I will no longer post a bad review about a guest

[Megan160]

I had an awful guest experience and tried to settle it with the guest personally. She stayed at a reduced rate and then needed to extend her stay. We gave her an even bigger rate discount. When she left, she left the place a mess. Dirty, greasy dishes, pots and pans. All the furniture was in dissaray, both sets of blankets/quilts had spots and stains on them, there were crumbs in all the beds on the mattress pads (which had to be hand picked off), and she ruined a set of sheets.

I took 3 days to cool off before I texted her because we really went out of our way to help this guest and she took advantage of us. I told her I was unhappy about the state of the place and asked her to pay $50 to replace the sheets. Prior to this text, she had nothing but glowing reviews and thanks for me in all her texts. She did not understand why she should have to pay for her sheets because I was a woman and the damaged sheets were a result of a "woman thing" and thus I should understand. I said I shouldn't have to pay for her "woman thing".

After much internal debate, I decided to warn other hosts and gave her an appropriate but still not brutal review, even leaving out the refusal to pay for damages and passing on her lame excuse for the mess. She then gave me a bad review, lying about my place and me. Prior to this review, I had 5 star reviews. Now people think my place is noisy and I am rude. My bookings have almost stoped dead in their tracks after her review. Plus, my 3 month pre-book for Jan-March canceled right after the review. I have contacted Airbnb twice about this to no avail. I had responded to her bad review, but not in much detail because I assumed that if I could prove it was a retaliatory review, it would be removed. THIS IS NOT THE CASE! Not only will they not remove it, they won't even let me expound on my explanation to her bad review.

So frustrated! I am knee deep in the process of spending a lot of money to make my other 2 rentals Airbnb rentals and now I can't even get bookings in prime season. Airbnb penalizes us for trying to warn other hosts about bad guests.

[Huma0]

@bruno257

There is no need to post a 'secret warning'. The review process is blind, so that neither party can see the other's review until the reviews are published and it's too late. 

@Megan160 's guest did not leave a bad review in retaliation for what she wrote in her review. She retaliated because she was brought up on the damage and asked to pay for it and, no doubt, the guest guessed an unfavourable review was to follow.

So, there is no point in being secretive in the review. The guest is not going to see it before they leave theirs, or until 14 days has passed since check out if they choose not to leave a review themselves. That's just how it works.

The pretty standard way for a host to let others know that the guest was not okay, without going into specific details, is to write "better suited to a hotel", but that doesn't give us much information.

Another way is to write a generic review but leave low ratings, because the guest doesn't get to see the latter even after the reviews become public, but future hosts can. However, again, this doesn't provide future hosts with much information about what actually happened.

An honest review is the better way forward.

[Terrill0]

@Bruno257  I just left a review for a guest who was generally ok but didn’t communicate well, they didn’t read our listing and had issues because of it. Ultimately they were ok and new to Airbnb…also young. I was able to mention this in my review. My overall rating of them was a 3, and other hosts can see why. I struggled with the review but it was fair. The guest was nice he just needed to read the listing ! So there is no need to be cryptic!  The guest can see some of this feedback…but only if they actually read an email from Airbnb stating the review of them is posted…I think that one email is the only chance for a guest to see those details. 

[Huma0]

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@Terrill0 wrote:

The guest can see some of this feedback…but only if they actually read an email from Airbnb stating the review of them is posted…I think that one email is the only chance for a guest to see those details. 

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@Terrill0 I assume you mean the guest can only see your private feedback if they choose to click on the email? The public review is posted on their profile, same as their reviews for us are posted on ours. You will see on your own profile that you have nine reviews from hosts. So, if you mentioned the issues in your review, as you stated above, the guests can easily see it anytime. 

[Terrill0]

This is the message body I received (Airbnb won’t let me post an image for some reason):

Thanks for being a great guest!
Sean
"Hey Terrill! It was a pleasure hosting you at the cabin
Thank you for your cleanliness and communication ~ Hope
you will come stay again!"
Read on your profile
More from Sean
Special thanks
• Neat & tidy
• Kept in good condition
• Took care of garbage
• Helpful messages
• Respectful
• Always responded
Frequently asked questions

HumaO, you are correct about the public review. Now the review system prompts you for specific information (both host and guest). The guest can only see this feedback in this one email. 
this way the guest gets some feedback. This non-public review is what future hosts will be able to see when they are vetting a guest. You won’t just see three stars and scratch your head. You’ll b able to see exactly why they got dinged: bad communication? Checked in late? All spelled out for the host but ONLY visible to the guest who opens (& actually READS) that single email…

[Terrill0]

Ok **[Content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Kelli334]

That is a great idea! Thank you. Has this been Not sure what you mean by (test not to stand out) though?

[Catherine2643]

I thought that also, about leaving a code, when the guest is not bad enough to warrant a claim, but bad to cause discomfort to other guests or hosts or excessive cleaning charges or theft. But all the hosts would have to be aware of the code for it to be effective. Nice thought though 

[Casey366]

I love it 🥰 You’re a genius😁

[Nicole3327]

I actually really love this idea!

[Margaret856]

The review system in airbnb is really a problem!!

[Catherine2643]

Some of the host service techs on Airbnb side have made some improvements. On a new listing I had with 3 5 star reviews, I received  a negative review from a woman that showed up (without reading my description) that the room she booked for the evening, while being a master suite, she would share the other living spaces with one other room, she made a quick phone call to her boyfriend and said my place wouldn't work for their rondevous and told me she thought it was a whole apartment. She then left. A few hours later Airbnb called me to say the guest canceled her stay, and a review popped up. I didn't know how I could review a person that I only saw for a few min. She was allowed to review me and left all 1 stars even though she checked in smoothly (I got a 1) and she complained she felt unsafe because she "was followed"  in the neighborhood. I watched her arrive, no one was around her. Communication, I got a 1, even though I answered all her questions in airbnb quickly and happen to meet her in person on check in until she left like 10 min later.  Airbnb allowed her to change out bookings at my expense.  It was crazy, I was unable to point out she should not be able to leave a review. After that, I have 50 reviews on the room of 5 stars, but her one review keeps it 4.88 with everything but cleaning as under 5. sometimes, I think airbnb should continue to tweak their review processes.  

[Erin443]

I'm very grateful for hosts who care enough about the rest of us to be honest. I've had very few bad experiences - maybe three - but I was honest without being nasty. I've definitely refused guests who had bad reviews. In fact, one that I refused went to a friend's Airbnb and was as horrible as the other reviews said. I felt terrible for my friend. PLEASE look out for the rest of us! I'll look out for you.