Air BnB - don't want to leave a review

[LindorDoubleChoc]

I keep getting messages from Air BnB about leaving a review for my recent few days away. I don't want to leave a review because there were many things I didn't like about the place and something fairly major happened which could have seriously hampered our stay had we been in the place a lot more than we were.

But I'm not going to leave a nasty review either. I just want to leave it.

Now I get a message saying that the host has left me a review ... but I can't see it unless I leave a review for him! Eh? Is this how it works?

Just ignore it. After a few weeks you’ll be able to see the host review. They hold it back to try and get you to write one. You don’t need to.

That suggestion for reviews makes a complete mockery of the review system, doesn't it?

How can someone leave 5 star if there are issues, let alone 4 star meaning major problems!

I don't use Air B&B but do use other letting sites. I really appreciate HONEST reviews that tell me the good bits but also the negative.
I want to know if the aircon is noisy, or the shower doesn't work properly. I want to know if the bed isn't comfortable, the walls are thin and you can hear your neighbour's talking, that there are dodgy looking people always outside the property or rubbish littered all over the garden, that the breakfast isn't as described, etc just as much as I want to know that they left a complimentary treat basket, the bathroom was a good size with plenty of toiletries, the location was perfect for the public transport, etc.

I have a house on air bnb, the system works by;
The host has 14 days to review you
You have 14 days to review them
Within those 14 days, neither can see one another reviews until you've done yours (to stop people doing a tit for tat)
After 14 days nobody can review and any reviews written show on your profile

So in your situation they'll stop asking you for a review after 14 days and you'll be able to see what they said about you as guests. Other hosts can also see this review and if you get a few bad reviews you may not be able to use the platform (I always give a good review though unless someone does something crazy)

As a host, if people didn't like their stay, I would prefer a private message explaining why and then no review. People don't realise air bnb penalise you if your house has a rating average lower than 4.5 ish so even a 4 star review saying things were mainly great can be really damaging if you get a few in a row. Generally, people leave 5 stars and then politely state a couple of minor points in the words they say. It's a bonkers system and a nightmare when people don't know the system because they'll say lovely things about the home and put 4 stars ("I never give 10/10 for anything")- I'd a million times rather have no review and they never realise, they always think they've done me a big favour saying nice things and that 4 star must mean they generally had a good time.

I base my decision on where to stay on majority reviews. Ie, if there are a couple of poor reviews which contradict the majority, I ignore. I’ve been on holidays abroad and read rubbish reviews, been nervous, then had a great time. Some people have higher than normal expectations of what somewhere should be, others have genuinely had poor experiences, and others are just dicks who will complain about everything and anything.

Unless it's shit I do a 5 star review and send the host a message with my suggestions

People don't realise air bnb penalise you if your house has a rating average lower than 4.5 ish so even a 4 star review saying things were mainly great can be really damaging if you get a few in a row.

this makes me understand why the hosts badger the way they do but it is utterly ridiculous of Airbnb, they need a better system.

I've stopped using air BnB, they're rarely up to standard imo.

It also makes me realise why I don't use Air B&B.
The rating system is nonsense and very unhelpful for potential guests.
If 5 star equates to acceptable, it was fine with no big issues, then you can't actually make a proper judgement as to where you'd rather stay.
I've attached a couple of examples of why it means nothing and may as well not exist. Just a simple - would you stay here again yes/no - would work just as well tbh.

The other image is a suggestion to how it should work elsewhere.
Basically 4 and 5 are good, 3 is average, below 3 is not good.

I didn’t know that. Think I left a 4* review and feel bad now.

We stayed in an airbnb in France and found a dead mouse in the middle of the kitchen floor when we arrived. The flat had only just started being listed on airbnb and was otherwise great so we contacted the owner (who was very nice), let them know that what had happened and said 'for obvious reasons we can't leave a positive review but we don't want to leave a negative review because everything else was great so won't review you'. They were OK with that.

You can leave a general review then leave a personal review that only the owner sees.

I did that for a recent stay. The house was nice but I felt some areas needed a more thorough clean so instead of putting that in the general review I privately told the owner.

We also had an issue with the WIFI which we told the owner about. It appeared we had knocked something off in the kitchen area, so it was our fault. He thanked us for telling him and said he would include this in his welcome pack.

How can owners improve their houses if people don't tell them the issues they have.

I'm an airbnb host so just wanted to comment.

The reason you can't read their review of you until you leave one, is to stop "retaliation" reviews. After the 2 weeks has passed that you can leave the review for, you'll be able to see their review.

Just so you know though, if you wanted, you could leave a neutral review and then a private review that only the host can see, so they can see your feedback and they can also reply to you privately.

Airbnb have made things so difficult for hosts. If we ever get rated under a 4 star, we can get kicked off airbnb or have the listing paused. I had a guest once leave me 4 stars - she messaged me saying there wasn't a Hairdryer and the bathroom floor was slippy. There was a Hairdryer- as advertised and even told them where it was in the manual. The floor was slippy as she had over flowed the shower by blocking the top with her own hair. Airbnb froze my listing and I lost out on so many bookings.

I just wanted to give the host side of things too for anyone thinking it's us being difficult sometimes with reviews :)

The reviews are like school reports, you need to know the language and ignore the rating. Knowing if there are potential issues means you make the decision knowing about them so e.g. we stayed in a fantastic flat in the old town in Malaga last year. The review said it was noisy (there were restaurants downstairs) and sure enough it was but that compromise was fine because the location was so good and the flat was perfect for our needs.

It's a bit like eBay. Anything less than 5stars is a fail

Just leave a neutral review - especially as you don’t sound as if you want to go back there!

I did this earlier in the year, I thought as it was aimed at families it was worth noting that there were no black out blinds. I also private messaged the host to let her know about some mould in the bathroom in case they had a cleaner who wasn’t keeping them informed of the problem. It wasn’t a big deal but if it was my house I’d have wanted to know. Anyway, she was very cross that I’d lost her her 5* rating and immediately cancelled another booking that I had with her for later in the year!!

If guests can’t leave honest reviews without hosts getting in a strop then it makes Airbnb not fit for purpose imo.

Then don’t. I use AirBnB for work loads and never leave a review. Just like I never leave a review for delivery companies, online shops or any of the other services and retailers that have suddenly jumped onto the ‘review culture’ bandwagon. It’s bizarre and unnecessary.

I had a recent stay at an Airbnb that was clearly in need of a good clean. It turned out that the host had gone on holiday and left the handover clean to her OH. The property was next door to where they live, and upon meeting him it was obvious that he was in poor health and hadn’t done a very thorough job. Instead of leaving them a rubbish review I PM’d the host explaining the situation and then left them a 5 star review. I could tell it wasn’t her fault and that they were good people

You see while on a human level I agree with what you did out of compassion.

I really really don’t want to stay in a dirty holiday home…. So how do we differentiate?

I didn't know that about Airbnb reviews and feel a little bad about my previous 4 star reviews now! However, what kind of system is it if you don't feel like you can leave a 4 star review when things were "less-than-perfect" but still good? Surely 5 star reviews should be reserved for places that are brilliant and everything was perfect? Otherwise, honestly, what is the blinking point of reviews?

But, for your visit, it wasn't a 5 star stay or a 5 star accommodation, under a normal (not Air B&b's weird one) rating system. For your visit it was 3-4 at most,

In what way does giving a false rating help potential guests when looking for somewhere to stay?

And this is why the Air B&B rating system is wrong!

Tbf all the Air BnB I have stayed in have been super. However, I stayed in a Booking.com house in Scotland and it was grimy and dirty. There had only been two previous reviews (5* positive). I emailed the holiday company on my return and sent pictures. I did get an apology and the usual 'well all our homes are cleaned professionally and then supervised...bla, bla'.

Then Booking did the same as Air and kept badgering for a review.

So I left one....I felt it was fair to whom ever stayed there and maybe it would be cleaner for the next family.

I listed the couple of positives, but was truthful on giving only a 5/10 for cleanliness and I was being nice giving that tbh.
I do understand as I was conscious that it is a small business, but when I was just fobbed off as being delusional, I was annoyed.

I understand not wanting to be mean, but if you don’t leave an honest review you’re responsible for someone else booking that property and having the same problems you did. Especially as you mentioned one thing would have been a huge issue if you stayed longer, Airbnb stays are expensive and if someone else is looking to stay for longer that’s a lot of money wasted that they wouldn’t have if you’d been honest. If the host can’t cope with a few constructive suggestions then they shouldn’t be running a business.

Air bnb is so uncomfortable that way. But honestly the bad reviews are sooo helpful.

on the other hand I understand not wanting to leave a review if you use it a lot, as other home owners can check them before choosing to allow you. It truly screws the results really really high.

You cant see their review of you till you submit one or the window elapses.

again. Reviews are helpful!

I would leave a review, I unfortunately learnt the hard way. Stayed in a lovely 2 bed flat on Airbnb, but it had a very strict cleaning policy - place had to be cleaned before departure. I spent 3.5 hours cleaning it. I didn't leave a review (forgot) and when I logged on a year later I discovered that the owner had left a terrible review saying that I'd left the place filthy and in a terrible mess. Im still flabbergasted and annoyed now, because it was spotless! Now I always review and make sure I take photos/videos when I leave.
We recently arrived in Airbnb to find exposed nails, peeling wall paper, severe damp, and it was filthy, falling apart. Immediately contacted Airbnb & said we couldn't stay there and they agreed to refund us, we left and found alternative accommodation. I think the host had to agree to cancel the booking and that way neither of us could review.