Our first worst review, how to deal with it?

[Anton7298]

Hi,

We just had our very bad review of 1 star in our property after hosting for around 10 months and having straight 32 reviews with all 5 stars.

We had an inquiry who requested to have an advance visit to check the house because according to her, she needs to make a decision with her husband. We grant the request, we blocked a day for them, they had a video call touring her husband to the whole property. But they did not book instantly, they seem to look for other options. But eventually, the wife re-connect with us and said they will book the place for 1 month. However, they use the husband account when they confirmed the booking. All the negotiations and communications were through the wife. 

When they arrived, my wife noticed that the husband is using walking stick (cane). She called the wife and asked if they are OK to stay since our property has stairs going to the bedroom and our property does not have any accessibility features and clearly absence in our property profile. The wife said, she was also shocked because she said he wasn't like that when they were together the last time. But she confirmed with her husband, they are OK.

After checkout, we gave them 5 stars in reference to the wife attitude towards us. However, to our surprise, we got 1 star. And here are the complaints of the husband.

1. The reviews we got are not to be trusted

2. The place were very unsafe

3. The sink was not fasted to the wall

4. The tile in the kitchen fell off

5. No stove in the kitchen.

6. There is only 1 hot water machine which is upstairs.

7. The owner should have never rented this place ( I think he meant we should have not list it in AirBNB)

My response on these are as follows which I was unable to layout properly in my official response because of the rush in emotion.

1. I cannot afford to pay 32 guests just to get 5 star reviews.

2. The house is safe. It is his non disclosure of his condition that is unsafe. And him telling it is OK to stay when he was asked.

3. Sink is falling off because he is using it as his cane which it was not designed for.

4. Same as number 3.

5. There is an induction stove which they did not bother to read the instruction how to use. They instead bought a profane stove to cook. They use profane in our property without permission and use our rice cooker pot in their profane stove and burnt it in the process.

6. Not everyone needs hot water, hence it is more logical to have it in one toilet and not all.

7. Our previous 32 review will disagree with them.

The motive I think for all of this becomes clear when I got a refund request of more than 30% of their total bill. He was using his discomfort which he created himself to get refund. Obviously, I declined.

But we are still in shock because we lost our 5 star trend.

We got a recent guest who gave us again 5 star but that experience was truly devastating.

What I fail to understand is why AirBNB won't remove such post that is clearly against the policy.

The policy states that the review should be from an authentic experience. The husband gave us 1 star in all category with one single reason for all, because our place is not handicap ready which we never said it is.

His detailed Feedback

CHECKIN: 1 star: The place was 100% unsafe

CLEANLINESS: 1 star: Couldn't get past safety

ACCURACY: 1 star: Again safety. Tiles fall of the kitchen.

COMMUNICATION: 1 star: Safety sink were not facet upstairs.

LOCATION: 1 star: It was rather difficult to find.

What's worst in this was the communication. He gave us 1 star for attending everything they requested and he never said anything. all was through his wife. And his wife was (according to her) was arguing with him for what he did to us.

I can understand that there are people who are really unreasonable. What I can't understand is why AirBNB would allow this.

I file a report 3 times and they said their decision was final and there is no policy violation on the review. Meaning it is allowed to give 1 star rating about cleanliness because the property is not handicap ready? and that is supposed to be based on "ACTUAL EXPERIENCE" related to cleanliness?

The check in is 1 star because it is unsafe? and they live for 1 month while it is unsafe???

Sorry if it gets this long. I just want anyone who will comment to have as much as possible of the facts. I tried to shorten it but this is the best I can.

[Shelley159]

HI @Anton7298

It's great that you got another good review after the bad experience. This means if someone checks your listing, there will be one bad review (not the most recent one) that looks really out of line with all the good reviews. Even if you don't get the review removed, I think guests will continue to appreciate your listing.

[Anton7298]

@Shelley159 Thanks, I hope you are right. Although, it seems we feel the effect now because our inquiry now is not as many when we were  perfectly 5 stars.

Like I said, I understand that there will be users who is going to be unfair. I was not prepared that AirBNB will be the one who will be unfair not imposing their terms and policy.

[Guy991 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anton7298 ,

Sorry to hear that you have lost your 5 stars. It is dramatic and devastating, especially for hosts who go above and beyond for their guests. Everybody goes through this phase, and it is a maturity phase for you as a host.

Indeed, there are bad guests out there who, for their own reasons, do not complain during their stay and get a kick out of giving bad reviews.

And you know what the worst part is for me? When you realize a guest is bad, it’s already too late to warn other hosts about it. Don’t you wish you could let other hosts know that this guest gives bad and dishonest reviews? For me, a broken glass is less valuable than a bad review. I might be wrong, but I still take reviews sincerely.

I have suggested that Airbnb should let hosts know the average star rating provided by guests prior to booking, so we can have an idea of what type of guests they are. A quick search and you can find my post about it.

Until then, it is what it is. This is how it works. Don’t take it personally; you couldn’t do anything to avoid it.

I can already see that you are back on your feet, being an excellent host, and that the property is a guest favorite. Also, the fact that they visited the place and you were not tempted to do an off-Airbnb deal proves how professional you are.

A couple of things for you to consider:

1. You haven’t mentioned any communication with the guest during their month-long stay. I send a message to my guests every couple of days to make sure they are happy and have everything they need. Their response will give you a clear understanding of what is going on. If they don’t respond, make your own conclusions.

2. I am sure your property and hosting style don’t deserve 1 star. Keep nagging customer service. There are several posts here that clearly say this method works to remove unjustified 1-star reviews.

3. Learn from this experience about communication with guests and what type of guests fit better with your property. The house can accommodate families who will appreciate it more than a couple who just doesn’t need all that space and doesn’t appreciate it.

4. Make things clearer in the description and in the house manual for future reservations. For example, mention water availability on the second floor. Also, add information in your house manual about using the induction stove.

I hope something here will help you.

[Anton7298]

Hi @Guy991, thanks for your reply.

You lay down perfectly how I felt. I wish AirBNB grant your suggestion. It is a good idea.

But if AirBNB would only read again their policy, it is way too obvious that the review is not based on actual experience. Giving 1 star for cleanliness because property is not handicap ready? The review put 1 star on all marks based on single reason. How can that be "actual experience".

You are right, I think I fall short on documenting things by sending messages officially. I felt everything was OK since my wife is in active and close communication with his wife.

Though I doubt that it would be enough to change AirBNB decision. If someone from AirBNB will read their own policy and check it against the review, it is obvious. 

I have updated the hot water on the listing description since there is no way to describe it in the amenities section. Thanks for the tip.

You are 100% right on your point on number 3. 

[Zheng49]

While it will be very difficult to remove this 1 star review. I can say something that will be of use to you in the future.

DO NOT ALLOW PRE-VISITS!

I have never ever allowed pre-visits because there is nothing that should NEED a pre-visit. It's an Airbnb, not long term accomodation.

[Anton7298]

@Zheng49 You are right... would definitely think twice on pre-visit.

Thanks!

[Marie8425]

@Anton7298

I am disabled so just my two cents.  Submit a claim specificality to Airbnb about  the one fact.

He was handicap, Airbnb validates if you  try to present your listing as accessible.  You obviously did not even try because you  have stairs.

If you don't present as accesible and Airbnb does not present you as accessible.  Then it is a violation of Airbnb Review Rules.  His complaint you are not handicap safe but you never offered accessibility.  You can not be given a negative review when the accesible  was not offered.  Just like he can't give you a negative review because no pool  A pool isn't offered same thing, you  didn't offer it...

[Anton7298]

@Marie8425 Thank you for pointing that out, unfortunately, despite appealing with them on that context, AirBNB still insist that the review was not violating their policy.

It seems AirBNB has different definition of their policy and only they know how to define it.

The point you are making is crystal clear, no one should be allowed to give negative review on something that the host is not offering. But this is exactly what happened to me.

AirBNB did not give their point of view. They just simply tell me that "the review is not violating their policy".

I think this puts us (hosts) in a very unpredictable spot because no matter how clear we define what is available in our property, any guest can give negative review on things we do not have and AirBNB who is supposed to protect us from that is not on our side.

At this point, I have to consider other platform. As @Guy991 noticed it, even if I am in contact with the guest prior to booking, I always make it a point that they book through AirBNB app. I used to believe I am protected with AirBNB. Not anymore. In fact, I think AirBNB is bias to host in favor of the guests. Putting my trust on them was a mistake.

Anyone knows other platform than AirBNB?

[Marie8425]

@Anton7298 

I am sorry but I know I have had to deal with their support  a few times Haha

I have found when I am right and you are in this case.  They have scripts so my response is my script,  no logic just the facts you were given a negative review for not being accessible.  You aren't accessible and both you and Airbnb do not present accessibility.  Yes, they always repeal to me out of their hands.  I just reply with my  script and my listing is not designated accesible.  It takes a few times but they get sick of me and escalate me.  I still keep to my script..  Don't argue logic.  Just your listing was not approved by Airbnb has accessible so you can't receive a positive or negative review for something Airbnb determined you don't have.    If they keep pushing then ask is Airbnb saying you are accessible?  Airbnb didn't mark your listing as approved by Airbnb has accessible.  Or did Airbnb mark  you hass accessible  when you didn't ask?