Untruthful Reviews

[Jathyia0]

Good morning, As a host I would like to hear from other host how you handle bad reviews from guest that arent truthful ?  It appears to me that air bnb enables favor on the guest . Its said the matter would have to be investigated but their should be some sort of protection for the host !

[Helen3]

Difficult to comment as you've provided no context @Jathyia0 

what happened ?

[Jathyia0]

@Helen3 The guest stated she could not breathe due to dirt / dust . The guest did not stay in the home . The home is scheduled for a repaint there is normal wear and tear on the walls meaning chipped paint and faded. However this does not prevent someone from not breathing . Either way I refund was issued , I don’t believe it was necessary to leave a review that extremely exaggerated and it’s draining to go back and forth so I don’t . I know what the home looks like and it’s very much equivalent to what’s on the pictures advertised. I’m open for Improvement what aggravates me is having to defend my property and knowing the state it was left in . I understand the importance of treating someone with the highest quality of service because I look for the same . It’s just not right to stretch a lie and convince otherwise . You could wipe the walls with a towel that won’t change how they look , as I’ve stated before it’s scheduled for a repaint .

[Steven1482]

It's tough handling a bad review sometimes but the one thing I learned is different taste for different people. Our home is 123 years old and we have done our best to make it comfortable for our guest. A lot of guest appreciate older homes that still has the original trim and doors and things like that but sometimes, especially during the summer, old homes can produce a smell...not real offensive, but it might be a tad musty. Then there is that one guest that complains 10 minutes after they arrive complaining about a smell, but when we checked it out, there was no smell whatsoever so the real reason was not confirmed. We have our theories but just left it alone because the very next day the next guest gave us 5 stars and raved about everything. Usually the bad reviews come in the first few months of getting the business off the ground. Guests have been very helpful in suggestions here and there and then....out of nowhere is the one that complains no matter what. I had one in July that was just extremely hateful in the review and then in the private message she was just disrespectful. On her next stay in another state, she blamed the next host for the RAIN!! At first I was going to beg Airbnb to erase the review but then decided...hmm...nevermind. Lets leave it up as a warning to other hosts. As host we can only do the best we can, but one thing I would recommend is after housekeeping has finished, to do a walk through inspection to make sure all is well. I strive to be kind and courteous to all guests no matter what because a friend I worked with at one time many years ago said, "It pays to be nice to everyone, because you never know who will be your client tomorrow." That stuck with me ever since. Happy Hosting! And Happy Holidays everyone!

[Jathyia0]

Thank you for this , I appreciate you ! @Steven1482 

[Jennifer1897]

@Jathyia0 I looked into your listing and your reviews. You have two 1 star reviews, two 4-star reviews and one 5-star review. It does not appear that either negative review violates airbnb policy, therefore getting it removed on a he/said she said basis is going to be difficult.  As another host said you did not give much context in your post, so it is difficult to discern what you found to be untruthful and if you have grounds to argue the removal of the review. 

That being said It appears your lowest rating is in cleanliness which is concerning. I am not trying to be overly critical but looking at your photos I can see debris on the floor, smudges on the wall, and trash in the outdoor area.  I am assuming that is what the one guest is speaking on in his review when he mentions "scum." 

You can try to continue fighting the reviews, but I would also put some attention into cleanliness and making sure everything is nice and neat for future guest's arrival. I would also recommend updating some of the photos.