Airbnb host gave us a bad review!

[airbbbnb]

This is the first time I have used Airbnb. So perhaps I'm not versed at how to properly use it.

However, we spent up from 3.5 k for a house for a week and I think we had to pay around 200-250 for cleaning.

This was in a southern European country.

We have two young kids and we had a nice time but had to leave early due to a family emergency.

We stripped all the beds and put all towels and sheets in the washroom.

We cleaned the kitchen and sweeped the floors.

Some rubbish was left in the bins outside, because the weekly collection came after we already left.

We apologised for this and they told us not to worry.

We received a bad review - all around the fact that we left all the bedding and towels in the washroom and that they could see children's finger print marks on a lot of surfaces and on windows. They also mentioned that there was some sand on the floor under the beds. Obviously we didn't sweep well enough.

I don't really understand why I need to pay a cleaning fee if I need to clean windows ?

I'm never using Airbnb again.

We used an Airbnb about eight years ago

Host posted a review of us that complained that we cooked food in the kitchen and that it left a lingering smell.

No extractor fan and window didn’t open. It wasn’t even fish or anything, it was just some grilled chicken, boiled baby potatoes and a salad. Apart from that just things like toast.

There were a few problems with the place so we had just decided not to post a review (on the don’t say anything if you can’t say anything nice type basis). She posted her review at the last possible moment so I think she felt aggrieved we hadn’t posted an immediate glowing review.

First and last time using Airbnb.

Does it honestly matter what they thought of you?

To never use it again seems so petty. Just never book with that host again.

A lot of AirBnBs are like this now. It’s ridiculous. I’ve also stopped using them because of this requirement to clean after yourself. I don’t pay to go on holiday to do that! Especially with an extortionate cleaning fee added on.

So I have never left a bad review for anything in my life. It's just not my style. I feel like it's bad karma.

I left a glowing review. Even though there were some issue. The sheets were sticky and smelled really bad and I washed them before we slept in the beds- same with blankets. It's unacceptable really, but I didn't mention it to the hosts I also didn't write it in the review.

In addition, the intent was rubbish.

Not happy about the situation and will never use it again. I wish I could delete my glowing review. But I can't. I still wouldn't leave a bad review but I shouldn't have left a good one.

It's not for me, I don't want to have to worry about this kind of stuff. It sounds like it's common.

I really wouldn't be put off using Air BnB because of one bad experience. All hosts are individuals and most certainly don't behave like that.

You can write a response to the review.

I don't expect people to fully clean before they leave, that's just ridiculous as it gets cleaned again anyway! The only reason I would leave a bad review for a guest would be malicious or obviously not caring damage. I've never left a bad review.

Well yeah you shouldn't have left a good one! The sheets were smelly and sticky and you left a good review? I just can't believe that. Better to leave no review than a fake one which is what yours would have been.

Yes, because hosts look at guest reviews when deciding who to rent to. If people have bad reviews they might not be able to rent what they want.

Yes! This is exactly the kind of thing I'd like to know before I book somewhere. Please don't leave glowing reviews of places where you had to WASH THE SHEETS before you could use them. I'd be so incredibly grossed out by that it would ruin my stay. An honest review is so valuable.

So I have never left a bad review for anything in my life. It's just not my style. I feel like it's bad karma.

You're making life difficult for the rest of us.

We stayed in one and it was awful and i left an honest review. But for some reason my review immediately slipped way down the page of reviews!!!

Use a professional service instead of Air BNB next time.

How is writing a fake review helpful to anyone? The owner or future guests?

If something isn't right, say something.

Future guests aren't benefitting from you lying.

You can appeal to Airbnb to have the review withdrawn.

I am a host and there’s nothing that you have written. I have left good reviews for people who have left shit smeared round the toilet, one who’s dogs pissed in the accommodation - neither ideal not overall they were good guests. I rarely leave a bad review and try to be objective.

I expect to clean after a guest has left - nothing you have described in the review sounds unreasonable on your part. I would be put off staying with someone who complained about those “issues”.

The reviews are in date order.

i once had a guests review removed. He said he’d fallen out with his BF and had to sleep in the car so had a terrible stay! I appealed to Airbnb who agreed it wasn’t relevant to my accommodation.

Do they? I've only used AirBnB twice but I simply found the cottage and booked. There was no pending status until my credentials were checked out.

Yes, it’s ridiculous!

Also, are there consequences for a just leaving a bad review for guests? I mean, does it show up on your profile and might put other hosts off you for subsequent bookings?

It makes a complete mockery of the review system if people leave glowing reviews for hosts and guests that don't warrant them.

It's also harming other people. I don't want a guest who is going to smear shit around the bathroom (nor does my cleaner) and I don't want to stay somewhere where I'd need to wash the bedding before I could sleep in it.

If you really can't bring yourself to leave a truthful review then don't leave one at all. It's not compulsory.

I stay in lots of places throughout the year, mostly for work. I would never, ever use Airbnb due to this kind of thing.

If the site doesn't clean up it's act then the sooner the bad ones lose their business the better. I'm sorry for the ones who don't treat their guests this way but, we managed without this 'product' before.

What did the house rules say?

I also don’t get why you would leave a glowing review if there were issues especially with sheets.

As a host you can opt for instant book or booking request, so it depends on what they have chosen.

That's probably because the reviews are in location order, starting with reviews from the country the property is in. So for example I'm in Cornwall, any reviews I get from people in Canada, USA etc show at the bottom in the UK. If people from Canada are searching on Air BnB the Canada reviews show at the top.

Sounds bonkers but makes sense as people from different regions have different expectations. I've had two bad reviews in 6 years, both from Australians who say it's too small and the roads are too narrow.

This. Why would you (OP) leave a good review when there were issues? I rely heavily on reviews when choosing where to stay.

I didn’t know that. I always just put it in date order for reviews. I read the reviews from the guests and I’ll admit some of the complaints make me eye-roll.

I'll never use Airbnb now. It used to be good and a nice alternative to hotels, I stayed in a fab one in Edinburgh far cheaper than a hotel would've been and the only thing the host asked me to do was put the bins out. I did strip and wash the bedding when I left but only as a courtesy, it wasn't expected. Now it's a joke, charging extortionate cleaning fees while also expecting guests to clean up the house from top to bottom. I'm on holiday, I don't want to do fucking laundry and deep cleaning.

Hotels all the way. Whatever money would've been spent on cleaning fees can go as a tip to house keeping, given that they actually clean and don't expect me to do it.