The review procedure

Karen4229
Level 1
Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

The review procedure

I've been hosting on Airbnb for a number of years and have also used Airbnb as a guest.  I mostly have 5* reviews from both sides but it has occurred to me that it will be impossible for me to leave a bad guest review because if the guest expects a bad review they won't bother to leave a review so my review would not be published.  This is because, as I understand it,  both parties have to leave a review, one party review alone would not be published.  So, how does anyone leave a bad review?  I imagine a bad guest wouldn't bother with writing reviews anyway.  Appreciate knowing other hosts experience of this.

7 Replies 7
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Karen4229 That is not how the system works.

Reviews are posted on the earliest of both parties reviewing or 14 days. So if both guest and host review it gets published at that point. If only one reviews then it gets posted at day 14 post the stay.

Karen4229
Level 1
Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Thank you Mike and Jane for taking the time to reply.  I didn't realise that is how the reviews work! You have been really helpful. Luckily I've never needed to leave a bad review and fingers crossed it stays that way!

Paula
Community Manager
Community Manager
Port Moody, Canada

Hello @Karen4229, welcome to our community 😊

 

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Sandra856
Level 10
Copenhagen, Denmark

Hi @Karen4229 🌿

If only one part leaves a review it will get published when the review window closes 14 days after check out. I have had to leave about a handful of less than stellar reviews. What I have done is that I did wait till the very last minute to leave the review. The guest is notified when I leave a review - but if I wait till the very last minute- they won’t have time to leave one themselves. None of the guests that I have left a less than stellar review to did leave a review themselves. Had I left mine a week before the review window closed down they would have had lots of time to review me as well. And as already explained they are notified when I leave a review and are asked to leave one themselves in order to be able to read the review I have left. So by leaving it last minute they won’t have much time to leave one. You can see exactly how much time you got left to leave the review if you enter the review section- down to seconds. You can prepare the review so you just have to copy paste it. 

Karen4229
Level 1
Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Hi Sandra - thank you for taking the time to reply.  Your answer is extremely helpful. It seems I didn't understand the review procedure! Fingers crossed I never need to leave a bad review but, if I do, your tip will be invaluable.

Elaine701
Level 10
Balearic Islands, Spain

@Karen4229 

 

Others here have provided valuable insights for you, but I'd like to add something about your comment "if the guest expects a bad review...".

 

Reviews are important. Not only for your listing because it's one of the things prospective guests look at when considering booking your place, but for the guest as well. If the guest is a good one, you should say so, to tell future hosts what to expect. The same applies when they are an undesirable guest (messy, caused problems, etc).

 

In the latter case (undesirable guest), my experience is that it is very much in your interest not to tip off the guest that you are displeased with their behaviour prior to their checkout, because as you suggest, they know they're likely to receive a bad review from you, and therefore, are likely to write an unfavourable review of your and your accommodation.

 

There is no advantage to expressing your displeasure to the guest directly, because there is little chance of receiving any compensation for it (unless of course, there are serious damages, in which case you have no choice but to demand compensation).

 

So, just smile, thank them, and wish them well. Then write an accurate, impersonal review of the guest. They can't see it until they write one for you, or after 14 days. But you need to do this to warn future hosts, as you should have been warned by previous hosts. It's really your only recourse.

 

Like you, most guests don't fully understand the "blind review" system. If they behaved badly, they likely know it, and are far more likely to write a glowing review of your place, hoping you'll do the same for them. So don't give them any reason to believe you're going to write a poor review of them. And if they don't write a review at all, it's better than them writing a bad one. You, however, are doing everyone a valuable service by writing your review of the guest, good or bad.

 

Good luck, and happy hosting!

 

Karen4229
Level 1
Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Thank you Elaine.  Useful advice, I appreciate it.