Retaliatory Reviews that remain published despite policy violations?

[Rudolph14]

May I get advice on how to remove 2 retaliatory reviews that remain published despite several failed attempts and cases with support to remove them? It is frustrating as a superhost to have to navigate this broken review process with Airbnb. Why does Brian Chesky and Airbnb not acknowledge that the review process is broken? Where outsourced CSR agents have no interest in resolving or helping hosts and their default is to reply with copy and paste templates? This is the biggest grief on working with Airbnb - that the majority or earnest and honests hosts making a living by offering their properties as accommodations on the platform to consistently be turned a blind eye by these frontline CSR agents who either are incompetent or have no interest in analyzing the case. The amount of copy and paste template response I receive is a farce. What would YOU do?

**- 1 star retaliatory review by guest who tried to cancel the reservation piror to arrival and I invoked my cancellation policy only for them to write a retaliatory review.

**- 1 star retaliatory review by guest who tried to cancel reservation because they missed a listing description and I again invoked my cancellation policy, and again they write a retaliatory review.

Airbnb CSR agents do not understand content and context. Or maybe this is beyond the pay grade for the front line agents who are supposed to support us? Content - review the grievance, context - if a superhost has over 700 five star ratings, 0 three star or below ratings, and now get a 1 star from a BRAND NEW guest on the platform? Seriously? Please fix the review process as you good hosts are leaving the platform because this is clearly broken.

**[Sensitive information removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Joelle43]

Hello @Rudolph14 

There are far too many posts here and elsewhere of hosts receiving retaliatory reviews and CS refusing to withdraw them.  The problem I have come across myself when dealing with CS, is that their knowledge of Airbnb guidelines is limited and leaves a lot to be desired.

I had a recent issue and had to contact CS and ended up having to send them the Airbnb link to prove to them that what they were telling me was totally incorrect which seems pretty unreal and I agree with you that most CS lack proper training and it feels sometimes as if you're talking to a brick wall.  

The link below which dates back to 2022 allows hosts to contest a retaliatory review as explained below:

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/how-to-dispute-retaliatory-reviews-552?locale=en

The advice other hosts have given here is to keep contacting CS and ask to speak to a supervisor.  It takes a lot of energy and frustration but definitely worth a shot but it is scary that CS will favour a guest with zero reviews over a host with 700 x 5* reviews😱

Keep us posted and let us know if you manage to get anywhere;

Best of luck Rudolph 

Joëlle

[Rudolph14]

thanks for your advice. i will keep you posted on any developments.

[James321]

Good luck Rudolph. Airbnb review system and discernment regarding this is appalling and sad. You’re absolutely right and I’m so sorry you are dealing with the same thing as me and many other hosts who are frustrated to the moon and back. I’m currently dealing with a guest who checked out an hour late from my property when we had guests coming the same day and had to get in there to clean it. When they knew they were in trouble for substantial breach of my house rules they naturally left me a 1 star review in retaliation. Despite Airbnb’s clear rules against this Airbnb has laughably denied my request to have the damaging and untrue review removed despite clear evidence of them checking out an hour late and an active air cover for $75 for a late check out fee agreed to prior to booking in my house rules. 

The people in charge of looking into these issues are so inept and poorly trained that they have zero understanding of context, justice, fairness, or doing the right thing. It’s a really poorly run circus. 

[Rudolph14]

Good luck to you too! There has to be something that we hosts can petition or have a class action with Airbnb regarding this if enough of us pool together.