Reviews

[David-And-Latanya0]

We have a five-star rating.  Recently we had a guess to start complaining on her last night of stay.  Amongst her complaints were a fire detector missing out of a room, the garbage being full, and she killed a couple of roaches and spiders.  We emptied the garbage and offered to come reinstall the missing detector.  We also explained that the house is routinely sprayed.  Our place is new and kept Immaculate.  We left out snacks, a valentine's set up, and some personalized welcoming gifts, a dog bed, as well as a feeder. She refused our entry to replace the fire detector, stating her "fur baby", will be scared.  She said this was her worst Airbnb experience and requested money back, while all other reviews rave their stay.  Money was offered back to appease her and for customer satisfaction; however, I was not happy with this decision.  She has a pending review although she received some money back. I strongly feel if money is accepted, they should not be able to leave a review.  Looking for help with a response to this.  Thanks

[Joan2709]

@David-And-Latanya0 

Sorry this happened...

Neither Hosts (nor guests) control whether they can leave a review. If the guest stayed, they get to leave a review and so do you, even if you gave her a refund.

Smoke Detector Missing

In all fairness, the smoke detector is a big deal as it is a safety issue. Airbnb takes this very seriously. If you state you have smoke detectors, they should be installed where required and operating properly. If this guest complains to Airbnb, they could suspend your listing due to a "safety issue" until you prove you have installed all smoke detectors properly, or remove that you have them on the listing, in which case they show that you don't have them with a strikethough in the Amenities section. One could argue the missing detector was actually an emergency safety issue which allows the Host to enter to correct (even if the guest objects). This of course would involve a phone call to Airbnb first, which opens up a whole other can of worms. You may have had to refund the entire stay in that circumstance and still get your listing suspended for a safety issue. Most Hosts add smoke detectors to their cleaners' or inspectors' checklist so they are not missed before the next guest arrives. Guests have been known to remove them and if you don't have them on a checklist, it's easy not to notice. She probably didn't want you to correct it so she could claim it as a reason for a refund. BTW, I would add a carbon monoxide detector, even if you aren't required to have one according to building code, just to get rid of the strikethrough on your listing; they are inexpensive. You should also have one if you have a garage or a BBQ:

Carbon Monoxide Alarms - Airbnb

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/reducing-carbon-monoxide-exposure-in-your-space-510

You probably should go through your amenities list (click the + sign and choose "All") as it looks like you are missing alot of amenities you probably have. A listing like yours should have about 50 amenities. Also Airbnb is saying you are missing "Essentials" - things like TP, towels, sheets.

Garbage & Insects

Do you not have a way for guests to empty their own garbage? Was she saying the outside large bins were full? If so, it is the Host's responsibility to ensure those are emptied.

As to the insects, some properties are prone to this depending on the location, no matter how clean. For Hosts I consult with who have properties in rural or tropical areas, I suggest they put a "Wildlife and Insect" disclaimer in the Other Details section and in their additional House Rules:

"We are located in a rural area [in your case tropical area] that is a native habitat for all manner of wildlife and insects. Food left out on counters or in cupboards will attract animals/insects inside. Please don't leave food out on the counters/in cupboards and keep all food inside the refrigerator or in sealed containters. We conduct regular pest control and inspections, but can't guarantee you won't see an insect or two inside, (we try to keep them out, but they're persistent "buggers". 

This guest will most probably leave a negative review, whether she got a refund or not. The excuse she didn't want you to come inside is just that, an excuse. However, the guest is correct in that the smoke detector should not have been missing from the listing. She seems to be adding the garbage and insects as more reasons for a refund.

I would wait to see if she leaves a review until the last few minutes before cutoff (14days). Then I would leave an honest review, but not mention the smoke detector or any of the other issues. If she posts a negative review, then post a public response, take responsibility for the detector missing (if she mentions it) and that you attempted to immediately correct that, but the guest did not allow you to. I would also mention you gave her a refund. Remember to keep your response factual, non-emotional and short. You are writing it for future guests to see. 

[Helen3]

If I was a guest I would complain about the fire alarm and rubbish bags . @David-And-Latanya0 

I wouldn't have refunded .

Explain in your review the guest only notified you of issues on her last day -. you offered to fix the issue with the fire alarm straight away and the guest refused you entry to fix  the alarm.  

your property if you didn't want to refund why did you?