Malicious review

[Sean14]

A guest who had stayed a couple of nights out of a month long booking recently requested a refund as he was moving out. I politely declined stating that I simply couldn’t afford to (cancellation policy is strict).

A few days later Airbnb contact me to ask if I would consider refunding him. I replied that hosts have been disgusted with their recent treatment by Airbnb and that I am not in a position to offer him a refund (he booked after the cutoff date for an automatic refund I think).

The review date comes around and he gives me 1* for every category and writes “N/A” in the review. I have contacted Airbnb to ask that they remove the remove as it’s obviously malicious and in response to not being given a refund. They have refused stating that the review does not contravene any of their rules. I’ve never gotten 1* for any category before and I think the room has an average of 4.6 or something.

I have appealed but Airbnb refused and consider the matter closed. Has anyone experienced something similar?  Thanks.

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Sean14 I don't know that you'll have any luck changing that decision but you can respond to your review.

I would go with something like

"We were not able to provide guest with a refund over and above the agreement they made with us."

[Jane3894]

Similar experience as a guest:

I removed a review I wrote due to feeling pressurized to write a good one by my host in Dublin this Month before I had even finished staying there. I also removed  it as he made me feel extremely uncomfortable and also due to unreasonable behavior.     I removed it rather than edit it out of kindness as he relies on the income.  He responded  by then writing a malicious review, including personal and irrelevant attacks  (including underhanded jibes at my neurodiversity).   I mentioned this to Airbnb and they are not removing it even though I requested this and what he wrote was spiteful and inaccurate and discriminatory (they say 'it does not contravene policy'.: which is odd)  Further, I can not even write a new review to just say that he got malicious when I removed my review.

Airbnb should not be telling hosts when you remove a review, as it is not necessary at all.  I told Airbnb I wanted him not to be told I removed the review I wrote due to fear of spiteful reprisals  but they said they could not do that.  

I was thinking about becoming a host but I don't believe this site is as safe as they make out.  You just need to do a google search of news stories.  I will not be using it again. I didn't even get an apology either.

[Ute42]

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@Sean14 

You ask:   "Has anyone experienced something similar?"

Yes.  125,873 fellow hosts have experienced the exact same issue You have.

[Ange2]

@Sean14    Next to nothing contravenes Airbnb rules , if you read  the policy there are so many 'unless' and  'if' that create massive loopholes allowing it to refuse to remove a review, even when the host has documented proof of dishonesty or injurious  intent, etc.