Why can a guest leave a review after an AirCover dispute?

[Ben4519]

We just had our worst guest ever, who literally left piles of dog feces in our home. The feces and pee  required our cleaner to do a lot more work and stained our rug, besides just being insulting that someone would treat our house that way. We've been hosting for over six years and this was our first truly horrible experience. Upon finding the feces and stains, I immediately filed an AirCover dispute and the guest paid it (I should have charged more as we found more poop and damage by the end of the day). I also wrote an honest review of what happened and gave the guest the worst review I've ever written. I know that he won't see that review until he writes one, but WHY should a guest even be allowed to write a review after admitting and paying a dispute? I know the guest enjoyed our home, but I assume he'll write a bad review since we filed a grievance with him. It says on Airbnb's site that they're waiting for the guests review before they post mine. But: a) I'd assume the guest will now write a negative review since we called them out for leaving dog feces in our home b) Why do they have the right to even leave a review after being a horrendous guest/human being?  c) In the twelve days they have left to write a review, they could book another person's home and do damage their as well, without another host being able to see the review/rating of this person. 

[Kate867 · Accepted solution]

@Ben4519  I totally understand how you feel.  I find it incredibly frustrating that you often have to decide if making a claim is worth the inevitable ‘revenge’ review that will follow.  As Hosts, I feel that we have a moral obligation to write fair and factual reviews to provide future hosts with the information they need to protect their property.  Airbnb have often ‘tweaked’ the review process but not addressed this issue.  Personally I would like to see any negative review left by a guest where a host has made a successful claim against them removed upon request.  However, this is unlikely to happen and I think there is more chance of ‘bacon growing wings and taking to the air’

The one consolation is that future guests will see your many good reviews and ignore the odd bad one, particularly if you respond to it in a calm, polite, short and factual manner.

[Nicolas1934]

I totally agree with Ben's proposal that Airbnb should not let guests who lost an Aircover dispute the possibility to write a review.

Ben's expérience recently happened to me in the exact same way. The result was a 3* review from the guests (while I get only 5* reviews), recognizing they liked the place and their stay, but bringing up the dispute as the reason for a 3* rating...

I called Airbnb to try to remove this review but they told me it wasn't possible 😠

[Joan2709]

@Ben4519 

I'm a bit late to this thread, but handling these scenarios is all about timing. There is a 14day window to post a review and also a 14-day window to make an Aircover claim. 

I suggest Hosts not let on to a guest they will be filing an Aircover claim. I also suggest Hosts wait for the guest involved to post their review. Gather all your proof (video/photos/receipts/Police Report, etc.). Do not leave your Host review and file your claim until the guest posts their review. If the guest doesn't post a review, wait unit just before the 14day cutoff and post your honest review and file your claim. Give yourself enough time to enter the information on Airbnb just before the cutoff. If Airbnb asks for more information, you have 30days to provide it, so don't miss that deadline either.

Guests cannot change their review once it is posted...they only thing they can do is ask Airbnb to remove their review. This usually prevents "revenge" reviews from guests. 

[Zheng49]

This is the sort of thing I would call a "bandage fix" though.

If a host is capable of waiting until the last second to post a review, then the guest is also capable of waiting until the last second to post a review. It's just not sure enough. 

The odds are actually pretty good because a lot of people instantly get a notification on their smartphone/watch etc. when you post the review, and the chance of an instant retaliation is gonna be fairly high. Plus with that kind of timing they know it's a bad review incoming lol. 

[Joan2709]

@Zheng49 

Very true...unfortunately the "bandaid" is all we have at the moment. I don't think a guest should be banned from leaving a review altogether. They have the right to post a review just like the Host does. The problem lies with Airbnb and not following their own policies about removing a retaliatory review when it's clear it is one. 

I find that many guests actually turn off their Airbnb notifications, so we have that going for us.