False & Harmful Review Allowed Despite Policy Violations – Host Protection Failing?

[Parinaz2]

Hello fellow hosts,

I’m writing this to share a troubling experience I recently had with Airbnb’s review dispute process and to hear from others who may have faced something similar.

A guest left a review that included the following:

• A false accusation about hidden cameras inside smoke detectors (no evidence, never raised during the stay)
• A misrepresentation of my listing as an “entire home,” even though it’s clearly listed as a guesthouse with accurate photos and description
• No concerns reported during their stay — only damaging allegations made after checkout

Despite these issues clearly violating Airbnb’s Review Policy and Content Policy, Airbnb rejected my removal request multiple times. I cited specific clauses about:

• False or misleading content
• Content promoting fear or distrust
• Unsubstantiated accusations of illegal activity

I submitted detailed evidence and even escalated the case. While I received polite responses, I never received a clear explanation for why these clear violations were allowed. I was eventually told the case is closed and cannot be reopened — even though this review has now damaged my family’s small business and affected guest trust.

Have other hosts encountered similar experiences where harmful or inaccurate reviews were allowed to stay up despite policy references?

How have you handled these situations?

It’s frustrating when we follow all the rules as hosts and the system fails to protect us when the guest clearly crosses a line. Airbnb encourages transparency and trust — but this decision did the opposite.

Appreciate your input and experiences.

[Kevin3794 · Accepted solution]

I’ve been through something almost identical — totally feel your frustration here.

In our case, we were actually able to get a couple of false or harmful reviews removed, but it took a ton of effort. We had to pull together a ridiculous amount of documentation — mostly written messages as proof that directly contradicted the guest’s claims — and even then, it was a matter of following up over and over.

I noticed that when Airbnb says they’re “escalating” a case, it usually just means you're getting passed along to another agent, not necessarily someone with more decision-making power.

It really feels like it all depends on the rep you get. Some actually listen and take the time to review things properly, but others just copy/paste a standard response and close the case.

[Timi-and-Istvan0]

Dear Parinaz,

I'm very sorry about the situation.

Try writing to Airbnb again i prefer via X(twitter)

[Lucas1442]

I’m writing to share my experience with a recent reservation that resulted in a misleading and damaging review—despite the guest violating Airbnb’s Terms of Service and my rights as a host under Norwegian law.

The guest failed to declare a 2-year-old child at booking, which is a clear breach of Airbnb’s guest declaration policy. This omission created serious safety and liability concerns in my shared apartment, where I have ceramics, scissors, and art supplies at child-accessible levels. I contacted Airbnb immediately upon discovering the undeclared guest and chose to accommodate them out of compassion, as the mother was in late-stage pregnancy.

Despite this, the guest left a review claiming:

• The bed was “tiny for two adults” (when three people slept there, including the child),
• That “hosts also live in the apartment,” presented as a surprise (even though my listing clearly states it’s a private room in a shared space),
• That I “updated the listing based on their feedback” (when I only added child-safety warnings—not changed any core description).

I submitted two formal review removal requests with full documentation: booking records, chat transcripts, listing screenshots, and legal references. Both were denied. I then received a message from a Senior Case Manager stating the review “reflects personal experience” and would remain.

This decision contradicts Airbnb’s own Review Policy, which prohibits:

• Reviews that contain false or misleading information,
• Reviews that retaliate against hosts for enforcing policies,
• Reviews that do not accurately reflect the reservation.

I’ve now informed Airbnb that I will be pursuing legal recourse through Norwegian consumer protection authorities. But I’m posting here because this isn’t just about one review—it’s about the broader failure to protect hosts when guests violate platform rules and then leave damaging feedback.

If anyone has successfully escalated a similar case or has advice on how to ensure accountability, I’d be grateful to hear it. Hosts deserve better safeguards when we act in good faith and uphold safety standards.

—Lucas
Superhost, Oslo, Norway

[Joelle43]

Hello @Lucas1442 

Yes the review policy is now handled by AI and it is clearly not working and needs urgent attention by a human and it would be good to know if management are being made aware of the situation or if this is just the new norm for hosts?

The daily posts on the subject here and on other forums clearly illustrate that even Airbnb's own T & C's on the removal for retaliatory or false reviews are not being taken into account by this malfunctioning AI with disastrous results for hosts. 

Have you ticked the boxe that the under 2's are not recommended for your listings and you can give your reasons under the Guest safety section?  If you are with IB, guests now have to tell hosts if they are bringing children so yes your guests were in breach if they didn't tell you.

Let us know how you get on Lucas and good luck

Joëlle

[Lucas1442]

Hello Joëlle,

Thank you for your insight and support. I’m indeed an IB host, and I’ve already marked “under 2’s not recommended” and detailed all safety concerns in the Guest Safety section. Despite that, Nimisha still failed to disclose her 2-year-old child.

Here’s what I’ve done so far:

• Submitted two formal review-removal requests via the Resolution Center, each including:• Booking confirmation showing the undisclosed guest
• Chat transcripts timestamped July 30, 18:58, warning the guest of policy and legal breaches
• Screenshots of my listing (shared-space disclosure always clear)
• Excerpts from Airbnb’s Terms of Service and Review Policy
• References to Norwegian liability statutes

• Escalated twice through Airbnb support:1. Initial request to customer service
2. Follow-up with a Senior Case Manager (Azhar Ali)
3. Formal appeal for manager-level reassessment and written rationale

• Requested a human review after experiencing what appears to be AI-driven denials

Despite extensive documentation and clear policy violations (guest nondisclosure, safety risk, false statements), Airbnb has refused to remove the review. Their responses indicate reliance on automated review-policy checks rather than a substantive human evaluation.

Next steps I’m pursuing:

1. File a complaint with the Forbrukerrådet (Norwegian Consumer Council) for unfair business practices and misleading reviews.
2. Lodge a claim at the Forliksrådet (Conciliation Board) to resolve the dispute and hold Airbnb accountable under Norwegian law.
3. Initiate arbitration under Airbnb’s Terms of Service if internal and consumer-protection channels do not resolve the matter.
4. Seek formal legal counsel to explore claims for reputational harm and breach of contract.

I agree this situation highlights a systemic issue when AI-only processes are applied to complex, policy-driven disputes. I’ll keep the community updated on any progress or insights from the national authorities.

Thank you again for your encouragement and any further advice you or other hosts can share.

—Lucas
Superhost, Oslo, Norway

[Lucas1442]

Title: How I Navigated a Difficult Guest Dispute and Protected My Reputation – A Guide for Hosts

Hi fellow hosts,

I wanted to share my recent experience navigating a challenging guest situation—not to vent, but to empower others who might face similar issues. It involved a guest who violated my House Rules, misrepresented their stay in a public review, and refused to acknowledge an undeclared extra guest. Through persistence, documentation, and strategic communication, I was able to turn the situation around and protect my reputation.

The Situation:

• The guest booked for two adults but arrived with an undeclared child, violating Airbnb’s policy and my listing’s occupancy rules.

• They left a misleading review with false claims about the bed size, host presence, and location—despite receiving personalized support, a guidebook, and a mapped-out itinerary.

• They refused to pay the supplemental fee for the extra guest, and initial appeals to Airbnb were unsuccessful.

What I Did:

1. Document Everything: I kept screenshots of the booking details, chat logs, timestamps of my report to Airbnb, and photos of the listing and amenities. I also recorded the timeline of events, including the guest’s own statements during their stay.

2. Strategic Messaging: I sent the guest a warm, empathetic follow-up message referencing their travel challenges and gently asked them to confirm who stayed in the room. This led to them indirectly acknowledging the presence of their child—creating the evidence I needed.

3. Legal Framing: I wrote formal complaints citing Airbnb’s Terms of Service, Norwegian consumer law, and my House Rules. I kept the tone professional and focused on policy violations, not personal grievances.

4. Review Management: I initially left a 5-star review to protect their reputation while pursuing resolution. But once it became clear they were unwilling to cooperate, I formally requested Airbnb to remove my own review to avoid misrepresenting their conduct.

5. Resolution Outcome: After sustained pressure and evidence gathering, the guest themselves requested the removal of their own review. This was a turning point. I had built a case so solid that even they recognized the need to retract their statements.

Lessons Learned:

• Be precise, calm, and legally grounded in your communication.

• Use Airbnb’s platform tools wisely—Resolution Center, message threads, and call logs.

• Don’t underestimate the power of well-worded messages that invite the guest to confirm facts.

• Protect your reputation, but don’t rush to retaliate. Build your case with integrity.

I’m sharing this to remind every host: you’re not powerless. With the right approach, you can turn even the most frustrating situations into a demonstration of your professionalism and resilience.

If anyone’s facing a similar issue and needs help drafting a message or organizing evidence, feel free to reach out. We’re stronger together.

Warm regards,

Lucas Melo Superhost – Oslo, Norway

[Alondra55]

We are in almost the same situation and have been for days trying to get a review removed that states false information about our property, it’s been around 2 weeks of getting passed around customer service agents who only say “we understand you are disappointed. Some of them have said “we understand the severity of this issue and will call you”, then they never called. This has been an uphill battle for our business that we have invested to much money and time on. It’s our first review and we have had only 5 stars reviews after that one that are actually contradicting directly what they said and still Airbnb does not take action. Apparently they let AI make the decision of removing requests and appeals. Our experience as Airbnb hosts has been absolutely dreadful. 

[Tammy103]

I as well,  have a retaliatory review and have spent weeks going over this time and time again. Exhausted and extremely let down.   I was told to block the guest and that the guest would be blocked from my listings. I was told to that I did not need to respond to the requests and when they started coming through on my personal phones suggesting I would be getting reviewed everywhere possible if I did not issue a refund.  I was told by Airbnb to obtain a police report on this guest who was demanding a 3 month refund.  I did all this.  It just kept getting more unbelievable as the guest kept issuing more demands and stating I was responsible for a pet that needed to be euthanized and another that needed emergency surgery as well as a house that was filthy and rodent infested.  None of this is true and the guest left a review stating she had hired a company to do mold testing in my home and that she is now under the care of 2 doctors!  Who would rent my home after that?   It a nightmare and I was refunded over 1,000.00 dollars in damages that the guest did to my property,  I was told the review would "more than likely" be removed but I needed to provide my reasons to another area of Airbnb that handles the reviews.  All of this AFTER I had contacted Airbnb just weeks into this 10 month booking as the guest refused to close the doors in the house and had broken all of my house rules, on a signed rental contract.   I wanted to have them removed but was told "No worries, Airbnb has made a report of this and we have your back".   The guest immediately asked to stay make a fresh a start and that they would adhere to the no open door rules...  They were building a house nearby and had 3 dogs so I did not kick them out.  3 months later they found a cheaper home they asked to alter their reservation.  I replied and actually gave them a refund on the days they did not use as I wanted them out. After all I am a 5 star host!  So it is now 6 weeks after - The review process is useless.   It is AI driven and there is a huge barrier of entry into support.  After 9 years  a 5 star host this guest only drove me down to a 4.8 but I can not tolerate this as I know it is false and I am fearful that Airbnb has changed and not for the better.  I have my listings unlisted but after another long terming guest leaves I will be removing my listings.  

[Joan2709]

@Tammy103 

I don't recommend Hosts list long term stays on Airbnb...very little protections for Hosts. They don't offer rental agreements, security deposits or background checks - other platforms do.

[Carlo8131]

Hello,  

I’m experiencing almost the same issue as you.

After my recent Airbnb stay, the host posted a false and damaging review saying:

“Appartement laissé sale et en désordre… À éviter”

(“Apartment left dirty and in disorder… To be avoided.”)

This is completely untrue — the apartment was clean, I followed all instructions, and the glass container the host mentioned was already broken before my arrival.

Still, Airbnb twice refused to remove the review, saying it “follows their Reviews Policy.”

The phrase “à éviter” is clearly defamatory — it’s not a factual remark but a personal judgment telling others to avoid me.

It violates Airbnb’s Content Policy (prohibiting defamatory or misleading content) and even Article 29 of the French Law of 29 July 1881 on defamation.

Unfortunately, the process feels one-sided, and this review has already hurt my reputation — one host declined my next booking.

I’m now looking into filing a formal legal notice (“mise en demeure”) and using Airbnb’s Legal Report form.

Has anyone here had success escalating such a case beyond customer support?

— Carlo

[Lenka21]

Yes now every host is going through it because Airbnb is now run by AI, impossible to remove a false retaliatory review, you can have as many proof and sceeenshots as you want and nothing will be done, on top of that Airbnb is supporting the inappropriate behavior of guests and money extortion - criminal by sending you their “risk of suspention of your listing emails” and even if you proved by black and white in writting extortion they will still keep it as an “issue” with your listing, no matter if it is that horrible woman who tried to get you to pay her traffic fines or another horrible guest who refused to check herself in on a self-checkin listing and reported an issue because you weren’t there, I have so many ridiculous stories I could write a book. The important thing is I was never helped by Airbnb no matter how much proof I had. Good luck

[Steven2005]

My wife and I are dealing with being called ******ty (mfs) in a review on Airbnb and they say it does not violate their policy?? I cant get it removed.

[John5097]

@Parinaz2 

Just now noticing this is an older post, but might help someone else, or OP, if she is still reading. I also have a guest apartment that is attached to the main house. 

You can choose "Apartment" in the Property Type section. I think this is the most accurate and what I've done for over 6 years and 600 guest. 

I also include "Apartment" in my title and very clear that it's a guest apartment attached to the end of the house. 

This way it shows as "Entire Rental Unit' and not "Entire Home" 

The reason I'm mentioning this I've only had one guest, recently, in August who thought it was an "Entire House" and during that time Airnb also displayed  "Entire Home" when I've always had it selected as an Apartment. So maybe it was a glitch or probably just Airbnb wanting to call everything that's marked as an entire unit as a home.

I had to go outside and explain to this group who arrived with 3 trucks, a boat, extra family memeber, a baby, and friends that they rented a one bedroom apartment. They ended up being agreeable but that could have gone sideways fast. And that was the same day I decided this would be my last year hosting. I think they were also kind of scammy or just very entitled but Airbnb did display it as "Entire Home" for a while. 

Soon after that I also received the first complaint ever that the place wasn't clean, they sent a message after 11 pm on the last night before they checked out. Also scammy. 

That night I blocked off my entire calendar and haven't accepted a single reservation since. I'll just honor existing reservations. Before this I didn't have any kind of problems. 

I read one of @Parinaz2  reviews and the guest was very wacky.  And Parinaz respond with a great response. Sorry that happened. That review should be removed as it's discriminatory, and claims the mini split AC was junk and made in China. They are almost all made in China. 

But for the listing type that can be changed. This is how I have mine. I don't know why Airbnb decided to change it to "Entire Home" but has changed it back to "Entire Rental Unit".

So check your settings. If you have a guest apartment I think Apartment is the most accurate if there is no shared space and it has its own private entrance.