Why won't Airbnb apply their own policies and affect my status as a superhost. BEyond Frustrated

[Omar948]

Dear Airbnb Team,

I am once again requesting that the retaliatory review left by the guest in questionto  be removed and that this case be escalated to a higher management team.

This review was written immediately after I contacted her to request reimbursement for damages she caused to the property. Throughout her three-month stay, she extended her booking, was in constant communication with me, and never once raised the complaints she later described in her review. The timing and nature of the review make it clearly retaliatory, which is in direct violation of Airbnb’s own review policies.

I would like to know: what possible evidence could Victoria have presented that overrides the obvious fact that this review was left in retaliation? If I felt I had done anything wrong or if the review were fair, I would not continue to insist. But in this case, the situation is clear, and I will continue to raise this matter until I am confident that Airbnb is applying its own stated policies consistently and fairly.

I kindly ask that this be escalated immediately to a higher management team for proper review and resolution.

[Elaine701]

Hi @Omar948 

Unfortunately, it's highly unlikely that you'll receive any resolution to this. Airbnb customer service is run by AI now, and it's extremely obtuse.  Getting retaliatory reviews removed is near impossible. And fighting it can make it even worse. It's often completely absurd.

I recently lost superhost status because I didn't have enough bookings last season. I had received more bookings from other platforms and a few direct bookings (rare but it does happen). So Airbnb took away my superhost status because they didn't have enough bookings to evaluate superhost status for that season (I doubt a human was involved). I could argue with Airbnb about it, but that could be even riskier - suspension or some other penalty. And I have more important things to do. 

Actually, Superhost isn't really all that important to the guests searching for accommodation. The reviews are important. But if you have 100 great reviews and one really bad review, it will be pretty obvious that it's  an outlier to the more desirable types of guests you want to attract. 

Sorry this happened to you, but I think you'll just have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back on the horse.

Forget customer service. They won't help you and could even hurt you for it. 

[Lenka21]

Don’t bother Omar, it will never happen. Airbnb will not remove a retaliatory review, nor will they enforce their guidelines, nor will they ever help you, brush it off - it will happen to you again shortly and the same process - support center unhelpful - will unroll before your eyes. 

[Elaine701]

@Omar948 

I would only add that a more effective approach is to avoid retaliation in the first place. 

Aside from screening guests before they book (I'll spare you that lecture), let this be a lesson that confronting a guest with damage or something else such as booking for 2 pax and bringing 6, or ignoring house rules... will (at a minimum) almost always result in a retaliatory review.

Then, to add injury to insult, you aren't likely to get any compensation for it either. 

So, I've learned to avoid giving them any sense that I'm angry or upset about whatever they did. Just smile, thank them and wish them a pleasant journey home. And then write a brief, unemotional fact based review of the guest detailing the problem(s) they caused. This way, you warn future hosts of this guest's behaviour. Just as you would have benefitted from when this guest tried to book your place.

By not confronting the guest, you will most likely receive a glowing review, if for no other reason than they feel they "got away with it" and maybe some guilt as well.