Paranoid about hosting

[Robin4]

Along with everyone else, I are seeing an ever increasing number of negative posts.

I want to help but these days on the Community Centre we seemed to faced with an ever increasing number of hostile posts.

I have seen my fair share of adversity, I have had to watch my wife Ade go progressively downhill, I am slowly loosing her to MS.

Two years ago I had to sit across a Neurologists desk as he told another of my girls she has MS....what th, this is 'Groundhog day'!

But it is not all bad, you do get to turn your life around and make the most out of it when faced with these challenges.

Ade and I have travelled to just about all parts of the earth, and we never would have done that if it had not been for the MS! We needed to do it while we could!

Kate and I....wow we have shared some moments.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO39w91qntI

I never would have done that if I had not had to deal with some serious challenges that have come my way.

I love my hosting, sure the odd little ripple appears on the pond every now and then, but Airbnb has been a wonderful part of my life and my life would have been so much the poorer had I not gone down this path!

We must make the best of our hosting and I hope I can inspire a few good stories!

Cheers.....Rob

[Victoria567]

It’s really not a case of being paranoid about hosting @Robin0, its just getting the few “off” unexpected experiences that put your guard up, being a guest.

The majority of guests are brilliant, it’s the very few horrors that you tend to remember for all the wrong reasons.

Im really impressed by your very forgiving attitude regarding your extremely unpleasant experience that you posted a couple of months back on this host forum regarding a female who accused you of spying on her!

An extremely serious allegation in any hosts books and really not paranoid in any meaning if the word.

Im afraid if similar happened to my husband, I would seriously have considered shutting down my listing!and left a far more revealing  guest review than the review you left this female guest

Sorry to disagree with you Robin, I as a host just like to be very careful of the total strangers sharing my home......It’s not paranoia, it’s accountability

[Robin4]

@Victoria567

That's the wonderful thing about life Victoria, we all have a different style, none of us are neseccarily right or wrong, we are ourselves.

I say that because all through my life I ran my own business. I retired relatively young at 57 because of Ade's illness. I had a staff of 27 when I retired, and my life was spent in a conciliatory roll....I was always searching for that middle ground that exists in most disputes....and when you deal with people, you are going to have disputes...it's unavoidable, and I guess that was one of the main reasons my business was successful, I was a conciliator!

That has followed through into my hosting, it is growing all the time, the last few months I am averaging around 16 bookings a month and I am declining a few that I feel will not be suitable guests. I could easily accept 20 per month, but I have basically learned to pick where problems may arise!

'That guest' upset both me and Ade, but Victoria, I could have raised an almighty fuss but, why? What would it have acheived? That guest obviously had problems and I understood that. Bouncing her was not going to fix her problems. She had trust issues which had stemmed from possibly an unfortunate occurence earlier in her life. She left, I gave her a poor review which allerted the community that she was not an acceptable guest to host. Because I did not call her every foul thing under the sun, I kept a dialogue open. I said I was sorry she had her issues and said I understand her feelings but she also had to understand mine. She agreed that a hosting platform was possibly going to expose her to situations she would not be comfortable with.  I asked, and she agreed not to review me.

Can you understand what I am saying Victoria, the end result was achieved, the community warned, my review status maintained and I have come out of that incident with a minimal amount of damage and stress.

I am not saying I am right and you are wrong Victoria.....your way works for you, my way works for me....ok!

Cheers.....Rob

[Victoria567]

Hello@Rob It’s very admirable that you have taken that very forgiving viewpoint regarding your troublesome guest.

Where we differ is that air bnb is NOT my bread and butter but a wee bit of fun as I only do it for a couple of months per year therefore my tolerance level of such guests who would accuse my husband of being a Peeping Tom or other pervsions, is basically minimal.

In fact it is totally unacceptable.

Whether I have one booking or a hundred and one bookings,is totally irrelevant to my wellbeing and therefore unlike other hosts who unfortunately have to depend on air bnb as their main source of income, they may have to cultivate a greater tolerance to such unacceptable guests, whereas I don’t, and I realise now, how lucky I am.

At the end of the day it is all about reciprocal respect between guest and host as afterall, one is staying in a hosts home and not some multi million dollar hotel chain.

Take care.

[Robin4]

@Victoria567

We don't actually differ as far as the financial side of hosting is concerned Victoria, I absolutely do not host because I need to....It is certainly not my 'bread and butter', as you perhaps infer! Apart from the property I live and host in, I have $1.5m harbour-front property in Sydney........a 10 berth houseboat on our major river! I can assure you Victoria, I am not living and waiting for my next hosting payment!

I do this because I am a social person, I love the interaction I have with my guests and Airbnb have brought a lot of lovely people into my life.

I would always wish you well in your life and your hosting Victoria, and hopefully learn something from what you do....You could no doubt teach me a thing or two with your gardening.

I would never take it on myself to criticise the way you host and I just find it a bit disappointing that you would choose to criticise the way I do.

But never mind, as I said in another post that's the great thing about life...we are all different!

Cheers......Rob

[Victoria567]

Hi@Robin

I am not criticising the way you host.

But I do criticise your vague guest reviews lacking in substance =detail .

Your reviews are vague, and really it's reading double speak, reading between the lines etc and it is useless.... The hackneyed phrase "perhaps Best suited to a hotel "etc, springs to

mind.

Many guests also use hotels and that does not mean they are somehow lacking or deficient.

Having a gazillion dollar property empire has nothing whatsoever with writing a factual review.

Just more waffle that does not help the host in deciding whether to host someone or not because they have to read between the lines to get to the point .

The facts would be enough and appreciated thanks.

[Cormac0]

@Robin0

Criticism is the lubricant that keeps the wheels of democracy turning, and it appears to work! as can be seen from the latest changes to the layout of the Airbnb website, with regards to reservations.

I have been a landlord for fourteen years and my tenant contract have been added too, amended, and refined not by the behaviour of good Tenants but by bad ones, the sort of tenants that think they can play loose and free with my property and the quiet procession of my other tenants.

Based on the number of Host we see when we first open the community centre, and the actual number of contributors, we represent a tiny fraction of Hosts, and for that reason, we represent a highly motivated group.

It is my view, the more justified criticisms the better, if I were to rank the Airbnb tripartite in order of importance to Airbnb, its as follows

1. Airbnb above all
2. Guest
3. .
4. .
5. .
6. .
7. .
8. .
9. .
10. Hosts, which is remarkable, since we're the foundation on which their bussiness is build.

Over to you…

[Robin4]

@Cormac0

As usual Cormac, a lot of good common sense from you.

The thing we have to realise, guests make Airbnb money....hosts cost Airbnb money! So in a dispute it is probable that the guest will hold the upper hand and get the more favourable decision.....so your tripartite Cormac, is no doubt correct.

But lets consider a thing or two here. 

If I have a problem with a guests review and want it removed, I will be told their review is allowable because it's their perception, and perceptions are legitimate as far as review guidelines are concerned. The need is there for good constructive criticism!

If a guest has a problem with a hosts review that conflicts with their perception, they can apply to have it removed....and it will be! How often have we seen that here?.......I have lost count!

The guests word carries considerably more weight than the hosts.

I do not have your experience Cormac, I have only been Landlord for less than three years, but in that time it has been demonstrated to me that we hosts are fighting a rear-guard action. We are always going to come off second best......guests make Airbnb money....hosts cost Airbnb money!

We need to alert the community when we have a poor experience but, we have to do it with finesse, we need to do it in such a way that the guest will have no grounds to have that review removed. A review is only useful to other hosts as long as it stays visible.

So we have to be careful how we criticize the guest....we only get a 'bare bones' format....3 categories and a thumbs up or down...that's it! We don't get the opportunity to make subtle points! We don't get the opportunity to give them a 5 in those categories and a 3 overall! We get penalised in our stats if the guest does that to us....but there is no other foot to put the boot on!

The guest on the other hand is faced with a barrage of probing prompts over 6 categories and an overall. The information required is in depth and the guest is actually told that a 3 overall is ok!

I am criticized Cormac for not handing out 'floggings' in the review process, but if I am going to give a negative review, I want the community to see it forever more....not just until the time the guest gets around to having it removed!

......guests make Airbnb money....hosts cost Airbnb money!

How is Autumn in Kraków Cormac?

Cheers.....Rob

[Cormac0]

@Robin0

Robin, as you have demonstrated before on many posts, you’re a decent man and I agree with your synopsis, while I don't always embrace it, human nature being what it is.

The worst guests I had, ironically were the only guest I had, that I was not present while they stayed, my property manager handled the guest's comings and goings.

After the photos came in of the condition they left my apartment in (I was in the emerald isle for Christmas and New year), I reacted in a fit of peak and gave them a two-word review “Filthy Scum” which as far as I can see has not been removed.

Would I change this review if I could? No, I would not, as I called a spade and spade and would not wish them foisted on any other hosts.

Robin, I currently basking in 22c although there is a chill in the evening breeze.

The take away from this is no more hosting New Years Eve guests as the potential to lose money is very great indeed.

[Susan17]

@Cormac0 Are you coming home this Christmas? Few scoops in Dublin??  🙂

Love the review you left - short, and anything but sweet! Worst review I ever left was "Wouldn't wish this guest on my worst enemy" That's still up too, but like yours, would almost certainly have been taken down had the guest kicked up to Airbnb about it. So I definitely do see where @Robin0 is coming from on this issue. He makes a valid point. 

[Robin4]

@Cormac0

Funny you should say that Cormac...'filthy scum' is perfectly acceptable within the review guidelines because, you have not accused them of anything, you have just given your perception of them as you see it!! Nothing wrong with that. The guest can apply to have it removed but I feel CX would be struggling for a reason to remove.....no guidelines have been broken!

Personally I think that's a great review Cormac, in two words you have told the community what they need to know. There are those here where that is not sufficient, they require you to 'flesh out' the Filthy Scum bit. I am still struggling with the concept that "I cannot on any level recommend this guest to other hosts" is somehow lacking in detail...What part of 'stay clear' does the host not understand!!!

I can assure you Cormac I will use that precise review if ever a destructive element ever  manage to find their way into my cottage! 

Ah, the seasonal balance has shifted....28c here today, although we have a forecast 16c top tomorrow, which I am not overjoyed about, the cottage heating will be in for another hammering!

My New Years Eve is still free....maybe I should block it!

Cheers......Rob

[Victoria567]

Hi@Cormack

I wrote a less than stellar review of  a guest who I hosted last month.

The review was factual  with absolutely NO " double speak"  or having to trawl through vague waffle .

The review is there for all to read.

The review has NOT been removed either.

The review has broken NO guidelines, that's why it's still up there.

Do not think for one moment as others suggest that a factual review will be removed.

If you get an unacceptable dosage of  guest behaviour please by all means write a factual review that is helpful to hosts, other than the vague statements some hosts think are helpful.

They are not.

[Victoria567]

But then @Cormac0

If your are worried about your stats .....as it appears some hosts are  more concerned about this, rather than let some of these unacceptable guests bounce along from accommodation to accommodation ......

........then by all means feel free to  Keep producing more chocolate teapots😉

[Robin4]

@Victoria567

Victoria I always believe we should learn as we go along in life and I am continually on the look-out for ways to learn from others.

With this is mind I had a look at your listing and did a review search to see your style and how you do in actual fact handle these 'less than stellar' reviews!

I searched your reviews top to bottom and I could find no evidence of a 'warts and all' review! 

I searched back as far a May in each of your listings, the reviews and your responses, and, your guests love you, absolutely no hint of animosity anywhere! So I then searched the back end of your reviews to see if this caustic review of yours was for a foriegn guest which would appear at the end of your reviews.....zippo, ziltch, nothing!

As I said, I am always willing to learn, can you please post some indication of where this particular guest review of yours is....I would like to read it.... not for the gorry details but, to see how you have gone about it!

Cheers.....Rob

[Letti0]

@Robin4  I just spent time looking for it too and cannot find it either. The only logical answer is the guest did not review her, so it's not on her profile page or she got their review pulled.  

[Robin4]

@Letti0

I wanted to do this justice, because, as I said, I am always willing to learn, so I did spend the best part of 30 minutes looking but Letti, I am afraid how ever prominent it may be for all to read....it escapes you and me......so, there is nothing the community can gain from it!

Anyway Letti I am letting it go now, like I have just said in another post I started this thread to extract a few nice hosting experiences, and in the main I hope that is the way it will continue.

Hey you are starting to accumulate a few great reviews girl....I am just happy with a 5, one of your guests wants to give you a 10!!!

That's breaking new ground!

Cheers.....Rob