the hosts keep doing great things. 

[Victoria567]

@Alexandra0

A perfect concise factual review which is excellent as it tells fellow hosts what happened and lets other hosts ,make an informed choice.

[Sharon585]

well I have just had my first dirty and untidy guests, and the review in my head is almost word for word yours. We are only in our 3rd month and to date everyone has been fabulous, pets included. I knew a bad one  will come along from time to time, but it still sticks in the throat. nature of the beast I guess.

My partner wants to say nothing but that means another host could end up with their pride and joy misused.

Oh well onwards and upwards 😉

[Victoria567]

@Sharon0

Please pen  a factual review as it stops guests like this bouncing along the air bnb platform,from unsuspecting host to unsuspecting host.

A factual review is not nasty, but honest and not the length of War and Peace.

Short and sweet.......It allows fellow hosts to make an informed decision, and much appreciated by fellow hosts.

[Gary382]

You are too kind.  I would say this:

I cannot reccomend X and X, they stayed one night and left a huge mess, there were muddy dog paw prints on everything: the couch, the futon, the bed, the floors were disgusting, and they wiped the dog's paws off on our bathmat and towels, including facecloths. It was just gross. We do have rags and other cloths available for this kind of thing, which they obviously didn't use at all.  Why go easy on them?

RR

[Larry-And-Vanetta0]

We had a similar experience with guests and 3 dogs. We no longer accept pets. We messaged them informing them of our policy change. Unstated but obviously they were the cause.

[Alexandra316]

I ended up writing the following review:

X brought their dog along for their one night stay, and there was extra cleaning needed due to dirty paws marks on soft furniture and the bed even though a good bathmat and facecloth were used for paw wiping and were left extremely dirty. More respect of the space and amenities would have been appreciated, or some communication about it.

 

And they responded:

 

Response :

It was a wet and muddy week on our 7 day road trip. We cleaned the apartment before we left, like we do EVERY place we stay, including sweeping up. We had our very well-behaved dog with us, but she was not on the furniture and we did not leave a mess or paw prints, so we think this is unfair, especially considering we paid the $20 cleaning fee and communicated about bringing our dog.

It really annoys me that they were able to lie about what happened. There WERE muddy paw marks on the duvet and soft furnishings, and the floors were filthy (less bothered about the floors, but it was overall a mess). We don't charge a specific cleaning fee for pets, just the same fee for everyone, and that doesn't include cleaning linens and towels that are literally ENCRUSTED in mud, washing the futon cover and throw pillows, etc. I hope my review will make a difference, but I kind of doubt it will, thanks to their response.

[Giedre-and-Andre0]

@Alexandra316 Do NOT worry about this!!!

Me as a host would look to other reviews YOU gave to your other guests.

If everyone else got (like in your case) great reviews, most likely it was exactly what happened as you described.

You sent out a fair warning/statement, now it's on other hosts to decide if they think if this would be a big deal for them, or not. And a "muddy week" is not a excuse for irresponsible/careless dog owner!

(BTW we have dog and cats)

[Alexandra316]

@Giedre-and-Andre0 Thank you! And 99% of my reviews to guests are glowing: I'm seldom negative, unless the situation quite bad. As you say, hopefully other hosts will see that and be alerted.

[Giedre-and-Andre0]

"...hopefully other hosts will see that..."

@Alexandra316 I even think that the reply to you telling all needed info to an experienced host:

It was a wet and muddy week -> They admit that something went wrong.

like we do EVERY place we stay -> Oubosly not enough after a "muddy week".

we had our very well-behaved dog with us -> Not the issue here! ITS THE OWNER!

AND MOST RIDICULOUS:

especially considering we paid the $20 cleaning fee and communicated about bringing our dog -> I NEVER would accept a guest if they pointing out a $20 "cleaning fee" (probably a host spends this amount of money already on laundry and some "goody's" left for guests) makes them ENTITLED to a "wash" for careless behaviour!

So no worries on your side! 😉

[Kelly149]

I’ve moved away from the very specific bad reviews bc of guests like this. They’re clueless or negligent in the first place so no reason to expect that they’ll become reasonable when called out. 

And I don’t for the life of me understand why they think arguing with you rather than being contrite makes themselves look better. 

Bad humans. 

[Alexandra316]

@Kelly149 You're right, Kelly, and it had never crossed my mind before: give them something specific to refute and they will refute it. As you say, no use expecting that they will change their entitled attitude due to a review. And 100% on not apologizing: the right response would just have been to say "Sorry, we'll do better next time!"As a potential host, I would find that less concerning.

[Sarah977 · Accepted solution]

@Alexandra316  It really amazes me how many people there seem to be who have zero compunction about blatantly lying. It's quite dismaying. And then to state that it was wet and muddy for their 7 day road trip, as if that has anything to do with allowing a muddy dog to get upon someone else's furniture and bed linens. How do people like this expect anyone to believe that the host is lying? What would be the point of a host lying about a guest's behavior, unless possibly one was an unscrupulous host who trying to bogusly charge the guest for damaged items. 

[Alexandra316]

@Sarah977 Between the lying and the entitlement, it's pretty shocking, yeah. Absolutely no accountability. Like just say sorry and own it. As a host, I'd be much more likely to host if they just said "Sorry, we'll be more careful next time!"