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

[Sarah977]

@George576  If a guest writes a review, it will go up whether you write a review or not. Same with if you write a review and the guest doesn't. If both write a review, they are both posted when both are submitted, if before the 14 day mark. If only one writes a review, it will appear 14 days after check-out. 

As the no-show guest had already written a review, whether you chose to refund or not has no bearing on whether that review appears. If the guest never showed, and you have proof of that through the message stream, or because he canceled before check-in, which Airbnb will have a record of, you can ask Airbnb to remove the review based on the fact that the guest never showed up, so his review doesn't reflect his experience.

If you fail to write a review for a guest, you give up your ability to respond publicly to the review a guest left.

[George576]

Well congrats to the folks who designed the language, it encourages people to write reviews, because lets face it alot of one time customers who might never use airbnb dont care about yours or their own profile.

So anyways customer service promises they will delete it, and the proof is clear and noted. The customer is being beligerant (as we speak he is probably still yelling at them for his full refund)

But just incase that gets caught up, do you think I should do a review? 

Can I give no stars, or is no stars same as zero stars? I just don't know how to review that.

I will not write anything more that "Mr Xyz did not show up for this one night booking"

I would have to click "No" on the 'recommend to other hosts'  hate to do it, but he didn't treat me well.

Funny thing is too, had he canceled say by 5 PM or earlier I would have refunded him.  

Im not a monster.    An update on my case.

The customer upon receiving refund of cleaning fee from me, send me message on platform asking for the rest of the money for the one night, and that he would take me to court. Not hard with address and phone number.

So I guess in review I must put I do not recommend him.  He was honest before booking he was renting my place to watch big boxing match with wife and 2 of her friends. I told him clearly that while I was ok with them entertaining, but I have a no unpaid/undeclared guest policy, and absolutely no party. I think he realized self checkout wasnt an option he went somewhere else, then woke up and felt entitled to a refund.

Because you know, Hilton and Marriot refund noshows all the time 🙂

[Sarah977]

@George576 Yes, I do think you should leave a review,  just the basic "No Show", as you said. And thumbs down (why should you feel bad about that?, he's being a belligerent jerk, you say, other hosts don't want these types of guests). You can't honestly rate him on anything but communication, as he didn't stay, which I'd give 1* to.

The other reason to leave a review, as I mentioned in my last post, is that if Airbnb reneges and allows his review to stand, you'll be able to respond publicly to what he writes.

[Kathen0]

Thanks folks, I too recently had some plumbing issues and the guy (and his son) were good sports about it. The plumber couldn't come for TWO days... but fortunately I had a porta potty for them and they still could use the kitchen sink. What a hassle! I gave them a free night and all seemed well. He was a bit of a wild card, very chatty and seemingly friendly. I have learned over the last two years that there are many who schmooze you. So though I am friendly, always accomodating and helpful (hence the super host badge) I will write a fairly nice review, only to find out that they didn't - expecting luxury, as you say. So in this instance, i'm nervous. I will do as advised here and be factual. I really don't want them coming back, as he drinks and his son lay on my couch and got ink stains all over it, then didn't even tell me. What a pain! Thanks again for the advise!

[Eugenie9]

I have been fortunate in that I  have had only a handful of bad guests.  I currently have one now.  When I first started out I was hesitant to leave bad reviews but as superpostas I am now more candid in my reviews for the benefit of other hosts.  

I am becoming a little jaded jaded with the Airbnb vacation rental system though.  As the site attracts more visitors with “”resort” mentalities on nickel budgets, it is not affording its hosts sufficient securities against bad guests and negative reviews.  There needs to be a better understanding that the hosts are the bedrock for the booking system and there must be a strict protocol and consequences for not only the host, but for guests as well.

[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.