My Inner-Child Wants to Walk

[Rebecca1460]

Ah. I see why people who've hosted with Airbnb remain silent whenever I gush about it. They know I haven't felt the "STING".

Well, I've just been stung by the Airbnbeeeeee, and their silence is warranted. Their silence is also telling; more than any complaint. It's kind of saying, "Hey, we're making money right? Do we really have a valid reason to complain?"

Well yes, we do. But I wouldn't count on ever feeling "heard".

FUN FACT! Four years ago, Airbnb "sided" with a first-time "host" who successfully scammed me out of $3000 dollars. Fine. My mistake. I let it go. I also promised myself If I was ever brave enough to return, I'd be a host. Because clearly that's who Airbnb favors. Fast forward to today! I'm an excited and foolishly hopeful solo-host, who's loving the whole **bleep** process. "Foolishly hopeful" because, why shouldn't I be? I'm on the favored side this time, right?

Wrong. So, soo wrong.

Very long story short, I feel "scammed" out of any credibility I've worked so hard to earn as a host. I've just received my first brutal review and rating, and no, I'm not some psychopath whose unable to take criticism. Yes, it may sting slightly, but I'll take it and strive to improve. THIS review was left by a guest I fully refunded without any questions or pushback. And even though the "claims" within the review are shockingly inconsistent to EVERY OTHER REVIEW I've received, it's permanent. Airbnb won't consider taking it down because the guest admitted to the full refund.

The adult in me is getting over it, but the child in me wants to walk. The adult will win overall, but even so, I have to wonder...does Airbnb really just favor liars?

I'm done venting now. Thank you.

[Pat271]

Are you talking about the review from April? My gosh, girl, you need to toughen up! 🙂

Also, I’m wondering why this can’t be taken down. I thought any mention of compensation borders on bribery and associated reviews are removed by Airbnb.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Rebecca1460 

you have a wonderful home and great reviews.

As @Pat271  said, I also thought any mention of a refund could be a reason to remove the review. Ask your present CS rep to close your ticket and then phone or contact Airbnb again to get a new rep until this review is removed.

But, at your place, I wouldn't be upset about this review. In every home, something breaks sometimes, this month my fridge, and the laundry machine broke, my guest damaged the kitchen cabinet door, my tenant broke the cooking top... Things break, pipes burst, drains clogs... that's normal. This review tells worse about your guest than about you.

Relax, everything will be ok 🙂

You can reply to this review but if you decide to do it, wait a few days until you calm down. If you reply keep in mind your future prospective guests will read it, not her, so be brief, unemotional, and professional. @Sarah977 can help you word it if you are not sure how to.

[Ute42]

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@Branka-and-Silvia0

„you have a wonderful home and great reviews“

Your're learning fast:

In order to avoid any disappointment on the readers side, You should always start an answer to a post by using this following intropattern:

• I am so sorry this happened to You

• I had the same thing happening to me 3 months ago and I feel for You

• I took a look at Your listing and I love it

• You have great reviews and I think You're an outstanding host

😎

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Ute42  yeah, I've learned that years ago... but unlike some people, I only use it if I really think so, and you know that 🙂  I really like Rebbecca's place

[Dale711]

Hi @Rebecca1460 
Welcome to the community 😊 and Greetings from Paris 🥂
Congratulations! Your listing is stunning!
It would be best if you were pounding to it's.

Refer to the untrue, unfair, and revenge review, and it's out of your hand!
Airbnb reviews are don't make sense.

Airbnb's default position is not to delete, censor, or edit reviews. By that means, Airbnb may remove a review only if it violates Airbnb Review guidelines. Nevertheless, you can always respond to the public.

I know how you feel, I had been there, and you are not alone.
How you feel is expected. One untrustworthy review will never deter you.

I have over a dozen of revenge reviews. What should I do?
I am not even considering responding to the 'fake' reviews.
Focus on the future guest and move on.

The fact is, you’ve a lovely place! 

Ways to Go!
Happy Hosting ✌️

[Sarah977]

@Rebecca1460  I think Airbnb just doesn't care. In fact, they lie all the time. They promise call backs that never happen, they tell both hosts and guests who contact them distraught about a bad situation not to worry, Airbnb will support them and make it right, then don't.

We unfortunately seem to be living in an age where lying doesn't seem to any longer be considered some big deal. 

[Ute42]

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@Rebecca1460  

I like Your opening post. It's very different from the texts we usually get on here, almost artistic.

I wouldn't worry too much about the review of Your guest Charm. She said there was a flooding and You gave her a full refund. I think from a guests point of view it is positive to know that a host is willing to refund money if there is an issue. Personally I wouldn't even try to get it removed.

[Sarah977]

@Ute42  In the past week, we've had 2 posts about bad guests who left bad reviews, one named Heaven, the other named Charm. Who were anything but.

[Michelle2475]

@Rebecca1460 I had a tough time with a bad review with lies in it. Even though I could prove the they were lying via video and messages they let it stand saying it didn’t violate their policy. Huh?  I guess lying isn’t a violation? 

On the flip side there was a long power outage during one family’s stay. They were real troopers (it was winter but we have a fireplace). I offered to find somewhere else in the area to stay but they decided to stick it out and even called it “a blessing” since the kids had to play board games instead of video games!  I refunded their cleaning fee and they left a great review. 

A lot of hosts here have tons of 5 stars to have everything even out. Newbies don’t so it’s very distressing. 

[Z-2]

I think if you wrote a review for her about guest refund, May be it is easier to remove the review? Then the guests want to remove theirs? Airbnb then remove both. I suspect my recent case (both reviews got removed in a very short time) is like that. I did not said any bad about the guests, just states what’s happened, and I refund all to her. This guest reviewed me really bad (1 star) but guests would look bad too since her review is not true compared to all my other reviews. I guess the guests also request remove my review for her. The reviews are both removed within 12 hours after made public.

[Z-2]

If you don't write the review for the guests, the future host of them has no way to know if those guests had written a bad (untrue) review for their past host. 

[Pat271]

I don’t understand this. A guest can write reviews of their hosts independent of the hosts writing reviews for their guests. All reviews, reciprocated or not, become public after 14 days.

[Sarah977]

@Pat271  If you were replying to @Z-2 , she/he is referring to being able to cross-reference reviews to see how a guest has reviewed their past hosts. 

When you look at a guest's reviews, you can click on the host's profile who reviewed them, which takes you to that host's profile page, and you can scroll down to see how the guest reviewed their host.

If the hosts haven't left reviews, you have no way of knowing where they booked before.

[Z-2]

@Sarah977 @Pat271 Yes, Sarah is right, that's what I was trying to say. I have instant book on. When I have a reservation in, I will click the guest profile, then click the guest past host's listings (who wrote review for them) to see how the guests wrote about their past host. If it is bad one, at least I will ask what happened to decide if I want to keep this reservation. If the past host had a bad review but not review this guest, I have no way to find out.