When another host abuses you!

[David3267]

You know Airbnb is going downhill when another host direct messages you calling you a f****** d*** and an a******* in two separate messages and Airbnb does nothing about it! Both messages reported to Airbnb but the (bot generated?) replies say the review cannot be removed. I'm not too bothered by her review and didn't even ask for it to be removed even though its a ranting, factually incorrect diatribe. My issue is 1) Airbnb do nothing about this abusive behaviour 2) they clearly do not read or are unable to understand a clearly written, detailed complaint about this host, supported with the fact she was brazen enough to write these abusive things via messages which are clearly visible to Airbnb 3) they hide behind confidentiality as their excuse for doing nothing 4) Perhaps most concerning is that despite my 4 star rating of her (obviously before the abusive messages started) she still appears on her profile as the perfect 5* guest. Obviously I ticked the "I would not host again option" but now even doubt if this is registered against her. So, the moral is, even as a super host (but as long as you're playing the guest card, you can be as personally abusive  & foul mouthed as you wish without any obvious sanction. Any one from Airbnb wish to comment on this as all i get is, case closed, case closed...???

[Till-and-Jutta0]

I checked the mentioned review: If I read the public part with CS’ eyes, indeed there is no violation of the review policy which allows a removal. CS thinks the review might be a personal experience report about the guest’s stay, useful for other guests.

How about the star ratings?

Personally, I would not have replied in public. A reply always directs the focus on the review.

[David3267]

Personally, I would not have replied in public... I agree but was advised to reply by Airbnb !!!

[Till-and-Jutta0]

Well, that's CS' standard response, as an excuse that a review is "carved in stone".

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@David3267 I see nothing wrong with her review. It appears factual and helpful to future guests especially those whose phones won't support a parking app.

I can only think you must have complained to her about her review to get the abuse you got.

[Michael5689]

I agree, she's offering some reasonable critical feedback about the experience, even if you disagree and think it's not completely true it sounds like a difference in perspective.  I also appreciate that they mostly tried to balance anything negative said with other positive aspects overall in the review.  In person on messaging she may have been less diplomatic but she was smart enough to not show that behavior publically.  The only publicly displayed bad behavior at this point is in the public response to her review.

[Laura2592]

@Michael5689 I have to respectfully disagree. She's complaining about restaurants not seating her, unfriendly locals, crowds and the parking system in town. None of that has anything whatever to do with her host's space. The only really relevant thing she says is about the view. I'm surprised this wasn't removed as she's critiquing the city and it's inhabitants much more than offering feedback on her accommodations 

[Michael5689]

@Laura2592 Yes, part of the review is about the town, but I think you are downplaying the parking part of the discussion.  The listing has one of it's amenities as "free street parking."  That's very important for some people that is directly related to the property and it seems like it's what set this guest off.  I wouldn't be surprised if with the other parts of the review she's trying to imply something about the interaction with the owner with the comments about the people in the town to be honest but do it in a slightly hidden way. 🙂 

Based on the review if "free street parking" isn't true or it's so hard to get that she had to go to a car park down the road.  Now granted I take one look at this place and I realize it's a very cool place that I'd love to stay in with a great central town location.  I also assume in my head that parking might be a bit of a pain and I might want to make sure I know the parking situation ahead of time before I arrive, but not all guests may notice that and a host might be able to head off that confusion and problems by being more upfront about the parking situation.  The mention of "Out of season unlimited parking outside the property." would not allay my concerns and I would definitely figure out parking ahead of time if I was going in the high season.

If she's straight up lying about having to pay for parking and missing the "free parking" right outside a host should address that head on in the public response.  I as a host don't read host replies to guests reviews of their property to gauge the guest so the value to other hosts of the public reply is really quite limited.  The audience of public replies is your next guest and no one else.  This reply tells me I want to be very careful to never upset this owner otherwise they might go off on me.  Despite how cool this place looks for my family, I would steer clear of it.

[Laura2592]

@Michael5689 I'm taking this review at face value. If I read it as a potential guest there would be very little here to take away. I would scratch my head a bit. ..so this person didn't have a particularly great time in the location but what about the space? Again nothing but comments about the view.  Reviews are supposed to be relevant and I just don't find this particularly so. It reads more like a FB post complaining about a trip. 

If I got this as a host no matter what other interaction transpired during the stay I'd be annoyed. Why are you rating me and my space against your ability to secure a dinner reservation? Or how crowded things are in May in my location? Those things are well beyond anyones control and again irrelevant. On those grounds I'd ask for this review to be removed. That's stated in the TOU. 

My own response would have been more measured, but I have been accused of being too nice in my reviews. I would have probably said "not a fit, communication was profane and guest expected amenities that were not offered." But again it's not the response I'm interested in....it's the content of this review. To me it violates the policy because it's like saying "rained the whole time" or something along those lines. Nonetheless if I was hosting and ran across this guest I'd reject based on the peevishness of the review. Again, better suited to a hotel or perhaps the White Lotus resort.

[Michael5689]

@Laura2592 The guest clearly thought there was an issue with the parking whether it was valid or not that’s the core relevant issue she raised.  Free street parking is advertised with the caveat in text that it might be hard to come by during the high season.  The owner’s  reply does nothing to answer the question I have as a potential guest after reading it of “what is up with the parking?!” The review may not be fair or even good by the guest and they might even be worthy of a bit of private ridicule and rebuke.  

I’m left with two questions though as a potential guest even if as an experienced host I know to discount some aspects of the review.  

What’s up with the parking at this place?  

How did it escalate into the host and guest getting so upset at each other?  

That’s not a good thing until that review is buried past the first page and even an experienced guest will find this review on the second page of reviews and give them pause.  Letting a guest get under your skin and letting other guests see your resulting anger is not a good thing.

We get wildfire smoke at our home most summers.  It’s well beyond my control but I haven’t tried to get those reviews that mention it removed.  If we complain about guests using technicalities to get refunds for insignificant items that technically are against the terms of service we can’t have it both ways in technicalities on things that aren’t overwhelming disqualifying in a review.  Instead of the guest going there the host went there.  I think there’s a stronger case for the public reply to the review be removed.  If and when it’s removed he’s lost the chance to provide any context to the not very useful and potentially incorrect review by the guest

[David3267]

Thanks but I thinking you're missing the point. It's not the review I objected to. It's totally inaccurate and factually incorrect but in todays world, hey ho, live and let live! , it's her foul mouthed, personally aimed abuse via message. No, I didn't complain to her after her review, it was her response to my 4* review of her which sparked the abuse. Anyway, I think I'm off from Airbnb, I've put £ 1/4m bookings their way & hence probably £60k plus in Airbnb's pocket in commissions  since listing 5 properties. I'm off to explore other options now. I certainly won't trouble this forum again!

[Michael5689]

@David3267 If that's the case then address what was factually wrong instead of ranting at her and AirBNB and her behavior.  I still am not a better informed consumer of what the parking situation actually is at your place.  If I was traveling there I would love the look of your place, but if I was coming with my family on a driving trip all over, I would probably pass on the location even though it looks awesome.  The audience for a guest reply is your future guests...not you former guests.  Her reply is relatively even keeled (even if she was sharp-tongued and a real pain in private) The public reply looks mean and spiteful...in public.  Overall it's a so-so review from her with pluses and minuses.  It wouldn't have stopped me from booking the place...the public reply to it would have.  I'm not excusing her behavior, I'm just pointing out she isn't displaying really bad behavior...in public.

I've had plenty of high maintenance types in my place and once they are out I breathe a sigh of relief, try to leave a sense of it in my public review of them for other hosts, and move on to try and address any comments that have in their reviews by gently counteracting their false or overdone points with facts so the next guest is better informed.  Some people are a-holes and unfortunately it isn't illegal.  I would hope she got some sort of warning from AirBNB personally especially if it's visible in the messaging app but I don't think she deserves to be kicked off AirBNB if this is the first person she didn't mesh with and is capable of getting nasty.  If that's her always on personality she'll likely be kicked off AirBNB in due time.

[David3267]

Thanks but I thinking you're missing the point. It's not the review I objected to. It's totally inaccurate and factually incorrect but in todays world, hey ho, live and let live! , it's her foul mouthed, personally aimed abuse via message. No, I didn't complain to her after her review, it was her response to my 4* review of her which sparked the abuse. Anyway, I think I'm off from Airbnb, I've put £ 1/4m bookings their way & hence probably £60k plus in Airbnb's pocket in commissions  since listing 5 properties. I'm off to explore other options now. I certainly won't trouble this forum again!

[Anonymous]

@David3267  I think everyone can agree that the guest's choice of language in that private message was inappropriate and offensive. But I don't see what you or the community in general would gain by this person being kicked off of Airbnb. The other 10 members who reviewed her had only positive comments, so the conflict between you doesn't appear to be indicative of a broader pattern of abuse. If she is able to continue hosting guests and requesting stays with other hosts, this presents no danger to your well-being. 

There are plenty of good reasons to consider other platforms for your very nice and well-regarded properties, but a rude message from a disgruntled former guest hardly seems worth changing your business plan over. Sticks and stones...

[Anonymous]

@David3267  The "would not host again" button prevents the guest from instant-booking your properties (which she won't do anyway), but you can also block her from contacting you any further if you feel that you're being harrassed: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2020/how-do-i-report-a-message-or-block-someone-on-airbnb

While profanity and name-calling is restricted in public reviews and listings, I don't think it's forbidden in private messages. If there's something truly dangerous or illegal, like a threat of physical violence, I'd expect Airbnb to take some action on the profile, but I don't really see any reason to punish someone for saying some rude words when they got mad. As long as the stay is over and the contact has ceased, there's no longer a problem to solve.