If I don't write a review for a guest, will their review of us appear on our page anyway?

[Amber-Y-Andreu0]

Hello,

We had two guests recently that we were very displeased with, and I suspect the feeling was mutual. Since almost 14 days have passed and they had not written a review I figured I would do the same, the old "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" rule. However, I just received notice that they have now written a review.

If I choose not to write a review for them, will their review go public anyway? Even though we bent over backwards to please these individuals who seemed to think they should have been staying in a polished urban hotel instead of a country house I'm afraid their review will reflect their (apparent) disappointment, and not our efforts to please them.

Thanks,

Amber

[Kimberly507]

Question:  better to write a review now or wait to see what they say? Frankly, I'd tend to be gentle and tactful but if she blasts me, more clearly explain host perspective.

I had a unit that really wasn't ready since long term renters had recently left. My responsibility, I know.  I tried to steer them to a better accomodation but this woman insisted.  So I was working hard and fast........but my dog was dying and I was torn between housekeeping and what was really important in my life.     I had to put down my best dog friend ever who had been attacked by a big vicious dog, got home at 2 am having driven 3 hours each way to Tucson to see if a surgeon could save my Gunnar, and this woman, KNOWING,  insisted on telling me next morning each detail that displeased her.  Talk about heartless.  So disheartened I decided today to honor current bookings but block all else for a few months.  Sometimes ya need some REST.  UUUGH....................

[Sarah977]

@Kimberly507  You can't "wait to see what they say"- you have 14 days to write a review after the guest checks out. So does the guest. Neither review will be published until both have submitted a review during that time period, or if only one party has left a review, that review will be published at 14 days. Reviews are blind- you can't see what the guest has written until the review is published- then it would be too late for you to review.

And I don't understand why a host would write something different about a guest's stay according to the review the guest leaves. Just write honest reviews of your experience of the guest' s stay, the guest's review has nothing to do with it. If they left the place clean, if they communicated well, if they were demanding and unappreciative, none of that changes because of what the guest may write. If the guest writes things in their review which are untrue or complain about things they never mentioned during the stay, depriving you of the opportunity to try to address the issue, then a host can leave a response to the review- that's why the response function exists.

Some hosts have been blindsided by a bad review from a guests who voiced no complaints during their stay, left the place clean, didn't cause any problems, so the host left a good review. When this happens, the host can write a review response along the lines of "I was quite blindsided by this review, as XX voiced none of these complaints during her stay. As I take my guests' experience seriously and do all I can to make them comfortable, I would have appreciated knowing about these issues during the stay, so they could be addressed appropriately".

For this guest, she was totally insensitive to a personal tragedy you were going through, so say that.  "As I had just had a tragic situation happen in my life when XX asked to book, I suggested she look for another suitable listing, however, she was quite insistent on booking, so I rushed to ready the space for her. In spite of knowing of how devastated and distracted I was by a personal loss, and that I had gone out of my way to accommodate her, she found it necessary to launch into a litany of complaints the first morning after she arrived, although I had made it clear that I was grieving. Unfortunately cannot recommend this guest."

That's just the truth, right? And you can be pretty sure that if she found it necessary to complain about a ton of stuff during her stay, ignoring your situation, she will be sure to carry on with those complaints in her review.

[Evward0]

I partially agree with you on this but if you have to rebuttal a negative review it will still come off as negative because it is then your word against theirs and future guest don’t know and are most likely discouraged to book.

[Jennifer2282]

Hmmm I had my firsts guests in my WiFi was disconnected by accident and I the provider didn’t inform me.  The guests were really cross about it.  They also dropped their bags of at 12.30 check in time is 4pm I let it go.  I gave them a refund and I payed for WiFi fur them to use.  They never even said thank you fir the effort I put in to rectify a problem that was out if my control.  Just put me on a guilt trip.  I really think they were looking at getting g money back.  But as they were my first guests went above and beyond to help them.  They’ve wrote a review but I didn’t know if I didn’t do one back if there’s would become visible.  I do now so will be honest with my review.  Things sometimes go wrong and if you are honest from the get go you would think they would be understanding.  Oh well the next guests are in and seem very friendly and fingers crossed I get a good review 

[Charles962]

Yes, I feel the same way.  I had a family of 6 stay in one of my homes.(I have 4) with 2 dogs and left with no complaints. (No mess) Then my maintenance man said that the previous guests had broken a slat on one of the beds. Then 2 hours later. I told this “instant rental “ lady about the bed problem. I told her that I could bring a blow up mattress, more blankets, pillows or whatever they wanted. She said “this is fine, we will make do”. I again stressed that the bed would not work for adults. The bottom line is that air Bnb gave them a 100% refund even though the neighbors said that they had cars coming in and out all night. 

[Evward0]

@ Amber this is partly accurate, if host does not leave a review the guest will not be made public. It is only if host leaves review and guest does not, the host review of guest will be public on guests page.

[Helle4332]

Evward0 are you sure about that? If the guest writes a review and you dont, that the guest review is not published? I believe i read on airbnb that eventhough i dont do a review of my guest, their review will still be published lavest 14 days after they have left.

Best Helle

[Sandra856]

Hej @Helle4332 🙂

Anmeldelser bliver altid offentliggjort - hvis kun 1 part skriver en anmeldelse bliver anmeldelsen offentliggjort når anmeldelsesperioden er overstået (14 dage efter check ud). 

[Helle4332]

Hi Evward

Are you sure about that?That if a guest writes  a review and you dont, that their review is not published? I am pretty sure I saw on airbnb that even if  I dont write a review that the guest review will still be published latest 14 days after guest have left. 

Best Helle

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helle4332 You are right and @Evward0 is wrong. Whatever reviews are written get published after the earlier of 14 days or when both reviews are written.

[Helen744]

@Evward0 Sorry Evward that information is inaccurate. Both reviews will appear or, either a lone host or a lone guest review at the end of 14 days .When both reviews are written then they will both appear at that time, which may be from one day to fourteen days after the guest has departed. Right of reply is longer... H

[Diana352]

Recently we as tenants left a review and it was published, however the host didn’t leave a review 

[Helen744]

@Amber-Y-Andreu0 Yes Amber and Andreu the review cannot be avoided. It is better that you write a review and try to be accurate not too emotional and stick to the facts within the parameters of the review,.. the review will appear like it or not . You will then have right of reply . If it is accurate all you have to say is "will not host again" or "although we went out of our way the guests appeared unhappy with our efforts". Keep it mild but alert other hosts... H

[Lynne492]

Hi Amber

iam going through same thing right now.  I was wondering the same thing as you, as we depend on our reviews. 

[Sandra856]

Dear @Lynne492 🌿

Reviews will always appear when the 14 day review window closes. So if only one part leaves a review it will show 14 days after check out. I have in rare cases had some guests who were just really horrible. None of them have ever left a review but I have left an honest review just before the 14 day review window closed down - that way the guests won’t have time to write a review themselves. You can see exactly how much time you have left to review if you enter the review section. It counts down from days, to hours, to minutes even seconds when there is only a couple of minutes left. I don’t see it as leaving a bad review in any way - but as leaving an honest one. I start out with what was good about hosting the guests and then explain what wasn’t good in a non-emotional way. I feel that I owe it to upcoming hosts and you can also leave private feedback for the guests explaining what went wrong etc. 

It isn’t the best feeling leaving a less than stellar review but it is unfortunately a part of the job being a host and a very important one - we need to help each other as hosts I think.