My frustrating experience with a false review and Airbnb Support

[Sarah5492]

Airbnb are intentionally abusive to their hosts.    I have a bad review where the guest only booked a room, I only do room booking not the whole apartment,  and left a review saying I had double booked and that there was an additional guest that was unwelcome.   It looks like I double booked the room and she had to share the room and the bed with a complete stranger!!!    Its idiotic.  I had a friend to stay in my bedroom.  I do not offer access to the livingroom or the kitchen so it had absolutely no effect on her booking!   Airbnb have refused to remove what is a fake and libelous review.   Its appaling, as with other experiences on this community forum their customer support jsut keep repeating the same thing to me and saying that was the guests experience.  Its a joke.  A guest could say you tried to murder them and Airbnb won't remove it.   I  am going to have to remove my listing as its too dangerous to have any dealings with Airbnb.

[Title updated by Community Manager to make it relevant to the post]

[Fred13]

A word of advice, best to make light of the erroneous information some silly (or ignorant) guests make, in the scheme of things hardly matters. You have a fine record to depend on. In this case, a mere mention on your part like - "The other 'guest' is a friend was staying with you. Glad you enjoyed your stay" would suffice to help others appreciate what a cool host you are.

Heck we just had a guest mentioned that a toilet 'gurgled' (macerator types which we switching to do before flushing) and one not even where he was even staying. I guest this was to show their lofty standard of personal perfection of the most annoying type of guest to us - The Home Inspector type.

It takes all kinds.

[Sarah5492 · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your sensible response.   Its is annoying when you have an immaculate property and bend over backwards to help guests, as I did in this case and they say you have 'double booked' when you have a visitor!   I use airbnb for business traval all the time and accept its not a hotel its someones home!   I have stayed with hosts who have dogs, children and the odd dinner party and its never been a problem  as I accept I am only renting a room, not an entire apartment/house.

It was the 'double booking' that was concering as she booked a room and it implied she had to share the room and the bed with another guest!  Madness!  

However, maybe I do infact need to chill a bit!  🙂   as I suppose its bound to happen sooner or later. 

[Helen3]

It's not clear from your post how you felt CS were intentionally abusive to you. @Sarah5492 

Presumably you checked in with the guest before she arrived to let her know you had a friend staying .

it's really about you managing guest expectations - there's a shared bathroom so it would mean she'd have to share facilities with your guest 

I think her review overall sounds positive and balanced. It does mention other issues the guest experienced with internet access and the mattress . I can't see how you have grounds for removal . 

in your situation I would just confirm you hadn't double booked your space and had a guest staying. 

[Sarah5492]

Firstly there is another bathroom in the property but I say the bathroom is 'shared' in case I have other guests.   Secondly this is my home and she only booked a room not the entire apartment and did not have access to the living room, kitchen or other areas.  I am not banned from having friends and family to stay just because I rent out 1 room, nor do I have to get permission from airbnb guests to have my own freinds and family in my own home!   Its a ludicrous suggestion that I can't have a friend to stay in my own property.  She said there was a 'double booking' when there was no such thing.

The only 'issue' was there was a very short power cut in the electicity network that was beyond control, as she says I give her my own mobile phone to use for internet access until the power was back on which took less than 10 minutes.  The mattress is less than 18 months old as is the bed frame and I have checked it myself and asked the guest who stayed straight after if they thought there was a dip in the mattress and they confirmed they didn't think there was.   

Therefore the only 'issue' was a very short power cut which was beyond my control and resolved within less than 10 minutes. 

[Helen3]

I'm a homeshare host so in the same situation as you.

In your listing you state guests can access the kitchen for light use so if this isn't correct then I'd amend it in your listing. @Sarah5492 

No-one suggested you couldn't have a friend stay. What I suggested is that if you are having a friend stay it's polite to let your paying guests know in advance .

After all they are paying guests and book on the basis they will just be staying with one female host. 

why show your living room and kitchen in your listing photos  if you're saying you're guest have no access to these rooms? 

[Sarah5492]

I do give my guests access to the kitchen for drinks and plates for takaways  what I mean is they don't have  access for full time use.  

That wasn't the issue in this case.

Re photos, the vast majority of Airbnb listing will show other rooms in the property so guests can get an idea of the quality and style of the property they are booking.   I, as a user of airbnb as a guest for business travel would find it hard to book a room with confidence without geting a general idea of what kind of property I was booking.  Its hardly missleading as the listing is for a room and clearly states this.   It also is clear that the bathroom is shared and in further details that there maybe other guests for time to time.    If you are booking room only you should expect there to be other people in the property othewise you should book a whole apartment if you don't expect anyone else to be there.   Not really practical to have to get guest approval for your partner or family/freinds  to vist.   

Best to book a whole apartment for £300 per night rather than expect exclusive use for only £68 per night.    

[Helen3]

Well if you want to continue to risk getting negative reviews - absolutely show rooms for your listing that aren't available to guests .

There's no reason to show guests rooms that aren't available to them and every reason not to as it causes confusion.

I don't know of any hosts in shared homes that show guests private rooms in their homes that aren't available to guests. . 

Again I didn't say you should seek approval when you have guests stay over.  I said it's courteous to let guests know. 

I'm not sure why you have a downer on this guest she clearly wasn't expecting a whole listing . She just wasn't expecting to share the place you advertise as being shared with a host with your partner as well . (Appreciate you say you may have friends stay on rare occasions). 

[Briana159]

Thank you for your collaboration and support