I’d like to raise an issue I believe falls under Airbnb’s review and extortion policies.
A recent guest left a review claiming “bedbugs.” This was a false public health allegation. I had a licensed pest inspector complete an inspection immediately after checkout, and it came back completely clear. I submitted this report to Airbnb the next day.
In his review, the guest wrote that he “never received” the inspection report. That is true — Airbnb did not share it with him despite me submitting it right away. When I later provided the report directly, the guest told me in writing that he would only remove or amend his review if I refunded him $1,000. He also threatened to file a credit card dispute if I didn’t pay. I have text records of this communication.
I submitted two appeals for removal. One was denied within 15 minutes of submission, which makes me concerned the supporting documentation wasn’t meaningfully reviewed. Both appeals were denied despite clear policy violations.
This situation falls under Airbnb’s Extortion Policy:
- “Reviews that are motivated by threats of extortion”
- “Guests should not condition their review or review changes on receiving refunds or other incentives.”
It also falls under the Review Policy, since the allegation was demonstrably false (inspection report + medical clarification).
This is extremely damaging to my reputation as an 8-year Superhost with three 5-star properties, and more broadly to Airbnb’s credibility. I’m asking for guidance on how to have this handled appropriately under Airbnb’s own stated policies.
Thank you for your time.
