PLEASE HELP! First bad experience with a guest.

[Matthew1502]

Hello everyone!  My wife and I are new to renting out our condo.  Started a few months ago and have had tremendous success, all five star reviews and consistent bookings, with our family getting to enjoy the condo, too.  Struggled to find a cleaner (Colorado mountain resort area), but found one....she's great!  Haven't had any major issues with guests, just the typical stuff.    Unfortunately, just today we had our first bad experience with a guest and I'm not sure how to proceed.  I don't want to lose my five star reviews, but I'll need to leave this person a one star review.  We did everything expected....reached out, well stocked, good communication, follow up at the end of their stay, etc.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  So, here goes....   My cleaner arrived right at 10am to clean.  The guests had not checked out (strict 10am - Sundays are crazy busy for cleaners), so the cleaner went to knock on the door at about 10:20.  They left a few minutes later.  No big deal, it happens.  Well....the cleaner quickly messaged me with pictures of trash bags piled up in the kitchen (they're supposed to take out), a broken handle off a drawer in the kitchen and lots and lots of dog hair everywhere!   Now, late check out, trash I can deal with, even the broken handle, but we have a very clear NO PETS policy.  It's right on the booking!  Of course, the cleaner needed to spend extra time cleaning and have added a substantial surcharge.  She was not happy on her busiest day!   So...what do I do?  I worry if I leave a bad review for this guest, she'll quickly leave a negative one for us, which there's no reason to do, but you know people nowadays.  I have a perfect five star rating.  The weird thing is, so did she, 17 perfect five star reviews.  Makes me wonder if she was even there??  And then the money....I called Airbnb and they said to bill her and include the pictures.  Has anyone here done this before?  How quickly after checkout?  What should be the amount I charge her?  I'll probably need to steam clean next weekend when my family goes up there.  Really, really disappointed, or maybe I'm just overreacting?  I don't collect a security deposit, but on my listing guests can be charged up to $1,500 in damage through Airbnb (Aircare Cover??).     Any advice?  I'd like to reach out to the guest very soon.  Thank you in advance for your help!!   Matthew

[Emiel1]

@Matthew1502 

" I worry if I leave a bad review for this guest, she'll quickly leave a negative one for us"

The guest can not see your review when still in the review time period.

Making a claim to a guest often results in a bad review.

(A claims is possible upto 14 days after check-out).

" I don't collect a security deposit, but on my listing guests can be charged up to $1,500 in damage through Airbnb (Aircare Cover??". This is the security deposit, although it is not collected from guests.

Write an honest review and especially mention the dog.

Calculate sending the claim against the possibility of getting a bad review/rating.

[Colleen253]

@Matthew1502 It's the reaching out to the guest before reviews are in that may result in a retaliatory one for you. Reviews are double blind.

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/13/reviews-for-stays

A few things for you to be aware of: You have 14 days to submit a claim, which is also within the review window. The guest is free to simply deny to pay. It then goes to Airbnb, who is loathe to make a guest pay. Think your next steps through carefully. 

What you need to know about the so-called security deposit:

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/140/security-deposits

Many hosts are afraid of leaving 'negative' reviews for guests (there is really no need to be afraid), so reviews can't really be trusted. The best way to screen guests is through communication and being mindful of red flags. Do leave a brief and honest review. Mention cleaning far in excess of the norm, and lack of respect for the home and house rules. Click would not host again and low stars of course.

[Matthew1502]

This is great information....thank you!  I actually lucked out, I think.  I left a review for the guest (negative of course), then they left their review, which was four stars.  Quick question....if I respond to their review publicly (owner's response), can they then leave another reply, or does it end there?  I can now send them a bill for the extra cleaning charges.  They may refuse to pay, but I assume they can no longer post public reviews if this make them angry?  Did I get everything correct?

[Colleen253]

@Matthew1502  That review is not bad.

I suggest you respond the same way you have to previous reviews.  Reiterate that you take guest satisfaction seriously and are happy to hear she found you responsive. You seem to have already figured out that your responses to reviews are aimed at future guests. And no, a guest cannot respond to your response. It’s finished.

You can submit the claim, but as mentioned, she is free to just deny it. There is a slight risk she could be inflamed enough to retaliate by retroactively making up some bogus complaint to Airbnb that might result in a temporary listing suspension while Airbnb ‘investigates’ the complaint (they never actually do anything).

Keep in mind, Airbnb stacks the cards against hosts for the very purpose of discouraging claims. Guests are the ones who bring in the money for Airbnb, so it’s in their interest to keep guests happy and continuing to book.

Many hosts simply elect to increase rates a bit and put that extra $ into a special fund to cover extra cleaning, and damage. It saves a whole lot of grief not having to deal with Airbnb and the guest. Plays into Airbnb’s hands, but it is what it is. Guests still pay for their sins, not the host. It’s just unfortunate that the good ones end up paying, as well. 

[Mark116]

@Matthew1502 

1) Decide if the $$ you are asking for is substantial enough to potentially trigger a negative review.  Of course the guest may leave a bad review no matter what you do...did you check to see what kind of reviews she has left previous hosts?

2) If  you decide against asking for $$, wait until either she reviews you or the last 20 minutes of the 14 day review period...this is to hopefully do your review and then she will not have time to do her own review.

3) If you decide to ask for $$ some hosts  have tried the following...do your review first, in the hope that it will trigger the guest to leave a review BEFORE you ask for any money.  I've never done this, it could work, or could remind the guest to do a review when she wouldn't have otherwise.

4) Whatever you decide about the $$ leave her the review she deserves.  The guest was XX [something positive], but had trouble following the house rules on trash removal, brought a dog to our no pet listing and the unit required extensive extra cleaning as a result.  You can say you would not host again or leave that out.

I hope this is helpful.

PS..you're never going to keep a 5 star rating, sooner or later you will get someone who is picky or crazy or whatever and they will leave 3 or 4 stars, so don't obsess over this aspect.

[Matthew1502]

Thanks Mark!  I'll leave the same reply for you as I did someone else.  Not sure who this forum works with a "reply all."  

This is great information....thank you!  I actually lucked out, I think.  I left a review for the guest (negative of course), then they left their review, which was four stars.  Quick question....if I respond to their review publicly (owner's response), can they then leave another reply, or does it end there?  I can now send them a bill for the extra cleaning charges.  They may refuse to pay, but I assume they can no longer post public reviews if this make them angry?  Did I get everything correct?

[Sarah977]

@Matthew1502  They can't counter your response with another response, no. They can leave one response to the review you left for them. 

Keep in mind that the responses you write appear on your review page, not the guest's. The audience for a response is future guests reading your reviews, so it should be used to correct misleading or false info in an brief, impersonal way, not speak to  the guest who wrote the review.

You should absolutely not respond to that review. There is nothing in the review that needs responding to for the benefit of future guests - it is a positive review. 

Many hosts do themselves more harm than good by the responses they post. It looks super weird for a host to respond to a positive review by leaving a response that speaks to anything not mentioned in that review.

(The best place to post draft reviews and responses, if you want feedback on them from other hosts, is in the "Host Circle" section of the forum, as only other hosts have access to that section)

[Matthew1502]

Thank you....that makes sense.  She didn't leave a bad review, just a couple of suggestions.  I'll only reply to correctly those.  Of course, she didn't know about my review for her.  When you say that she can reply to my review of her....that's only for hosts to see, right?  That's not on my listing anywhere?  Really appreciate the advice!

[Sarah977]

@Matthew1502  No, do not respond to her review by mentioning her suggestions! She gave no suggestions in her review, so there is nothing to respond to- all you would be doing is drawing attention to something no one would know about. Don't use a response to talk about something a guest told you verbally or privately. That should be done through private messaging with the guest.

If a guest leaves a response to a review you gave them, the response appears on their review page, just as your responses appear on yours. So they are only visible to someone looking at the guest's profile and reviews, which yes, will primarily be other hosts. 

Just as a lot of hosts do damage to themselves with the responses they leave, so do guests sometimes if their response is defensive or aggressive. It just adds more credence to whatever you criticized them for in the review. 

[Matthew1502]

Wow....quick replies.  Lots of help.  I won't respond at all.  So, Airbnb told me to "bill" the customer and I can include pics of the pet hair, trash, damage, etc.  I plan to do this, but they can just simply refuse to pay.  I guess that's when I go into Air Cover and see if Airbnb will help.  Wish me luck!  Thank you!!

[Michelle1851]

@Matthew1502  I have a place in the mountains, most guests are near perfect.  I’ve only had two groups which were not, both lied about the number of people and both were young 20’s guys.   My only time of any theft was a local denverite mother.  It’s not relevant but most are good to great.  I bought a steam cleaner for around $100 and use whenever necessary.  I’ve let family members bring dogs and always regret it.  My point is, don’t get discouraged most mountain guests are great!

[Helen3]

Also @Matthew1502  I would suggest if you are hosting remotely you install CCTV or similar so you can monitor whether extra guests and pets not on the booking arrive.

You can also make sure on the message you send to guests on booking you remind them that you don't accept pets and no guests not on the booking are allowed at the listing and ask them to confirm they have read and understood your house rules regarding this.  (obviously make sure you have house rules covering this).