What to do when guest leaves 1 star review and requests a full refund?

[Ori28]

Hi I am facing a really weird situation that I need help with.

I have a listing in my apt (I live in a 2 bedroom) and I am renting 1 room to guests and living in the other room.

So far so good with airbnb never had a bad review and everyone were happy and I got to meet amazing people.

However, I had a last minute booking from a guest who asked to check in earlier and stay for x1 night.

I said Okay that's fine with me since I had trust(Even though I thought twice before accepting since the guest had no reviews, and was only looking to stay x1 night)

They came to my place and were very very noisy (Which is not part of the house rules) and I have asked them to be quite since we live in a quite building.

They were still noisy but I took it.

during their stay I asked them if they need anything and if I could help them with anything  and they said all is fine and asked for an Iron and I helped them.

At the end they broke the house rules but I didn't mind since I know I am in the hospitality business and they left the house.

4 days later I recieve a request for a full refund by the guest stating that "there were roaches in the room the towels were thrown the door was not locked and they felt unsafe?"

Really? I have 5 star reviews only and they also left me a 1 star review (Breaking my super host status).

I got very nervous about this and called airbnb and explained that even during the stay I even wrote to them if they need anything let me know I'd be happy to assist".

I also have pictures of the place before arrival(I made them during the night laundry and clean towels since It was last minute booking).

What do I do from here? my reputation on airbnb is important for me and I take pride for my great hospitality. I feel like the guests are manipulating the system (They never had airbnb reviews or stays before) and screwing me over..

[Rebecca181]

@Ori28 Sounds like you are the victim of a 'revenge review' - a consequence of your asking your very disrespectful guest to follow your house rule about noise. Did Airbnb support say they were going to refund the guest? If it were me, I would find that unacceptable and would protest it; also, I would demand that AIrbnb support remove this retaliatory review. If the first support person you get refuses to do it, ask to speak to a case manager. If they refuse, call support at different times of the day or night until you get someone who will remove that retaliatory review. If you still have no luck, try and ask the Airbnb support people over on Twitter to intervene - they sometimes seem to have abilities and powers to help hosts that other Airbnb support people just don't have. You can reach them at https://twitter.com/AirbnbHelp  

[Ori28]

I refused to refund the guest. I am more likely concerned about the review.

Furthermore, I spoke with airbnb and they transferred it to a case manager but I guess I may need to call them again now

[David122]

I have never found Air b n b  to help at all when it comes to removing a review.  and

If the review is removed which once happened more than it does now ,  you will still have the one star rating pulling everything else down .  Chances are there is nothing you can do at all except move on

I have this happen about once a month which is why I am not a super host.  yet..

[Katie---Sean0]

@David122 — you wrote:

If the review is removed which once happened more than it does now ,  you will still have the one star rating pulling everything else down.

I've been wondering about this. An Airbnb supervisor recently told me on the phone that both a Host and Guest's reviews can be removed, if both agree. It has to be requested through support, it's not an option to request automatically. But you're saying the star rating still remains?

[David122]

I think the one star credit  remains however check into it... thanks

[Susan151]

@David122 @Ori28  Anecdotal evidence indicates that some [very few] CS's will remove the star along with the review, but it is roll of the dice if you don't happen to reach an experienced and empathetic CS.

[Yadira22]

@Ori28 

Hope you are well and i am so sorry for this. 

I agree with what @Rebecca181 says above and would suggest that you add evidence to this when asking for help from the Airbnb team.

May I ask what excuse was actually put forward as to demand the refund- this might be helpful in finding a possible solution! 

Have a great day and happy hosting! 

Yadira 🙂

[Ori28]

The demand for refund was

"There were roaches in the room and the door of the room was left and unlock and open all the time, the towels were thrown away and I felt very unsafe and uncomfortable sleeping the night there, I had to kill the bags in the room on my own etc.." 

never had bags and things like that and I have asked her several times how is she doing and if she needs anything

[Mark116]

@Ori28   If you have asked your guests via the airbnb message system if they needed anything, etc. then this will help you prove your case that they did not ever mention any problems or fears while they were staying, it will help you stop the refund, but usually airbnb doesn't remove reviews.  Unless you have some communication that could suggest that this IS a revenge review for them getting called out about breaking rules, which I also hope is on the airbnb message system.

It is really important to document things on the airbnb system.  I don't keep 100% of communication on the system because for US/Canadian guests texting is usually easier, but there always a message asking if they need anything or have questions that is on the system and a last message with check out instructions is also on the system.  

[Ori28]

Yes Mark,

the conversation is over airbnb message system and I asked them if they are doing well and if they need anything over airbnb system (As I always do). would that be helpful? also for the review since over communication I asked them to be quite and if they need anything.

I always communicate with guests on airbnb message system and I have records of that

[Yadira22]

Hello @Ori28 

1. Roaches 

you have hosted for several months now and there is no record of this from previous guests. Please ask the guest in question to provide proof of this.

2. Bedroom door 

I imagine that this is a private room how are you as a host responsible for the door being left open or unlocked. Once again ask for photos of this? 

Additionally you Can take photos of the locks in questions and if you can proof for when they were installed forward this to Airbnb. Proofing it is a private space. 

I suspect the guest in question did not know how to lock the door- we have had this. Maybe moving forward include this in check in- showing door lock and opening for both main door and bedroom. Just avoids this situation in the future.

Regarding the review I can not see it but if this is mentioned in the public review then please reply to it- calm but professionally, referring only to the bad points made publicly in the review.

i would suggest you contact Airbnb and try to get all the proof you have on this matter to them. 

I really wish you all the best.

kindest regards,

Yadira 

[Ori28]

Yes It is a private room so they decided to leave the door open and not close it but they could close it. only after I asked they closed the door. Yes there are locks 

It is pretty easy you just close the door I never had a guest ask to do this.

The review is 1 star (I did not leave a review to the airbnb guest yet so It is not mentioned in public but It will be mentioned once I leave the guest a review back) while speaking on airbnb over the phone they have said that I received 1 star review.

I have asked the guest for proves but looks like no answer 

[Lisa723]

@Ori28  wait-- how do you know the review is 1 star if you haven't posted yours yet? Did the guest tell you this? If the guest's message says they will leave you a 1 star review unless you refund, that is extortion and against Airbnb's terms of service-- you should report this to Airbnb.

[Emilia42]

@Lisa723,  @Ori28mentioned that Airbnb Customer Spport said that the guest gave him 1 star although he does not know what the review says. This is the second time this week that I have read that CS is telling hosts a star rating before the host writes their review. Crazy how they think this will not impact the review of the guest. I thought reviews were supposed to be blind??