Cancellation Reviews

[Leigh-Anne-and-Jonathan0]

Hello Airbnb community!  We had a guest cancel within 24 hours of staying with us due to having sick children (which is completely understandable) and we even use the "Flexible" cancellation policy.  However, she was still able to leave us a review for which she had no basis.  Prior to her review, we had received over 50 FIVE star reviews.  Her FOUR star review was the first one.  I know it is really a small drop in the bucket but it is still upsetting when we spend so much time and energy to give guests a five star experience.  I have submitted a request to Airbnb to NOT allow guests to leave a review if they cancel or to prompt them to answer different questions (i.e. Was the host understanding when you needed to cancel?  Did they attempt to help you in another way by providing different dates or referring you to another Airbnb in the area?, etc.).  I really hope this policy changes because a guest who cancels should not be able to review us on questions for which he/she has no basis.  Has anyone else provided similiar feedback to Airbnb?

[Sam-Sangchun0]

Hi Leigh Anne & Jonathan! I am Sam and I am an experience host in Seoul.

You do not need to worry about the case! Since they never experienced anything, Airbnb team will be able to erase the review. You just have to explain the situation to Airbnb customer center. My suggestion for any similar case in the future is to contact Airbnb immediately if anyone has canceled or wants to cancel. 

[Leigh-Anne-and-Jonathan0]

Hi Sam! I called Airbnb and they said there was absolutely no way to remove the review and that my statistics would never change (Her four star rating will always be factored in to our overall rating). 

Have you had a cancellation review removed in the past?

[Elena87]

@Leigh-Anne-and-Jonathan0

As I remember from the summer, some consumer groups had major concerns about guests who were unable to leave a review about a place they found on, or before, or just after arrival that was unsuitable, misrepresented or issues with the host and so on.

I think the British Competition and Markets Authority was at least one of the bodies asking airbnb to change the ability to leave a review as previously it was nigh on impossible to record a review and alert other prospective guests of a full picture of a bad listing. Airbnb changed this from September to allow reviews to be recorded and left for cancellations within 24 hours of the commencement of a booking.

In your case, the guests are allowed to leave a review because of the timeframe involved, but of course it doesn't really meet the spirit of why leaving a review was necessary. It also explains why airbnb are reluctant to remove the review as well, however they should probably really consider it in your case.

In consolation because 'star' marks are very much arbitarily awarded and beyond your control, you should decide for yourself whether you should really give them so much prominence and weight. I am of the belief your future clients will look at your listing description, pore over your photographs and read reviews - and be supremly indifferent to whether you are 5.0 or 4.99 starred or indeed a superhost.

[Kelly149]

Unfortunately Sam, this policy has changed and this is not accurate. The review guidelines now say that a late cancellation may review. The review will stand, and one 4 star out of many 5's matters none

[Cynthia43]

AirBnB will NOT "erase" ANY review unless it violates its Review Guidelines. I have been on the phone multiple times with a case manager on this and was told this over the phone. 

ALL you MUST submit this feedback to AirBnB:  https://www.airbnb.com/help/feedback  They DO NOT read this Community board. I just submitted this because the guest canceled at the front door and insisted on Refund. Low ratings affect our Super Host rating. I am going to make sure I review this person so it shows up on his account just as HIS will post to MY listing. Interesting that AirBnB won't post guest or host reviews until both submit or 14 days elapses. They implemented this to prevent retaliatory reviews--YET they allow reviews for CANCELLATIONS when the guest does NOT stay at our place! WRONG!

[David126]

I read the review, nothing to worry about. No basis to have it deleted, very good one.

[Ward1]

You're missing the point: It allows someone to write a FULL review when they have never SEEN the home.  People have the ability to write a TERRIBLE review, only give one star, and say things that are not true on a listing in which they have never stepped foot.  My head is spinning over the fact that Airbnb allows people who cancel on the day of arrival, but never step foot in the guest's home, to give a full non-removable review including cleanlienss, accuracy, and whether they would recommend the host/listing.  This is outrageous!

[Keven-and-Doug0]

Agreed Ward ....  I was told by a case worker that this "should not happen" until I sent a screen print of the offer to leave a review of a Guest that cancelled last minute and never even came to the door. After review then I was told "this is policy". It is an unfounded policy.  In reading various blogs some quests know they will have the option to review even on a last minute cancellation and have threatened the Host via phone call, that they will submit all one stars and a lousey review if all their money is not refunded. Air Bnb case worker flat out told me "I doubt any quest would ever do that".  The entire process is senseless. 

[Ward1]

Completely agree.  One thing I have found with Airbnb is that OFTEN one 'case manager/helper' says something compeltely different from another 'Case Manager/helper.'  Sometimes I will end the discussion with one who is telling me something I don;t agree with, and call back and get someone who will do the thing I am requesting.  The way I dealt with this issue is that I stopped allowing guests to book for one night only.  I found that my 'one-night-only' requests took a huge amount of time, effort and aggravation for very little money.  I havent; had to deal with this issue since changing toallowing guests to book as little as two nights.  Althugh I know this can happen with any length of booking. . . 

[Leigh-Anne-and-Jonathan0]

@David126@Elena87

Thank you both for your comments.  Elena - the reasoning you provided to alert guests of inaccurate listings makes sense.  I hope Airbnb will find a way to differentiate reasons for cancellations and subsequent review questions in order to address this issue.  And yes - I need to let the star rating go 🙂

[Murray11]

Hi Murray here,

In my understanding of reviews, they only show up if you both give a review - in your case there was no need to give a review because she canceled.

I know of a situation where the hosts did a lovely job making someone’s stay enjoyable but the person wasn’t helpful so she chose not to give a review because she didn’t want a bad one. 

[Steve143]

Hello @Murray11,

If both sides leave a review then, yes, both reviews will be visible on the respective profiles as soon as the second one is written.

If only one side leaves a review then that review will be visible on the other's profile 14 days after checkout.

You can't stop a review of you being published by not writing one yourself.

The article below says "We won’t share your review until the other person leaves theirs, or until the 14 days have passed, whichever happens first".

How-reviews-work

Steve.

[Cynthia43]

Reviews show up after 14 days have elapsed whether or NOT both parties submit a review. They only allow both parties to see reviews when both have submitted OR that 14 days have elapsed. If a guest reviews you, but you do NOT review that guest within that 14 days, the guest's Review will absolutely POST to your listing.

[Ward1]

I'm sorry, but uou are incorrect:  Both host and guest have 14 days to leave a review.  In the 14 day 'review period,' you can only see the review that the other person gave you if you also leave them a review.  If one person does leave a review, and the other person does not leave a review, then the review that was written (by one person only) gets published on the listing/profile of the other person.

It leaves open an interesting possibility:  The Prisoner's Dilemma:  Do I not write a review in the hopes that the other person then does not write a review - or do I write the review and hope the other person does NOT write a review.  This is a theory in crime and punishment when two people are being questioned individually for the same crime.  It works there because you only know what the other person did later on when it's too late.  Here - Airbnb infomrs you when the other person has written a review of you - they just won;t let you read it until you write one of them, or you don;t write one of them and 14 days pass from the start.