Host left me a review that was just untrue

[Wenyan2]

All of my 13 reviews were positive from hosts, until my 14th review which is negative, but really untrue.

This is the Host's review:

Xxx was a quiet, clean guest. However, she used bleach on both sets of colored sheets, possibly to remove hair dye, which ruined them. I don't supply bleach in the apartment for this very reason. When checking out she left the exterior door unlocked and a wall heater turned on (which the guest handbook clearly states not to do). Both may have been an oversight on Xxx part but nevertheless potentially dangerous.

Now I don't want to argue about the heating or lock.. the host has one of those old wall heating where you have to turn the dial multiple.rounds to completely turn off. And one of those self locks you have to touch a button to lock. So I can't be sure if I did them or not. 

But regarding the sheets, I have never bleached them. I don't use hair dye. Never bought a hair dye pack in my entire life. I didn't wash those sheets either. I didn't do anything to those sheets except sleep on them...

And the host didn't even reach out to me and ask what happened. If she sent me a picture of it, we both can figure out what happened.. she just left me this negative review.

I contacted this host nicely, asking if she has any pictures, explaining to her I have never did anything to her sheets, and asking if she can remove the review. But no response.

I reached out to airbnb, the person will not remove. I asked if I can speak to someone else, told me he escalated to someone, but that someone has not called me.

What can I do at this besides leaving a public response? And how should I word that response?

[Sarah977]

@Wenyan2  Yes, just leave a response. When a guest has a review which mentions negative things, the way a guest responds can do a lot to let other hosts reading it get a balanced picture and not just automatically believe the host. We all make mistakes, both guests and hosts, no one is perfect, so acknowledging that and not being either defensive or aggressive in your response is the way to go.

With 13 good reviews, no one is going to decide you're a bad guest because of one review. I'm sure if a host had 13 good reviews saying the place was very clean and one saying it was filthy, you wouldn't immediately believe the outlier review.

So just be factual.  "I might indeed have not managed to turn the heater off or secure the door. It wasn't intentional nor did I just ignore the instructions- the heater dial had to be turned multiple times and it was confusing as to whether it was off or not. And the door lock was one I wasn't used to, so I can accept that I might not have secured it. I'm sorry about those things and will try to be more attentive in the future or call the host for clarification.

As for the reported bleach on the sheets, I definitely did not use bleach on them, in fact, I did not wash them, I only slept on them. And I have never dyed my hair in my life.

I would have appreciated the host sending me a photo so we could figure out what may have damaged the sheets, before accusing me of something I didn't do,  and sent her a message after seeing the review asking just that, but she never replied."

Something along those lines. 

I can't see any reason the host would have to make up a story about the sheets being bleached, so I assume something did discolor them, she just falsely assumed it was bleach.

There are skin products and medications that can discolor linens and appear like bleach stains. I know that acne medication does that, and I'm sure there are some skin cremes, sunscreens, etc, that could do that, as well. As would hydrogen peroxide.

[Dale711]

Hi @Wenyan2 

You may contact Airbnb Support team, inform that the review is inaccurate.A review may be removed if violation of Airbnb Contents Policy.

[Sarah977]

@Dale711  That would be a waste of her time. There is nothing in that review which violates Airbnb policy and whether the sheets were damaged by bleach or whatever is a matter of the host's perception against the guest's. 

[Wenyan2]

Hi @Sarah977 , do you think airbnb would at least try to ask the host for a picture of the bleached sheets? 

Also, the hosts states that I ruined "both sets" of her sheets. There is only one bed, and I have never asked her for any new set of bedsheets. I am miffed at where this "both sets" coming from...

[Sarah977]

@Wenyan2  I doubt it. If the host was trying to collect money from you for them, she would have to provide documentation, but for a review, I wouldn't hold out much hope. 

I wouldn't be too distraught about the review, although I realize it's not nice to be accused of something you didn't do, especially if you're accused of ruining something. But I took a look at your review page and you have wonderful reviews except for that one, so if you write a factual, brief response, I honestly don't think it is going to lead to not having your bookings being accepted. I certainly would look at your reviews and wonder how one host could have had such a different experience with a guest than all her other hosts. 

You might think hosts take all other host's reviews seriously, but that's not the case. There's plenty of reviews I would read and dismiss if it didn't jive with the rest or it didn't give any real information or the host sounded like a nit-picking fusspot.

[Huma0]

@Wenyan2 

If the host has lots of guests in quick succession, it's possible she got you confused with someone else.

It may have been some other product that you used which made the sheets appear bleached but it's just odd to say "both sets" if there was only one supplied.

[Wenyan2]

I did. Even though it's still officially still in the process of escalation, but I don't hold out too much hope.

The problem is that I use airbnb a lot. I am a full time nomad living exclusively in hotels and airbnbs. And I am very particular about the quality of airbnb. And I consider myself a really good guest as I don't cook, spend most of my times at a coffee shop, and mainly just use airbnb to shower and sleep. This review is throwing me for a loop and I am concerned at being rejected by those high quality popular listings.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Wenyan2  as Sarah said: "There are skin products and medications that can discolor linens and appear like bleach stains. I know that acne medication does that, and I'm sure there are some skin cremes, sunscreens, etc, that could do that, as well. ..."

I always had white linens and bath towels at my Airbnb until I decided to buy a few gray ones. Mistake. Guests immediately stained them with some skin products. The stains looked bleached. I am sure that's what happened in your case as well.

[Laura2592]

@Wenyan2I think you are wasting your time trying to get this removed, quite honestly.

The door lock and heater would concern me as a host more than the sheets. Guests ruin sheets on a fairly regular basis. Its the cost of doing business and I expect that there will be occasional accidents. Nor would I continue to try and confront the host and ask for proof or pictures. He/she/they have moved on. Again, leaving a space unsecured or in danger of potential fire is a far more serious issue and one that you admit to. As a host I would be far more concerned about that feedback, and as a guest I would be very mindful to ensure I don't repeat that in the future.

Guests leave hosts untrue reviews all the time, often if they are caught doing something they should not in a host space, or if they simply fail to ask questions. We had a lovely recent guest who left me private feedback that we needed to purchase a corkscrew. We have 2 in our space-- the guest clearly didn't understand how to open them. So now we leave them open to prevent further misunderstanding. That guest could have easily said in her review that we were missing key amenities or details that would have made their stay better. It would not have been true, but ABB would not have removed it either. They tend not to police review content or decide who was right.

I would leave this, move on, and be more careful in the future especially if using someone else's home in lieu of your own committed space is your lifestyle of choice. I tend to find that guests who are "digital nomads" are more careless than the occasional vacationer as the lines start to blur in treating a host's home as their own. In that regard I 100% think you should be extremely cautious with securing your spaces and dealing with any potential safety issues instead of just shrugging them off as old technology or difficult to operate.

[Wenyan2]

Thanks 

@Laura2592 @Huma0 @Sarah977 @Branka-and-Silvia0 for replying.  I am thinking about leaving the following public reply, just asking here to see if my reply is good or not

"Hi xxx, thanks for hosting me in your lovely home. I am surprised at your review. I followed your check out instructions that you texted me the night before, washed the dishes, took out the trash, cleaned the place, and I definitely remember turning the knobs on the electrical wall heaters. It's not an on/off switch, and maybe I didn't turn the knobs enough times to shut off completely ? I think it's a bit too harsh to say I am causing a fire hazard as wall heaters are generally considered pretty safe and I never put any thing in front of those wall heaters. Regarding the front door, I definitely closed it. Whether I properly activated the self lock with my palm and hit the lock button on the pad, I can't say for sure.

But I apologize for these and will be more thorough in the future to double check on everything.

Regarding the bedsheets, I definitely did not bleach them. I did not wash them, did not eat in bed at all, etc. I also never bought a hair dye in my entire life. All I did was sleep in those sheets. I am also confused on why you would say "two sets" as there was only one bed and only one set was provided. I never asked for another set during my stay. Is it possible that it may be caused by other guests or previous laundry detergent and you just noticed now?

[Laura2592]

@Wenyan2 way too long and defensive.  I would not book you with that response. Most of what you cite is common courtesy and you gloss over the big issues with safety and security trying instead to deflect and minimize real concerns. You are not litigating.  You are merely trying to seem like a reasonable human being. 

Go short and simple  "I thank this host for telling me about the lock and heater. I was confused how to work both so I will be sure to ask future hosts to be certain. As for the sheets I can only guess that it could have been a misunderstanding from a previous guest. My hair color is natural and I didn't do any hairdressing in the space.  I appreciate the feedback. "

[Huma0]

@Wenyan2 

I agree with @Laura2592 that it needs to be shorter and less defensive. If the host had out and out lied about everything and her complaints were outrageous, then it would require a different response but, while the 'bleached' sheets remain a mystery, the heating/door lock are quite serious issues, even if it was totally unintentional on your part. Also, this host seems to leave glowing reviews for her guests so she must have been pretty upset about these things. I think @Laura2592 's suggested response is the way to go.

[Sarah977]

@Wenyan2  Go with a version like Laura suggested. The purpose in you writing a response is to correct misleading information or very briefly explain what happened from your end. No one needs a response so detailed.

Also remember that your response appears on your review page, not the host's. So do not address it to the host- your audience is future hosts who you are asking to book with. Just state facts with concise explanations, not emotions or defenses.

@Laura2592  As far as the heater being left on being a fire hazard, I'd have to say that no one should have a heater that is a fire hazard. If it's a fire hazard when no one is in the place, it's also a fire hazard when they are. The waste of electricity, gas or whatever it runs on, is of course a different and valid issue.

[Anya931]

We don't use Airbnb all that much, but today we checked out of a nice studio in the Colorado foothills. It was a fantastic location, we just wanted to get away for a night. Left a glowing review, everything.

I accidentally spilled a cup of coffee on the cabinet that was next to the bed. It was on the coaster. Still managed to knock it over. I tried cleaning it up, but of course coffee stains, and everything in this place was white. It didn't go anywhere except for on the cabinet and floor underneath. I tried my best to wipe it up, but it stained immediately. Told my husband to contact the host to let her know, but he forgot to before we left. We used the burner and some dishes, which we cleaned and scrubbed before leaving. I didn't use any of the toiletries, and the place was otherwise pretty much left the way we found it.

The host left us a 2-star review for of course, for spilling coffee which left a stain on the cabinet and claimed we were "untidy." However, the host claimed it stained all the bed sheets when it didn't even touch them. She also said we were "hard to reach." She messaged us how everything was going the first time and my husband replied that it was going good. But she kept asking a few more times. (We only were there for 1 night). To me that seemed a little unusual, but didn't think much of it initially. My husband left a response to clarify what happened and that was that. That's really all you can do.

It seems like, with some people, you're never going to win. Some people out there are pretty knit picky. For us, we'll take photos of the places we stay at before leaving from now on. If a host inquires about it in the future, at least our explanation will be, "I spilled a cup of coffee, tried to clean it up, and it stained a cabinet." If a host won't accept us for that, then it's probably not a place we would want to stay at anyways.