A local guest booked our place claiming that they're visiting the area (then later I found out that they actually live in the area but that is a different story). By noon of the following day after having already stayed the first night she claims that the house was not clean and smelled like pet odor. Offered to have the cleaner come or myself come there to fix the situation but she was adamant against checking out and asking for the remainder of the night refunded. We agreed to refunding her the remaining nights if she checked out that day because I don't want someone who is unhappy about the place to remain but since she did not say anything about this the first night she arrived and stayed I cannot refund her the first night plus cleaning fee. This refund was assisted by an Airbnb customer service representative which was what I asked the guest to do so she could get the refund appropriately.
Turns out there was no pet odor or unusual cleanliness condition after she checked out so I don't know what that was about.
The guest requested for $300 (more than my payout for that night) a few days later which I declined. Immediately after I declined her resolutions request for money, she left a 1 star review.
This was extremely hurtful to my listing since I have been hosting since 2014 as a superhost. Now my listing is under scrutiny because of this 1 star review.
I've been calling into Airbnb Customer service every couple days and messaging them without any response.
I was told by the first customer service representative that because the guest initiated the resolutions request and that I didn't, it is not considered as a retaliatory review even though my reviews before this were all 5 stars and my current guest loved the place enough to extend another month to stay ?
I wrote to customer service that if it is not considered as a retaliatory review then this leave hosts with little say in options when guests demand for money on the resolutions center. Hosts in the future would be expected to approve of any guest demand on the resolutions center in fear they can receive a retaliatory review and there is nothing we can do about it. I don't understand why the definition of a retaliatory review has to be a one-way street.
I keep receiving responses that they appreciate me as a superhost but this is not what appreciation or support feels like after being a host on the platform for 10 years.
Tracy
