Hosts giving 5-star reviews, despite the experience (or the truth)…

[Gordon0]

Just had two guests (’recommended by’ 5 hosts) check out. And quite frankly, I couldn’t have waited much longer to see them leave.

In short(ish); 

Turned up at 22:30 (despite stating ‘2-3pm’) having decided dinner with friends (without telling me, natch) was more important than my time. Parked in wrong space (despite clear instructions), struggled to open the door (why, just why?) and when they did get open it, slammed it like their lives depended on it. On every subsequent exit and entry.

Spent three days being loud and generally annoying.

Last night I got a message (followed up by a call from an unknown number…which I answered, more fool me): “we left our keys inside, you need to come home”.

When I did, no thank you. 

But I was (rather unpolitely) informed they would be leaving their cases the next day (check out day) until 10pm, because they had night flights home.

Erm, no you won’t, because we’re leaving for our own holidays the same day.

“Ahh, no more guests - we’ll keep the key”.

My “Nope, sorry” met with a pair of ar5e-smacked faces. 

Left the room in a right old mess (I don’t charge a cleaning fee). Four bags of rubbish (the bins are a 30-second walk of the house), half-eaten yoghurts on the dresser, more hair on the floor than a hairdresser’s on a prom-night, and more. And all the walls suitcase-scuffed (those Rimowa ones make a fine mess), and towels a soggy heap on the floor.

Not a quick read, but my somewhat long and drawn-out point/question is, why do hosts feel the need to give guests the ‘thumbs up’ when clearly they can’t wait to see the back of them. These two hadn’t changed their ways for me only, surely?

[Sarah977]

@Sam397   Reviews are blind- the guest can't see the review you have written for them until after you have written a review for them, or if one party doesn't leave a review, the single review will appear after 14 days. So there is no way a guest can leave a retaliation review simply because you didn't leave a good review for them. (that's why it's set up like that).

If a guest is going to leave you a bad review, it has nothing to do with the review you leave for them. So it doesn't affect your ratings to leave an honest review for a bad guest. 

[Sam397]

@Sarah977 I understand that but like I said earlier if a guest knows they did something and expects a bad review they will leave a bad review themselves. Again we are getting off point here, I am not saying these things will happen or even saying there's is a good chance of it happening, all I am saying is host don't owe other host anything, and don't have a responsibility to do anything for another host, including something they think might affect them negatively. Whether it will have an effect on them or not is irrelevant. Again all I am doing is saying in regard to your comment to Dee about her having the responsibility to warn other host that  I dont think she has a responsibility to do that.

[Sarah977]

@Sam397  Well, all I can say is that it's a shame you're not more community-minded. I guess if a guest trashed your house and had trashed many other homes before but the hosts had failed to leave an honest review, or any review at all, leading you to accept that guest, that you'd be fine with that.

Attitudes like yours are why bad guests are able to remain on the platform and continue to wreak havoc in other's homes.

[Sam397]

@Sarah977 because someone is not playing nice any more this will be my last response on this topic. Not sure if by trashed you mean destroyed or really dirty but let me remind you of what I said earlier 

" I will admit there would be circumstances that I would have to say something, but that said I can't expect others to do the same."

[Emilia42]

@Dee, I don't think that is true at all. When a guest leaves a comment they are commenting on the review you left of them. It will never be seen on your listing or effect you or your listing after its posted. Many times, when the guest does respond, it can show a better image of who the guest really is. Same goes for host’s responses. I have chosen not to stay with hosts or not to accept guests based on THEIR responses to reviews. 

[Sudsrung0]

We have one checking out tomorrow Im waiting for it the cleaner went a couple of days ago the place was like a dump every pot and pan they had used just left it for my cleaner.

This one is going to be a problem I can feel it,

The booking conformation was for 2 people, they turned up with 2 kids also only young and didnt inform me.

It was NYD I didnt know what to say should I have refused the booking as they lied?

I hope there is no damage. 

[Johnny41]

Dumb Question:  If you see a bad reveiw from another host, and use that to deny a guest...how does that affect your superhost rating?

[Anonymous]

@Johnny41  Declining a Request within 24 hours does not affect your Superhost eligibility. 

[Lihle0]

Let us not tolerate any nonsense from our guests and yes we do need the money but we're not going to be controlled in our own space. When welcoming your guests, find out if they have read all your rules and gladly sing the rules to them. Just to ensure that they are aware because some people just book without reading them the rules. Thank God I'm vocal, i keep nothing to my chest....i raise my concerns immediately