When to Give a Negative or Partially Negative Review

[Christopher2342]

Hi,

As the title suggests, I'm hoping for feedback on when to give negative or even partially negative review. Mainly, I want to learn about this because I am counting on the reviews from hosts to support the idea of booking with confidence.  I just had my first stay completed, a 7 day stay at our house in Vermont.  I returned to the house a day after checkout.  The counters and floors were cover in crumbs through the first floor. Dried food scraps were in the sink.  The stove-top was covered in grease. (I know there is a cleaning fee, but when I leave an AirBNB I clean up my messes first, if I mad them.)  We asked the renters to strip beds and gather bath towels and bring it all to the laundry room.  Two top sheets were removed out of four beds, nothing brought to the laundry. Wrappers from candy and packaging labels were scattered on the floor.  The volume of garbage was shocking - more bags then our garbage can fit.  All of this is manageable, but added a lot of work. Definitely rethinking our cleaning fee.

Additionally, our renters were here during the worst ice storm in years.  Police, towns, etc, were asking people to stay put. We live at the top of a steep hill and have our driveway sanded and plowed.  I was out of internet and cell service myself at one point for 4 hours.  When I got it back I discovered the tenants had contacted AirBNB because they were not happy with the plow job and didn't hear back from me right away. AirBNB support suggested they might cancel the reservation two days into the stay. But the plow driver did the right thing. As he explained, if he plowed the snow he would have left nothing but glare ice. Instead, he sanded over the mix of snow and ice and created a grippy surface that was much safer.  I did everything for the remainder of their stay to make sure the driveway continued to be safe, but that knee jerk reaction of theirs to complain to AirBNB during a natural event was off putting.  So, is any of this worth adding to my review? Like I said, nothing broken, but I want to support the host community.    

[Blessing61]

Great question to ask Chris! I have been wondering the same thing … and I love your “protect the host ecosystem energy.” 😁

I say absolutely share the lack of cleanliness in the review. I do appreciate that there are sections to the rating system. This helps pinpoint issues when reviewing guests. So for cleanliness, maybe you can say something like “guests were communicative but left the home requiring more cleaning than expected …” It’s the facts. 

The checkout rules were also not followed, so add to the review something like “some expectations around checkout prep were not followed.” A review with all the facts will help set expectations for future hosts.

I would love to hear how some of the more seasoned hosts handle situations like this 🤔 

[Helen3]

Do leave an honest review about the cleanliness levels @Christopher2342 

Personally I wouldn't ask guests to strip the beds this is something my cleaners do. If you are going to ask them to do this leave laundry baskets in the bedrooms for linens and towels. 

[Greystone0]

Hi @Christopher2342  -this sounds about par for the course - more normal than not. This guest would be on the high maintenance side and hopefully you get a batch of low maintenance guests to balance all of this out.  Agree with the advice given and here's some thoughts:

- we are in a mountain/ice/snow area and unless you are from Canada or our general area, guests won't get how our local snow removal works, or what is considered a safe tactic. It's up to a host to help explain. You could add some content to your materials about how your snow removal works. On our end, we have check in info that gets emailed to a guest about any special circumstances (ie snow removal is like "this", the big event in town will cause a traffic delay, go 'this way around', etc). You can make an alarming situation less scary.  We are obligated, as part of our permit, to have a 24 hr contact that is less than an hour away from our property. We don't have often when we, the hosts, are unreachable but, if so we try to preemptively let a guest in our home know - "we are on a plane and so if you need support on anything we'll get right back when possible or reach out to our local contact" blah blah.

- guest messy-ness - nothing you mentioned here seems extreme or out of the ordinary really, crumbs are expected, garbage is too, grease on a stove is not really out of the ordinary. Did you leave cleaning supplies for grease? a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use? or an abundance of trash bags, other cleaning supplies? And I certainly don't mean to make light of this, just some thoughts.

- garbage - an extreme amount of garbage can indicate more people than you anticipated. So that is something to keep an eye out for. But I would say that guests create a lot of garbage, don't lift a finger to reduce the volume (ie break a box down, flatten a carton, so it just looks crazy).

- I would host a guest that left crumbs in a kitchen or grease on a stove. I would not want to host a guest that broke or stole things.

- for the review, you are asked to 'rate' cleanliness, house rules, etc so you also have the opportunity to make a mark in these categories. I believe that a guest does not see this level of detail but other hosts will see, a guest will see anything that you write, and as mentioned, just that facts.

- and just my two cents on house rules: some are deal breakers (like a parking violation that nets us a $1000 permit fine) and some are not. Turning off lights and turning down thermostats upon check out for example, we have this request but it almost never gets accomplished. No harm no foul, really. It's easy to miss this. We used to ask to strip beds and this was all over the place. We are in a 'dirty' area (people come to hike, bike, ski, we allow dogs) and so our bedding was getting worse from folks ripping off beds and tossing here/there/everywhere. Plus, it is indeed a real pain from a guest side. Wet towels too - don't want these piled up on the floor getting grosser - for us it's better to leave them hanging until ready to be laundered.

Just some thoughts! Good luck!

[Saodat0]

Hi there,
as a newby to Airbnb hosting, good to know that leaving a left out mess in our place is normal)))
Perhaps I was lucky, most of our guests left the place in nice and tidy condition. But when I see total disrespect to our place with messy kitchen and trush all over, I got furious))))
@Greystone0 would you choose "I recommend to other hosts"  the guest or not?
Though, for me it is definitely not.
By the way, how it reflects on the booking status of the guest. Would he/she still be able to book?

[Greystone0]

Hi @Saodat0  - thanks for the question and here's some thoughts:

- I totally understand how frustrating disrespectful guests can be. It is shocking sometimes. It feels personal. I do about 30% of the cleans for our property and we have a professional cleaning crew for the rest and so that is just to share that I am familiar with this part of the transaction.

- would I recommend to other hosts? maybe yes, maybe no. Context matters. If it is just  messy and it doesn't add to anything then are we really harmed? We need to vacuum the whole house and so if we are vacuuming extra dirt because they wore shoes inside (but nothing is damaged, stained),  or we wipe all the kitchen counters even if they have crumbs or not, they still get wiped, and so on. We get some guests with children and the whole place is sticky. We get some guests with children and you can't tell if anyone was even there. We'd still recommend to the sticky family (as long as there was nothing else that caused us harm, like broken/stained/damaged/over occupancy/smoking)

If it is 'messy' because they had too many people or more people than the reservation had then this is a problem for me, not necessarily the mess,  but the over-occupancy can cause problems for us. 

- and to answer this: "how it reflects on the booking status of the guest. Would he/she still be able to book?" I believe that the rating in each category is shown to future hosts but not the guest (I am unsure if this is still the case as I believe this may have changed) and anything you write is shown to guest and future hosts. Yes, in all cases a guest that you 'don't recommend' can still go out and book (as far as I am aware). That guest can also book your property again. If you have instant book it would be possible, otherwise they would still be able to send a request that you would then need to manage.

[Rebecca]

Thanks so much for asking this question here @Christopher2342 😊

You've got some responses below from some hosts - have you had a chance to read them yet? 

[Christopher2342]

@Rebecca Yes.  Just did.

[Lorna170]

@Christopher2342  The more people your property can accommodate, the greater the potential mess.  

25 years hosting with multiple properties -- We have a small cabin that sleeps 4 -- it has three large (huge) lidded trash cans.  A couple can create more garbage over a weekend than 6 guests staying in our larger property for a week.  Guests who cannot leave the property due to weather conditions will "trash" the place.  Unless a guest group brings an OCD grandmother, expect sticky counters, greasy stovetops, oven spillage, crumbs and wrappers and empty bottles and cans, especially if they are cooking instead of going out for meals.   Some guests seem unfamiliar with cleaning products and tools.  You have to look under, inside and behind everything when you have had this type of guest.

I ask guests to place their wet used towels in the shower or tub.  Linens are left on the beds so that housekeeping can look them over for stains that need pre-treating prior to washing or replacement due to damage.     

Living in an area that has snow, in the future leave a detailed notice about the snow removal process (perhaps a laminated sheet on the kitchen table) so that guests know what to expect and who to contact if necessary.  Seems unnecessary, but you will learn just how needy guests are about the simplest things.  In our mountains, power outages occur, so I let guests know that if they don't have power and cannot see any lights on the adjacent mountain, I don't either.   (But I will be visiting as soon as I get my shoes on).

So many guests think that AirBNB is their actual host, so they will call CS looking for resolution instead of reaching out to you.  I make a point of letting guests know that they are renting my property via AirBnB and to contact me about their issues.  It is astonishing how many guests don't know that we hosts exist.  

As to your review - knock them down for cleanliness and excessive trash; future hosts will take note.  I would be very cautious about commenting on their call to AirBnB about the driveway; it would be better to state that the guest was unprepared for inclement (snowy) weather and/or unfamiliar with rural snow removal processes.  

Your skin will get thicker as time goes on and you experience a larger variety of guests.  Hang in there, and remember, stating that the "Guest is better suited to a hotel" is a phrase that every host will comprehend and every guest will have no response to.

[Cherie65]

Hi Chris, 

Thanks for opening a great discussion thread. I often agonize about finding the right balance of review w guests who are clueless.

i don’t want to turn away future potential guests but I also want to send a clear alert to upcoming hosts.

I started hosting in 2013. I have one rental on my property and I am the sole cleaner. I rely on accurate reviews. When my guest is outstanding, my review will always say Highly Recommend!!! If my guests didn’t follow guidelines or  didn’t respect the cabin , but they weren’t egregious , I omit the “Highly Recommend” with many exclamation points. My review will be terse and I’ll 4 star the appropriate categories. I hope the style of review will be cautionary for hosts. Maybe too subtle?

if they are awful I make sure to click the NO button when asked “would you host again”. This might red flag them to alert Airbnb, I’m not sure.

It’s frustrating that Airbnb “hosts” who have multiple properties with hired cleaners submit reviews. The few not great guests I’ve hosted I’ve accepted  because of a good review, a good review not warranted, written by someone not invested in the process.

I have few departure requirements and what I do require is clearly stated in clear view.  Stripping the bed is not required, hanging up wet towels is. I focus on the small kitchenette area asking clients to clean the (small) stove top, wash and dry the plates etc.

Accepting guests with no reviews?? That’s a gamble. I rely on the message that accompanies their reservation request and hope for the best.

[Erica2305]

sorry this happened. I would put in very softly about them not understanding a natural disaster, but I wouldn’t talk about the linens. I particularly don’t ask guests to remove beddings ultimately they’re on vacation. I don’t want anybody to have to work but picking up their garbage they should’ve done , raise your cleaning fee a lot worse is out there. Trust me I’ve experienced that back to back. I recently had two scammers . best of luck and keep up the great work

[Christopher2342]

Thank you everyone for the feedback.  It's great to get perspective on this.  All your responses will help me craft my review. Sounds like this wasn't too bad.  It shouldn't shock me that they left a mess.  I briefly worked at a hotel in a ski town when I was 21. Just don't get why people can't think of respecting the cleaners and the dignity all people deserve. Overall, glad it was me cleaning. They moved furniture and I don't think my wife could have gotten it back in place.  Thanks for the tips on how to use the review process.  Will also take advice on the driveway, though we did make the driveway situation very clear and it was handled perfectly.  Amazing how me losing phone/internet service for 4 hrs caused someone to contact. Do all guests think of ABB units like a staffed hotel?

[Patricia4648]

@Christopher2342 ,

I would have to agree with those who say curb your expectations of cleanliness. I've had friends tell me that they resent Airbnb hosts who make them do ANY sort of cleaning when there is a cleaning fee. Raise the fees! Folks do not want to clean on their vacations. They don't want to strip beds, take out trash or clean grease off the stovetop (though I would do it!). I don't ask for any cleaning at all except to place used towels in the laundry basket that is in the bathroom. That's it. Easy. There are plenty of sloppy people out there, but I find most are fairly gentle users. So I would suggest raising your cleaning fees. Use the star rating to suggest they are heavy users; other hosts will see that and be forewarned.

Good luck! 

Patricia
Langley, WA

[Mary1523]

Agree with all of the great replies from fellow hosts!

I can only add after 10 years of hosting, that when it comes to cleanliness, because I run a large 6 bed rural property and families are messy messy, I have a web page of what I expect if they want 5 star cleanliness rating. It's part of the house manual link I give all guests.

But basically, my rule is:

>>>

Keep the place reasonably clean and EMPTY DISHWASHER ON EXIT. We don't expect you to clean on exit but we would really appreciate if you can wipe down all kitchen surfaces and clean up any big kitchen messes. Also clean the BBQ if you have used it (which should be just normal expectations). If you can do this, we can rate you a 5 star cleanliness rating. If the place is left like a disaster beyond reasonable expectations of a stay OR the place has cooking smells that means we have to do extra work/get air purifiers out to remove smells, there could be additional cleaning charges and your cleanliness rating will be impacted.

<<<

We don't expect stripping of beds either, in fact its more annoying when they do, but hanging wet towels in case we don't get to the property for a few days etc. 

You can rate down for cleanliness and I have regulars who are just not as clean as others so they always get 4 stars from me, but they still keep coming back.

I DO NOT HAVE a separate cleaning charge for multiple reasons, including that I think people will leave it messier if we did have one. As it is, if the place is left very clean, its still a minimum of 4 hrs to clean and setup for the next booking. It would be longer I suspect if I did have a cleaning charge.

Atlhough, I've actually just changed my pricing model for 2026 after 10 years to set a base price for 8 people which is roughly what my flat house price was, then a per guest charge beyond that up to 12? Why, well when the booking has 12, invariably (as we pitch ourselves as family friendly) has kids in the booking, and more kids usually means more mess than bookings with less or no kids. I just got jack of it last week after picking out play dough from the lounge carpet and having to scrub the coffee table. And board games thrown about/not packed up properly, kid tea set thrown into the garden rose patch, fingerprints over all the windows everywhere and partial discarded lolly wrappers in the garden. That was a 7 hr clean job but it is happening way too often. I can tolerate a certain kid mess having had kids myself,  but some families just can't supervise everything understandably as they are on holiday too, and too many rules makes guests feel unwelcome, so I'm going to charge them for it this way. We are not luxury so I understand there is a certain attitude that comes with non luxury properties.

I am also doing this because I'm suspecting/know that large families are bringing more guests in than paid for. Leaving evidence behind like empty packaging for airbeds was a dead giveaway. So the set house price was being taken advantage of too many times, so I'm hoping my new approach means they more overtly think about the number of guests, and 12 will now cost more. Putting a cleaning charge ontop which applies to all was unfair to those majority of guests who leave it good, and who don't usually fill the house to the brim. ie if its 6-8 adults they won't pay anymore than before.  This is a trial and I shall see if it affects bookings.

Hope this helps, regs MK

[Helen56]

Hi @Christopher2342  I hope you will leave this guest a bad review as regards leaving an awful mess, i don't want them staying at my place, and nor would other hosts I'm sure.  I would feel mortified if I left a place like that!

Start with one positive sentence, then say they left food mess everywhere and the kitchen was greasy, and that you don't recommend them.  Keep it short, factual, polite, and don't mention the snow plow issue.

Give them 1 or 2 stars for cleanliness and check 'something else/other', then you can add a short comment such as "food scraps everywhere" "overflowing trash".  They only let you leave a very short comment.

Remember that guests can't see their star rating or these comments/reasons that you make or click on.  They can only see the public review thay you wrote.  Hosts can see the stars and short comments.

The star ratings are the only way to tell the truth to other hosts without the guests knowing.