How do hosts respond to angry guests who get in touch after receiving a negative review?

[Anita-And-Bruce0]

We are fairly new to Airbnb and we are finding the guests we are getting through far less respectful of the property with more damage and breakages than we have had to cope with guests from our other site, which we have been using for over 4 years.

Initally I have not given anything but a favourable review but some guests left a couple of days ago and didn't tell us they had broken the toilet flush button. When we found it at 12pm we were frantic as we had guests due at 2pm. 

Cut a long story short I reviewed them and gave them an overall favourable review but said we'd had to grade them less than 5 for not communicating with us about the toilet. One irate guest phones less than half an hour later and leaves a very angry message. Very unhappy we hadn't contacted them they never leave a place with anything broken etc etc. What would I have achieved by ringing her? The toilet was fine when they arrived and broken when they left and they didn't tell us, it's cut and dried. This guest has stated she will complain to Airbnb and I'm wondering in other hosts' experience will Airbnb challenge us for not contacting the guest first before writing the review? Our experience shows us those people who want to let you know about damage and breakage will do so willingly. Those you have to contact, never say "oh yes, sorry we forgot to tell you" or "yes we broke it" they always say it was ok when they left. So where do you go from there, because if you continue to challenge them you are more or less saying they are lying to you....although it seems guests usually level this at us by inference and this guest today actually said I was a liar.     

[Alison262]

Thank you for being open and sharing your experiences. I am in the process of setting up a listing  on AirBNB since competitor now takes such a big cut of my "profits," but when you have a tight turnaround between guests, it definitely gives one pause before choosing AirBNB.

[Fred13]

  Perhaps while reconsidering approach in style @Anita-And-Bruce0 you may revisit your 'Other things to note' section, which opens with: "Please note we will discuss a damage deposit within 48 hours of your booking." Is this a subsequent interview? Sounds frightening. The paragraph does insinuate Airbnb guests need to be approached more cautiously than others because of the issue of no true deposit.

  Style approach aside, you have raised a most interesting point:  with other booking agencies (which allow a true deposit), perhaps it causes guests to be more cautious which has been your experience; conversely with Airbnb (who treats deposits so sheepishly) it may be causing its guests to be less so.

P.S. What country is your place in? England right?

[David126]

@Fred13

I assuming you are referring to this:

Other things to note

Please note we will discuss a damage deposit within 48 hours of your booking. We have made a choice to manage this ourselves as Airbnb will hold a guests damage deposit for 14 days after the completion of their holiday, whereas we can return this money almost immediately after our guest leaves. Damage deposits vary from £20 for the stay up to £50 and this will be dependent on Airbnb feedback and also if we are expecting canine guests. guests can make a choice to pay this to us when they arrive or via the facility on Airbnb to send money. We have not had a refundable damage deposit system in place for some time but since using Airbnb we have become very worried about the dramatic increase in damage, which we can not continue to absorb from the modest profits we make. We hope guests will understand.

I agree that is not how AirBnb works, well AirBnB do nto chage anything so there is nothing to return and not how AirBnB allows SD's to be dealt with.

[Fred13]

Aye @David0.  That one caught my eye.

(I hope Anita understand we are trying to help each other here, in a kind and honest manner.)

[Anita-And-Bruce0]

Hi, 

thanks I've removed the Damage deposit section in "other things to note". I wasn't comfortable with it myself. Ruminating on what to do to lessen the occcurance of damage. Maybe we are just being unlucky but we really can't continue to charge what we do and absorb the amount of weekly damage to kitchen equipment, pictures furniture etc. Wondering how other view continous damage? 

[Fred13]

@Anita0, perhaps charge a bit more ($75) which will help to meter out the occasional small damage. You do have a beautiful place and probably could command more than you are charging.  It may also 'elevate' your clientele at the same time. Maybe worth a try.

[Anita-And-Bruce0]

@Fred13   @David126  Over the past 4 years we have been charging more  and had a steady income but last year we noted a decline in bookings hence looking to list on other sites.  We started off with prices matching those we'd set on Holiday Lettings but were getting very few bookings and Airbnb were suggesting lower prices. Once we did that the occupancy level has dramatically increased and when people come they say "you should charge more for this it's stunning!!!!" catch 22!! We didn't used to need the income it was an extra so we were happy with a lower income at higher prices. We were happy to put in good quality things for instance the duvet and pillows which are Alpaca cost us £400. We now need the place to work for us a bit more but I don't want to take out the things which have gained us the good reputation thus far.   Also what we seem to be seeing is "People paying more = people respect more".  Which is annoying!! 🙂 We have also noticed the demographic has also changed with a much much higher percentage of people in their early 20's booking in whereas we previously seemed to be a destonation for more mature couples and couples with dogs. Onward and upward I will learn from this nany thanks for your help and advice.   

[David126]

@Anita-And-Bruce0

Continous damage is something you cater for in continous nightly rates, set up a damage fund and allocate something from each booking to pay for these items.

What you are doing now has the potential to get you de listed.

AirBnB will always suggest you lower your prices, it is a built in part of the system, halve your prices and you will still get such suggestions, ignore them.

Showing your location as NC may suggest to some that you are a very long way away and they can  do what they want with no interference or consquence.

[Anita-And-Bruce0]

@David126 thanks David I'm not sure why in the community we are showing up as NC, as in the listing we are definitely coming up as County Durham, UK and when I switch to Travelling and do a general search on County Durham we come up stragiht away. I'm confused as to how I' can come up as NC on the community and County Durham UK on the listing. Any ideas please? 

[David126]

I am going to guess it was a data entry issue and somehow North Carolina was defaulted to.

[Anita-And-Bruce0]

@David126 i think I've sorted than you 

[Anita-And-Bruce0]

@David126, I've removed the text concerning damage deposit, added more to our profile. I've checked the info on the cottage and within the desciption I feel it makes clear where about the cottage is in Weardale and that it is Rural. You suggest what I've been doing has the potential to get us delisted is this concerning trying to charge a damage deposit or something else, could you clarify  this for us please? Many thanks 

[David126]

ABB do not allow Hosts to set their own terms for SD's, even if it is tempting as they do not offer a real one.

[Donna240]

@Fred13I believe this is the best idea concerning "prevention" of potential damage. Do not lower prices to encourage continual use, but make them commensurate to the quality of your property. You most likely will end up with the same income, but less wear and tear. When I look at my local competition I do not price my property lower than anyone else, but slightly lower than the place I thinks looks comparable to mine in style and amenities. When people are looking for decent quality and cleanliness, they expect to  pay more for it and that makes them more respectful of it. @Anita-And-Bruce0, if you are in a rural area, there probably is no hotel, so that might make your place worth more than you expect.

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Donna240 I do the same thing.

I start about $119 up to like $150 a night at my place.

My bread and butter is weekends, golf/tennis, ladies weekends, music festivals and snow birds. 

Five properties just popped on the market here that are charging $249-$350. 

My listing is as good or better than all of them currently.

I don’t see that they are booked right now but I’m in a position to go as low as $89 a night and still make money if I have to get in a price war. 

My mortgage is already paid for in 2018, so I’m in a good defensive position and I can punch back too by running low rates for a longer time if a price war breaks out.

I’m going to closely monitor these new listings and if they are actually getting these rates consistently, Momma is getting a big raise in 2018. Right now they have like one booking a month.

Just to summarize, you have to keep a close eye on the competition and they BEETER be watching us too. 

‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’