New Extensive Review Process

[Lisa367]

I am a superhost on Airbnb and recently rented an apartment as a guest.  Has anyone else noticed the new very extensive review process that Airbnb has implimented?  As a host, it's really frustrating because this is where people get the most passive aggressive.  As a host, you're already scrutinized over everything, but to really allow the guests to dig deep into each individual aspect of their stay (ie:  "smells" and "sounds", REALLY??) is really problematic.  For example, our last guest left a private review that there was a "nauseating smell of burnt meat" on the "cleanliness/smells" star.  First of all, we didn't cook at all while this guest was in our house, she must have smelled one of the neighbors cooking, and second of all, we're in Sicily, so there are definitely going to be food smells coming in from all angles at certain times a day.  This feedback really bothered me because it was unnecessary and obviously had nothing to do with us since it wasn't even coming from our house.  I would've preferred these guests just keep these types of thoughts to themselves and enter it in the private feedback to me, rather than giving them the option of selecting specific things to complain about.  As a host who has new guests almost every 2 days, the last thing I need to hear is random complaining from guests about very little things.  Obviously as a superhost, I do my best to make sure their stay is 100% comfortable.  My feelings are also important and I don't need to hear every two days something really small and meaningless that I can't control (like food smells in Italy).  Reading passive aggressive feedback actually makes me really upset and I'm getting to the point where I really just don't want to bother hosting anymore.  I'd prefer going back to the basic rating system.  It's faster for the guest to leave reviews and much less harsh on the host.

[Robin4]

@Huma0....Am editing to include @Andrea9 as I value what she has contributed

Huma, I am sure the guest had no idea when they perhaps checked that box that it would come back to you in that way. When asked, they may have had an idea that some odour possibly from the street had been noticeable in your apartment at some stage! They would no doubt be horrified at the linking of smelly carpets to a listing that does not have carpets!!!

But what you have to understand Huma is all these sub headings which a guest has to offer an opinion on are specifically designed by Airbnb to be derogatory. "Was there evidence of dust in the listing"!!....not "Were you impressed by the cleanliness of the listing"! "Did the listing have an unpleasant smell or odour".....not "Were you impressed by the frangrance on entering the listing"!! All of these sub headings are there to solicit a negative response!

It appears from what I have been able to learn that all these little sub-headings are there to strengthen Airbnb's position if a dispute arises about the listing. Airbnb will do anything to look like the helpful partner to the guest because they do not want to get guests offside. They do not care about hosts because they have been able to get by perfectly well up until now with an ever expanding host base. Casualties along the way in their hosting community is of no consequence.

Huma, we are not going to be able to slog it out with Airbnb on this, they will just keep on changing the ground rules to suit their ideology. If we are to continue to use Airbnb what we have to do is give the guest no grounds to make a negative comment! Hard I know but until something more balanced comes along....and it will, (these people can only shoot themselves in the foot for so long) ...we just have to adapt!

Cheers.....Rob

[Huma0]

Hi @Robin4 and @Andrea9, I am sure you are right. There is not a lot we can do about this.

Also, @Robin4, your explanation for Airbnb's reasons for doing this make sense. I do think it is a shame though.

The guest seemed happy overall (all his correspondence was warm and friendly) so it's a bit disappointing and frustrating, but I will let it go. It's not a big deal in the scheme of things, but if this becomes a regular thing, it will make me reconsider hosting. I put so much time and effort in for my guests and it's not like I'm making a fortune.

I may have to go back to renting the rooms to lodgers. There are pros and cons to both, but lodgers do not expect perfection on a budget. They know London rental prices and know they are getting a great deal!

[Dunny0]

While I'm at the keyboard, would like to apologize to all for posting out of categories and off topic. Sorry. 

Starting a new thread soon on safety. 

[Huma0]

@Robin4 @Andrea, here we go. Another four star review today. In their private feedback, they said everything was great except three things:

1. The room was too cold overnight. Fair enough, that's a valid reason to mark me down. BUT, they repeatedly told me that the temperature overnight was fine for them, they preferred sleeping with the heating off and no, they didn't want extra bedding. There was a problem on their first evening, but that's because they themselves accidentally turned the radiators off!

2. Sweaky floorboards. Really? The room faces gardens so it's lovely and peaceful. The house was generally quiet throughout their stay. Are a few creaky floorboards in a Victorian house something to complain about?

3. Bad smell in the fridge. Ok, so I noticed this. My housemate insists on buying smelly cheese. I asked her to dispose of it, but unfortunately not before the guests had noticed it too. However, it was a faint odour rather than very strong and only on the last day of their trip.

My point is that the 'noise' and 'smell' prompts might have something to do with this feedback. Are a few creaky floorboards and a slight smell of cheese in the fridge enough to influence a star rating? The temperature, okay, is more important. It's just a shame when guests repeatedly tell you during the stay that something's fine, so you have no opportunity to sort it out, but then rate you down for it, and no, they were not the types to be too shy or polite to mention it.  So, maybe they are being prompted to find fault during the review process.

Anyway, I'm sure that's my superhost status gone next quarter. Until recently, I was getting 100% five star reviews for that listing. Now I have 3 x four star ratings, all in the last three weeks. I won't be able to make up for that as I have a long-term guest in that room from tomorrow who won't be able to leave a review until June.

Sigh...

[Andrea9]

@Huma0

My goodness, it seems as though Airbnb is really supporting the snowflake culture. 

And what is with these people? Have they never learnt common sense? If I'm too stupid to turn off the heating, why do I feel it necessary to complain about it... or other silliness.... seriously shaking my head here.

[Huma0]

@Andrea9 unfortunately I don't think they accepted that they may have done something silly. I checked the radiators before they were due to check in and they were pumping out heat (too hot really but I wanted to make sure the room was warm enough). When they told me in the morning that the radiators were cold the previous evening, I went to check them. The valves had been turned all the way off. They insisted they hadn't done this, but no one else could have. All the other radiators in the house were hot, so it wasn't a general problem with the heating.

I guess the customer is always right 🙂

I didn't say anything about it after that, just made sure they were turned back on and asked them if the room was warm enough and they said yes.

Then they complain about it in their feedback...

[David126]

It seems to me most of the feedback is not of any help, for your own sanity just ignore it, nothing else you can logically do.

Definitely a case of less is more.

[Huma0]

Thanks @David126, yes I would ignore a lot of it if they weren't giving me lower ratings on these points. I would like to keep my superhost status, but I guess I have to just accept that I'm not going to now!

I'll have a chat with my housemate re her cheese, but it seems a bit unfair to tell her she can't buy a bit of Brie because of ridiculously picky people. It's her home after all and she's already not too keen on short-term guests.

[David126]

Brie? I assumed it was some really ripe Stilton from Borough Market.

Superhost bit has been discussed by many on here before and I think it is safe to say the conclusion was that it will be what it will be and there is nothing much you can do about it, most Guests have no clue what it is and seemingly has no impact on your booking levels.

[Huma0]

@David126, yes, that's what I meant when I said it was a mild smell. Only Brie. My housemate is a vegetarian. I can't tell her to stop buying cheese! There was nothing else in there that smelled at all. I checked thoroughly. I also clean the fridge with anti-bac before every guest's visit.

I am sure you are right re superhost. It's just a matter of personal pride for me, being a bit of a perfectionist.

I will learn to let it go!

[David126]

@Huma0

I have had it for a year, and surprised I keep it as I would not rate my place 5 Stars so why should expect anybody else to?

Sooner or later I will lose it, just life.

The problem with the current system is that it encourages it seems people to nit pick, perhaps your housemate can become Vegan?

[Huma0]

Okay, so I had three sets of guests stay while the smelly Brie was in the fridge. Each one gave me four stars and marked me down on cleanliness. In their feedback, they all mentioned the issue with cleanliness was 'odours'. All of them!

The cheese was promptly thrown out, the fridge scrubbed to within an inch of its life and my housemate promised to never buy that particular variety of Brie again.

The next set of guests gave me five stars for everything and there was thankfully no mention of odours.

Who knew that such a small thing could make such a big difference? Anyway, I have learnt my lesson...

[Margherita29]

@Huma0 that's ridiculus,

better not to allow guest to use your own spaces (like kitchen, fridge etc) 

but why  cannot we complain about their odour? I had a guest some time ago who used a terrible conditioner and a disgusting chiken soup, besides the fact that she scattered her things all around my house,  the smells stayed in the house for days. 

these community based services (like airbnb, uber etc) are based on the principle that the memebrs are equal although they mght play different roles.

I believe this new reating procedure violates this principle and also basic netiquette 

[Huma0]

Hi @Margherita29, unfortunately, use of the kitchen is a big selling point for many of my guests. Those staying only a couple of nights don't use the kitchen much, but anyone staying longer wants to at least to keep a few things in the fridge. I'm worried I would lose a lot of bookings and I bet you that most guests would turn up and expect to use the kitchen anyway, even when it's clearly stated in the listing that they can't! I find this with the washer/dryer, which I only let long-term guests use. I state this in my house rules, but they still ask to use it and get grumpy when I say no.

You are right about the guest odour thing! I had a guest with really bad foot odour. When I went into the room to adjust something for him, I was overwhelmed by the smell. After he left, everything reeked of it, not only the bed linen, but the duvet itself, mattress protector, everything. Luckily I didn't have new guests arriving the same day so I had time to deal with it...

[Marc46]

@Huma0 Great effort you are doing!
But what happens when you rent out 2 separately listed rooms in the same flat where different guests have public use of the kitchen and other public spaces. What if guest A complains about the smell of guests' B Brie in the fridge? Imagine 1 guest brings durian fruit...