Malicious and false safety report by guest

[Franco237]

Hi I have been a super host with Airbnb for over a decade with stellar reviews and no incident. Unfortunately, I hosted a tenant that was unaccountably malicious and rude and filed a false safety report after she vacated. This has disrupted my ability to host (her intended sabotage) it has been over a week and Airbnb has shut down my listing and say they are investigating, but have not contacted me with questions.  Is there anything I can do to reverse this damage done? 

[Matt4914]

@Franco237 Can you provide any information with regard to the content of your guest's complaint?

[Franco237]

@Matt4914 All Airbnb will tell me is that it is under investigation. They said they would contact me in 72 hours, and it has now been a week. The only thing I can glean is that the housekeeper came on the appointed day and time, knocked on the door but got no answer, and let herself in to clean. (This is normal because she has a schedule to keep) The guest was there asleep and did not answer the door. The guest never contacted me to complain or ask the housekeeper to leave.  I am genuinely bewildered. Meanwhile, Airbnb has canceled all my future bookings, suspended my listing, and has not answered me. 

[Bonnie566]

Wow! We are in the same boat! 
a guest complained and wanted discounts from the moment she arrived.  I told her if she was unhappy with the beach construction ( 3blocks away) I would exchange for another weekend. Well she stayed, had a party, messed up my 6000ft oceanfront home and told Airbnb I promised her another weekend.  
I told them I have videos at front door and saw SUVs dropping off people.  She reserved for 3, sent fake video of construction and said it was in front of my house. 
I told Airbnb no free weekend. 
They have been investigating for two weeks and told me I’m suspended and no longer part of the community!! 

[Franco237]

Sorry to hear that Bonnie! It sounds like you have, at least,  been talking to people at Airbnb. I have had no communication from them other than “it is under investigation” and I am suspended. They have not even told me what the complaint is! Safety is a big topic! Suspending my rental is  serious. What could have happened to warrant this kind of protocol?

[Matt4914]

Do you disclose any information about housekeeping schedules or procedures for host/agent access in your listing description or house rules?

Was there advance notice for the housekeeper accessing the premises at that time that’s clearly recorded in your message history and agreed to by the guest?

[Franco237]

Yes to all of the above! Not only do I have it clearly in my Airbnb house rules ( I require the housekeeper to come bi-weekly on Wednesdays), But I also have it printed on a framed information sheet in the unit. I also message the guest

a reminder the day before she comes! All this (minus the physically framed info sheet)  is apparent to Airbnb support. 

That said, Airbnb has not mentioned what the safety violation was.

[Matt4914]

If the issue is indeed about the housekeeper entering the premises, it sounds like you've documented enough information to have a strong case! It's likely going to be difficult for you to make that case and I wouldn't be surprised if you need to communicate with multiple Airbnb Support Ambassadors before you can even get any further information, but it sounds like you have a chance! Just keep trying and don't give up! Wishing the best for you and your listing!!

[Marie8425]

@Franco237 

I am not trying to argue.  Yes at a hotel if I don't answer they will access according to the written notification I agree to when I pay with the ability to refuse entry by hanging " Do Not Disturb" .

[Franco237 · Accepted solution]

Thank you all for your kind input. Thankfully, Airbnb agreed with me and has restored my listing. Beware of rotten apples!

[Lorina14]

@Franco237 

You’re welcome! I’m glad your case got resolved much faster than others. The key is good documentation, keep it in the app/airbnb platform (many suspicious guests try to take you off the app) and refer to your house rules that are clearly outlined in your listing. You clearly communicated everything and documented it well so that probably sped things along.

[Franco237]

thanks! Now I am dealing with her review which is entirely untruthful. She claims I secretly entered into her apartment while she was gone on numerous occasions and she could tell from the locks. I don’t want any one reading such lies and nonsense!  It is very damaging! Can anything be done about it?

[Lorina14]

@Franco237 

Contact the Superhost customer service about the issue and explain what happened and they may remove the review. You need to review the review guidelines and tell them how her review does not follow the Airbnb guidelines for them to consider removal. An opinion is an opinion but lies and untruths are not tolerated. 

is there someway you could prove who entered a code when she claims you entered and did not? Do you have exterior security cameras?

[Franco237]

Hi Lorina - I do not have security cameras. I simply did not enter her place. Unfortunately,  I don't have proof of what I did not do!  She claims I did it every time her car was gone (she put this in the public review)  and that I lived upstairs and hovered over her.  I don't live downstairs!! I live in another house on another street!  All lies and paranoia and utterly inexplicable! I only physically saw her two times in the whole month - brief exchanges. I am a busy person. Hopefully, Airbnb can see that her safety violations were utterly unsubstantiated, hence her lies in the reviews. 

[Lorina14]

@Franco237 

I would respond to her review in a neutral and professional tone stating the facts. It is best to do this sooner rather than later as customer service may take a while to review the request for removing the false review. Something like below:

“The guest’s review is untrue and retaliatory. As part of my house rules, I have a housekeeper come weekly to clean that is included with the stay. This is explained in the house rules, and messages are sent to each guest to remind them of the housekeeping visit before the scheduled visit.

My housekeeper knocked a few times on the door, waited and since there was no response, she let herself in to clean. The housekeeper did not know that the guest was asleep in the other room prior to entering. The housekeeper let me know but the guest did not reach out to me about the incident until my listing was reported and suspended for a safety issue for days. This was resolved with the documentation of the scheduled visits and messaging on the Airbnb platform and my listing was cleared of any wrong doing.

Since that happened, the guest has written a negative review full of derogatory untrue statements about my character and listing. 1. I do not live upstairs nor on the property (I live in a different home on a different street than the listing), 2. I was not hovering, I only met the guest twice during their x day stay at my listing as I am a busy person too, 3. The guest did not read the house rules completely or forgot about the cleaning despite our reminders about the scheduled visit and did not reach out to me to discuss the issue but rather reported it to Airbnb and wrote a false review of what happened.

As a superhost I provide a high level of hospitality and communicate well and strive to provide a great guest experience.  Unfortunately sometimes guests can play the system and cause hosts problems for not reading the listing completely and/or following the house rules that are clearly described.”