Anonymous wrote:Had a recent stay through AirBNB that I am quite sure was unauthorized and had some major differences than the listing. (There were good parts about the stay, but the listing is clearly misleading.)
From what I understand, the lister also rates us users, and I don’t want a negative review for myself.

What do you do in cases like this?

Please submit a review and also REPORT if you think it was unauthorized. (In what way??) Airbnb only works if people honestly review properties. Why put a future guest through a bad situation when you could’ve said something?? Anyway, they do not see your review before they submit theirs. Unless you were a nightmare guest, it will not affect your own review.

I have written a few, very deserved bad reviews. (Not mean but honest.) I’ve also reported one property— a property that had a few great reviews that I suspect many people did not want to negatively review because the host was nice. That annoys me. This isn’t a friendship— it’s a business transaction. I got glowing reviews in return because I’m a good guest. It has nothing to do with your own rating.

I was worried that future hosts would see a negative review and then not want to rent to me.

I did let the owner know during our stay, though, and it still bugs me that he was like "oh crusty food in all the dishes in the cabinet? Maybe they put them away without realizing the dishwasher was not run. Only one working lightbulb in the entire condo? Oh well, look in the cabinet. Beds not made? Again, check the cabinet for sheets."

Super fun to spend the first few hours of vacation after getting in late super hungry washing dishes, changing lightbulbs, and making beds.

I always leave reviews and if I have criticisms I work hard to make sure I'm fair and balanced.

Only once have I had a terrible experience and the host/owner acknowledged it and discounted the stay. I was very candid with them directly about our experience. I ended up deciding not to put up a review for them. I couldn't find a way to be honest without really damaging their likelihood of future rentals. And they had a robust, long standing, stellar history of reviews - so I was reasonably persuaded that my experience was a one off.

So I didn't leave a review for that one. And they were - appropriately - vastly relieved and appreciative.

Other times I'm very candid w/ the host directly and then carefully tempered, but honest, in my public review.

If it was disappointing but not awful, I leave a neutral review and message the host about problems.

Anonymous wrote:Yes of course. That’s the only way others can know about potential problems and avoid those properties. Why wouldn’t you leave an honest review?!

The whole unauthorized AirBnB thing is a big problem and AirBnB plays blind deaf and dumb about it even though it puts customers in a crap position and you should report it. We arrived exhausted from a long haul flight to another country with two young kids, to a sign on the condo building that clearly said "No AirBnBs allowed." We were exhausted and stayed, but the next day when we entered, the security guard tried to chase us out and we had to move to a hotel last minute and AirBnB wasn't so good about getting our money back to us, and didn't compensate us for having to get hotel rooms at the last second and move locations. It was bad. I think AirBnB is typically cheaper than hotels, but they're often cheaper because they operate on the edges of legality and I don't think that's right.

hard

You state facts in a posed, neutral way. That way, your review is credible, no matter what the host writes for your review.

I did write a negative review once, and the host wasn't happy because she told me that if only I'd alerted her during my stay, she would have fixed it. But no: the place was dusty (I had to rewash every dish before using it), the shower water was cold, the washer didn't work, and we only stayed there for 2 days - no time to fix. I liked the host well enough, she was a young mother with too much on her plate, no doubt, but this was the best way for her to learn to do better. And I wasn't harsh in my review. I just stated facts, good and bad.

I learned my lesson as well. Never let my husband pick a cheap AirBnB just on vibes! And when I pick, I always look for a cleanliness score of 5. It's really had to achieve, so if the host can do it, the rest falls into place automatically.

Yes of course. That’s the only way others can know about potential problems and avoid those properties. Why wouldn’t you leave an honest review?!

The reviews are done independently and go "live" 2 weeks after you complete your stay- they can't see yours until then. Now, there is a response option after the reviews are posted.

Anyway, be honest and just state the facts- what you saw in the pictures/description, what was actually there, etc.

I did leave a bad review recently and the owner in turn completely trashed me and was a complete jerk. I don’t regret it tho. The place was awful.

Only if they review me as well.

If I did not like a place, I usually just don't leave a review.

I only ever stayed at one, and considered it, because the "beds" were two air mattresses stacked on each other, and NO furniture other than one wooden chair in the bedroom, but ultimately it was clean, safe and the owners were really nice, so didn't bother.

I write negative reviews if we had a negative experience, and positive reviews if we had a positive experience.

I would point out the things you wish you had known but not in accusatory or negative way. Like “the bathroom on the second floor has no door but that wasn’t a problem for us” or something.

Had a recent stay through AirBNB that I am quite sure was unauthorized and had some major differences than the listing. (There were good parts about the stay, but the listing is clearly misleading.)
From what I understand, the lister also rates us users, and I don’t want a negative review for myself.

What do you do in cases like this?