Removing a 1 star retaliatory review

[Sally116]

I was excited to read retaliatory reviews are being removed. And about time! It's so ridiculous to allow those scam reviews to affect our ratings thus our businesses.

So I sent a message asking to have one of mine removed. ( Yes I have many!) So I started with the first and most obvious no-brainer.

Two friends and their two children checked into my small twin room for 4 nights. It was a year ago so prices were dirt cheap ($244.27) which saw local couch surfers of no fixed abode able to afford a stay (especially if they are banking on scamming a full refund).

They wrote in airbnb messages to me the night before checkout that they "absolutely adored your place! was so beautiful and homely". But just after check out they send a message asking if I saw their request? And then said 'I hope I can still give you a good review.' I had no idea what they were talking about until I see a request for $250. (The amount of the booking) The reason given is that they found syringe needles in a draw. Little doubt there were needles in the room but they weren't there when they checked in as I check every room after cleaner is finished. I didn't pay it . I got a 1 star review.

Airbnb contact me yesterday and say they see nothing wrong with the review. I point out they gave me a one star review as retaliation for not paying the ransom. They don't agree. I ask for it to be escalated. After much discussion she says it will be. They phone today and say they won't be removing it.

So a 1 star review on a superhost's property that has an average of 4.79 from 128 reviews (lower than my identical room because of that 1 star) doesn't look out of place and suspicious to airbnb?? They aren't wondering if there's a reason that guest hated everything about a room that so many others loved???

That fact that they wrote ' I hope I can still give you a good review ' isn't rocket science for "I will give you a good review IF you pay  but I'll retaliate with a one star if you don't ".

Thoughts? Anyone had a similar one taken down?

[Doug674]

Hi Bhumika,

Is there anything I can do to request one of the Online Community Managers escalate my situation with Airbnb Support?  Above in this thread is my detailed situation.

Thank You!

Doug

[Stephen1004]

Policy states:They (reviews) also may not be used as an attempt to mislead or deceive Airbnb or another person. For example, guests should not write biased or inauthentic reviews as a form of retaliation against a Host who enforces a policy or rule.

And Brian Chesky states that it is now easier to get a retaliatory review removed.  You shouldn't have had to file repeated requests.

[Aslea0]

This is not true . They say that , Brian had a video on it 

Catherine powell also spoke of it 

But the ambassadors are not  following the policy 

I was told my guest is allowed to retaliate to me as a host because I  complained to guest after she checked out that she broke numerios  house rules . 

Loads of people are having same issues about retaliatory  reviews 

So that shows me its not a one off  

[Stephen1004]

Def not a one off.  It

happens to all of is.  What did Brian and Catherine say about

it?

[Aslea0]

Your so lucky 

Each ambassador comes up with a different excuse to my retaliatory  review. 

Which is showing me They are not actually following the policy as reasons  from ambassador s are not consistent. 

I told my guest they broke house rules especially the pet review letting  dog sleep in ALL beds . So then guest writes a review on my complaining after she checked out   not about her stay . She retaliated  .

And the weird thing is airbnb tell you to contact gurst first to resolve  before going to resolution .

Yet the latest excuse was I didn't report it .

[JessicaandJeremy0]

I just wrote this to this community:

Hi there, I would like to leave feedback about being a host with 100+ 5-star reviews, who has had one bad 1-star review with false information that has caused me unending grief & $$$ and I can’t get it removed. 

Could there please be consideration to creating a different level of handling hosts with more than 100 5-star reviews? For instance, if there’s a pattern of 4-5 stars after the one star, the one star could be removed for this level of host? 

Also, potentially the ability to remove provable false information in reviews? 

These two things are big gaps at Airbnb where it seems long term owners have a disadvantage of time and the inevitable bad guest crossing their path. There are newer hosts with less and lower overall average ratings ahead of my listing now in the search, which is unfair.

I see many long term hosts complaining that they can’t get a one star removed after years of 5-stars. It would be great if Airbnb could step in here and look at some advantage to being a good host for years.

[Doug674]

I've run into a similar situation.  I've been a super host of 2 properties for 8 years...  One property is 249 reviews avg 4.93 and the other property is 242 reviews avg 4.92.  A guest gave a retaliatory 1 star review stating invalid information in the listing though the listing and property haven't changed in 8 years.  Airbnb support refuses to remove the review and actually is telling me I could be suspended for the 1 star review.  ???  How do I resolve this?  The guests checked in, got sick (due to the altitude) and demanded a refund.  Crazy.

[Aslea0]

I'm also completely in same position . And they are refusing to remove  a review that the guest did about me complaining I harrased her about house rules that were broken after she checked out . 

Which Yes I did . I contacted  her directly on the platform  5 hrs after  she checked out , which is exactly was airbnb ask you to do 

They say contact the guest first to sort the problem before going to resolution . 

But now I'm being penalised.  

I should of never contacted her  . Airbnb shouldn't direct us to contact guest if house rules broken

They should explain if you DO that and guest retaliates then its bad luck  

[Janette118]

I had the same issue except I was worried this would happen and the customer support person told me that any negative retaliatory review could be removed. So I went ahead and contacted the guest prior to her leaving a review. Then when she posted her horrible , made up review, no one would help get it removed!! 😡

[Doug674]

Here's my latest reply to Support.  I've probably gone through about 5 conversations and numerous emails:

Hello Thabo,

I appreciate your time. To recap our conversation:

Three apparent issues the guest was concerned with the "accuracy of the listing":

1. Elevation (allegedly made them sick)
2. Location of Bathroom
3. Size of place was smaller than described.

Each of these items are explicitly shown in the description of the listing.

1. Elevation

Listing Basics > Listing Description > 2nd sentence "At 9,200 feet of elevation"

2. Location of Bathroom

Listing Basics > The space > 2nd paragraph "Please note the 2nd bath is in the garage, which you have to go outside to access. It's a nice bathroom with an oversized soaking tub and washer/dryer."

3. Size of place was smaller than described.

66 photographs clearly showing the property.
Listing Basics > Property and rooms. Explains exact square footage and number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Property type
Home
Listing type: Entire home/apt
Listing size: 1449 Sq ft
Edit
Rooms and spaces
Bedrooms: 2
Bed: 4
Bathrooms: 2
Additional areas: 8
All areas are just for guests

This information has not changed, either in the listing or the property itself for 8 years. This is why I'm a Super Host with a 4.93 avg rating. As a valued partner of Airbnb, please be decent enough to tell me when you are going to call so we can fix this situation.

Again, if there was something subjective the guest had an issue with or something not explicitly shown in the description I would understand. Lets say, neighbor noise, or dirty carpets or a malfunctioning appliance. This all I would understand. However, that's not the case here. The case here, is a guest that either did not fully read the details of the property or ignored them. Arrived, wanted to leave early, for whatever reason, demanded a refund (which I did not provide) and proceeded to leave a retaliatory negative review which states not a shred of truth.

I'm asking that Airbnb listen to me, have a manager take 5 minutes to call me and discuss the matter. Please, please tell me when you are going to call if I can't call you, so I can be available for the conversation.

Thank You,

Doug

**[Phone number hidden due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines]

[Janette118]

Did this get resolved? I am having an issue too and no customer support person seems to care. It honestly feels like they don’t even read the messages or listen to me. They just a script they read off. 

[Marta1083]

painfully to read this. Airbnb Host Supooprt is a joke. They don't care.

[Aslea0]

I'm in  same position .

They are  refusing to remove.

Yet it's so clearly a retaliatory  review because it's all about how I complained about how they broke house rules and let dog sleep in ALL the beds . 

You can't  possibly do such a review unless a host complained . Guest is angry   yes I complained  but so I should when a guest disrespects rules deliberately 

[Veronica1190]

Hello, 

You will need to put in your house rules no pets are allowed in the beds.  Also, put a fee for each bed that the pet sleeps in $50.00 for that cleaning.  That means they broke your house rules.  You will need to take photos of the pet hair on each bed.  You have to show proof of when they did.  You will need to call during the week during US business hours.  You will get someone that will take their time and read the entire thread and your responses.  You cannot give up.  I had 2 removed but it to resistant.  You cannot give up.  They are here to help you but you must know all of the rules yourself so they will know you know what the requirements are for removal. Just ask the guest why did you let the pets sleep in the beds.  Did you read the house rules?  Be specific take pictures to prove your case.  They will remove it.

[Marta1083]

Hi Sally. Excuse my English because it’s my second. I own two Airbnb in Florida where i live, I used to have three, but I sold one. I’m super host. One of my places has almost only five stars. The second used to have only five stars until the year ago. I had a person who checked in for 4 nights, never communicated with me about anything, he left me one star review. The review was saying a lot of mean things about my furniture, and other things which other people love it like you said, but the biggest lie was that there was no hot water, and he had to take cold showers for four days! I tried to fight with Airbnb to remove this review for almost a year. I didn’t win. The review is still there. They always say that it doesn't break any rules. They don’t care that saying there’s no hot water is ridiculous. Specially, when the Guest never communicated about it,. my place is almost always booked, but after this review, I couldn’t recoup for a few months and still after a year the overall score is much lower than it should be. I found this topic because I still think how to escalate this where to escalate this. They connecting you with a different person every time but they all saying always the same bs. It’s so frustrating and I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m a host for six years super host and they treated me this way. 
Marta