Comments on: Guests can Extort because Airbnb doesn’t Enforce its Policies

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 13:10:19 +0000

In reply to Brian. I have had several guests try this, one of them just this morning. I always tell them we have a strict cancellation policy and cannot accommodate their request. We’ve had a couple ppl try to leave damaging reviews, but we have so many it doesn’t faze us.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 05:38:22 +0000

Yes, make sure all communication is through the Airbnb message service. BTW, some hosts have had luck with sending Airbnb customer service screen caps of text messages on their phones as evidence of review extortion and successfully had Airbnb remove these reviews.

By: Jonah S

Jonah S — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 22:37:13 +0000

Everyone complains that Airbnb favors hosts. Here, you’re all complaining that Airbnb favors guests. Guess what? It goes both ways. I’ve had Airbnb remove a bad review for threatening language. The key to all of this is to Make Sure All Communication Occurs On The Airbnb App ONLY. You can’t use texts to prove your case. What is Airbnb sees on their platform is the evidence they have, and usually they make it right for either the host or the guest. So, learn how to do things properly and exactly how Airbnb advises you, and you’ll have a good experience.

By: Jacqueline Winter

Jacqueline Winter — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 18:36:06 +0000

Yes, guests seem to have all the power and control. There is little support for hosts. If we give a guest a bad review it’s no big deal to them. It is not their livelihood. We have always gone above and beyond for guests but is amazing what they complain about in their reviews. Its like they need to critique and find something wrong. We have been unfairly reviewed many times when guests wrote retaliatory reviews due to us trying to address their poor behavior such as smoking in premises, bringing more guests then allowed, disturbing neighbors late at night.
And then Airbnb has punished us at one point by unlisting us for a few weeks without notice and without hearing from us what actually happened. I am happy to be out of Airbnb. It was nice while it lasted but I don’t need the stress and headache of dealing with entitled assholes. Airbnb needs to rethink their business model rather than just trying to rake in as much cash as they can. They need to screen guests better and support hosts.

By: Geoffrey

Geoffrey — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 17:10:57 +0000

I had a guest who wanted me to send her a fake invoice for a greater amount than that she paid so she could pass it to her client for reimbursement and threatened a bad review if I did not comply.

I acted stupid getting her to spell out her demands in detail. Once I had enough evidence I emailed her instructing her to cease and desist and if she publishes or causes to be published a review I would forward the file to the police for her to be charged with fraud without any further notice.

She did not publish a review.