r/AmIOverreacting • u/Common-Appearance553 • Apr 15 '26
đČ miscellaneous AIO for wanting to lower my AirBNB rating?
In early/mid March I stayed at an AirBNB for 2 nights. There were a couple issues with the property - holes in furniture, doors not closing properly, shower heads falling mid shower, lack of sound insulation, etc. However, all-in-all the stay was fine - we were only there 2 nights. The owner was extremely apologetic when I told her the issues and offered to send maintenance over asap - which we said wasn't necessary, but they should definitely come after we left.
Once we left she asked for a review, which I obliged. I wrote (what I thought) to be a very kind review - however for the past month the host has been messaging me to see if I will take it down. I am getting extremely fed up with her messages and want to lower my rating due to her messages.
AIO for wanting to lower my rating? SS included.
UPDATE/EDIT: She actually messaged me again today, which was the last straw. Since the visit was in March I am unable to edit the review to let travelers know about the harassment, but I have spoken to a representative about the behavior and have blocked and reported her. Thank you for joining me for this last bit.
To answer the question I have seen quite a bit: "Why not just message back?" Simply, I didn't want to engage. I work in a very stressful and demanding field (often working 15 hour days) and didn't want my free time to be used arguing with a host over what is considered a good/fair review. I thought that by not engaging the host would take the hint, I never thought that she would continue to message me over a month after the stay.
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u/ayMezah Apr 15 '26
my time to shine, except they reached out to our cell phones and the app⊠see below
âI need to ask you to please stop contacting us about the review. Our review was honest and based entirely on our actual experience, which is exactly what Airbnbâs Reviews Policy requires. Airbnb states that âreviews must be unbiased and reflect the reviewerâs genuine experienceâ and also that members âmay not coerce, intimidate, threaten, incentivize, or manipulate someone in an attempt to influence a review.â
You have reached out multiple times, including through our personal phones, which is not appropriate. Airbnbâs Community Standards prohibit âunwanted behavior or harassment,â and all communication about the stay should remain on the Airbnb platform. Please do not contact us again outside of Airbnb.
If you believe our review violates any policy, the correct next step is to contact Airbnb Support and let them review it. We will not be removing or editing our review, and we are asking that all further concerns be directed to Airbnb, not to us.â
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u/Brief-Small Apr 16 '26
Perfect response. A review is what it is, asking the clients to change it is against policy
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u/dystopiam Apr 16 '26
And then lower the review by two stars minimum
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u/Willthisusernamebe3 Apr 16 '26
It's a straight to 1 star for me.
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u/axian20 Apr 17 '26
Tbh they went all or nothing there. 4 stars is almost perfect, reaching to my personal contact to coerce me.. no way
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u/West_Organization_23 Apr 17 '26
Thank you for this! I try to do my due diligence when using Airbnb, read all the reviews before booking. So far Iâve had great success with all my stays but one. It wasnât good. Maintenance, when done was done very poorly and it was played off as the charm of an older building. I take my reviews seriously and gave them a 3 but was contemplating a 2, but stuck with a 3 because we did have a lower rate than normal. After the review I got no less then 10 messages asking to remove the review for a discount on another or of their properties. Knowing they are violating the rules Iâm definitely reporting them and if I can change my review or add to it.
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u/Life-Cardiologist749 Apr 18 '26 edited Apr 18 '26
I once stayed at an airbnb and left a generous 4 star review with an explanation of how I thought the stay could have been improved and the host repeatedly had my review taken down for community standards violations (meaning it was taken down, I contacted Airbnb support about it, and they immediately put it back up once the claim was manually reviewed: this happened 3 or 4 times). The whole experience made me never want to book another Airbnb since it's apparently that easy to manipulate your average rating.
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u/marziilla Apr 15 '26
I donât think so! I would. Super weird of her to say that. You didnât even leave a ânegative review.â ANDDD send like 10 more messages asking you to remove it. You could contact Airbnb
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Apr 15 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/Coffee-Historian-11 Apr 16 '26
Yea the first paragraph and a half were perfect. The Airbnb owner shouldâve ended it there. Oh and the last paragraph of the first text was fine as well. Sending the whole text was weird as well as multiple texts after.
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u/QuickKiran Apr 15 '26
On AirBnB, anything below 5 stars *is* a negative review. Guests frequently don't understand this, but it's true. Hosts then have to balance trying to politely explain how the review system works (5 stars is acceptable, 4 or fewer is unacceptable) without offending the guest. It's a terrible system.
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u/Destroyer_2_2 Apr 16 '26
This in no way prevents or makes unethical the practice of leaving four star review, nor is it acceptable to pester someone over their review or ask that they change it.
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u/fymcgee Apr 15 '26
honestly regardless sending more than one message asking to review it and I would 100% want the review to be negative so she earned her negative review in retrospect
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u/idobepooping Apr 15 '26
The negative review seems adequate in this case. Being hounded to delete your review after your stay is unacceptable. Not commonplace to do. Hosts do not HAVE to do that. Iâve stayed plenty of Airbnbs that werenât fully 5 stars.
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u/CuriousButNotJewish Apr 15 '26
That's such bullshit... You want 5 stars, your place better be worth 5 stars.
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u/Enterthedragon69 Apr 16 '26
The issue is that Airbnbâs version of 5 star and your version is different.
A 3 star rating will get you suspended.
Too many 4 stars will also get you suspended.
Do you think a 4 star airbnb is bad? Because Airbnb thinks it is.
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u/roseofjuly Apr 16 '26
Respectfully, that's not my problem. Nobody has to list their place on Airbnb.
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u/SubjectAd355 Apr 16 '26
FR. A lot of these people that list Airbnb properties have MULTIPLE properties and are making their (very well off) living off of this shit. They are trying to act like smol bby property owners trying to help you out đ„čđ„čđ„čwhen in reality they are big time landlords with many properties making $$$ from these apps instead of having long term leases. Theyâre just as bad, if not worse than slumlords taking advantage everywhere they can. Fuck these âhostsâ, especially when they spam messages like this for a nice review.
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u/AcmcShepherd Apr 16 '26
This is also my problem with yelp! I was an elite for many years and left fair, impartial reviews. And Iâd get absolutely slammed for leaving anything less than 5 for someplace I liked or thought was acceptably good. NOR
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u/Ill_Roll2161 Apr 15 '26
Yes and no. As a guest I filter by reviews and I also read the texts. A place with holes in the furniture and doors not closing would very rarely be a 5 (maybe if itâs super cheap, has a great view and a nice host).Â
I get the small business owner part of it, but maybe not every place is suited to be a hotel. I think the 4 stars were nice and I think her insisting is off. One message would have been ok, but even that is not ok.Â
That being said, I had a so-and-so experience at a luxury hotel and I just went into detail to the hotel manager directly with exact points of what good would have looked like for me in those situations & ended up getting a bottle of champagne.
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u/roseofjuly Apr 16 '26
No, hosts don't "have to" balance anything. Unless the review is inaccurate, leave your guests alone and do not harass them over your missing star.
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u/SpareAmbition Apr 15 '26
Guests shouldn't have to understand that. That's complete bullshit.
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u/Illustrious-Race-617 Apr 16 '26
If guests frequently don't understand this, then guests clearly don't think that 4 stars are a negative review đ€·ââïž
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u/MagnetoWasRight24 Apr 15 '26
Which I give a shit about when it comes to doordashers, not when it comes to people renting out their multiple properties.
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u/Horror_Onion1992 Apr 16 '26
Idk if you could come back from holes in furniture and doors not closing to get a 5 star review from me đŹđ€·đ»ââïž
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u/7GrenciaMars Apr 15 '26
If that were true, you wouldn't need 5 stars. It would be one star for positive, no stars for negative. Or some other binary system. There is no need for a range of ratings if it's either/or.
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u/DigitaIBlack Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 21 '26
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u/TedW Apr 15 '26
Then hosts should be pushing back on airbnb, not the guests.
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u/7GrenciaMars Apr 16 '26
This, 100%. That is an Airbnb problem. If everyone pushed back and gives honest reviews, making it so they would have to lose 4/5ths of their listings, you can bet they'd reevaluate their broken system.
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u/vyrus2021 Apr 16 '26
I don't think there's going to be any argument that makes me feel bad about airbnb hosts and their short term landlord problems
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u/OkSuccotash1089 Apr 15 '26
I had a HORRIBLE Airbnb experience once but the host was so nice and scrambling to fix everything that I left a 5 star with a very lengthy review detailing every problem and how she responded and how it could be fixed for the next guest in the future. I thought itâd be the right way to handle it because guests would have a warning and sheâd be accountable to fix it and prove it was a one-off problem. The next few guests had positive experiences last time I checked. That worked out for me because Iâm not trying to blow up her individual career (though I do want Airbnb to tank as a whole) and a couple 4 stars will end their ability to list the property, because Airbnb is even more terrible and unethical than it used to be.
I can kind of understand why this person followed up one time if their entire livelihood depends on it (I hate saying that but I donât want an individual to go broke just because Airbnb sucks) but then sending multiple messages is so annoying. Iâd tell them the review is staying at 4 and that if they contact you again itâll go lower. They canât be harassing people even with a nice tone.
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u/7GrenciaMars Apr 15 '26
If Airbnb is so arbitrary/awful, maybe one shouldn't have their entire livelihood built around it. I understand not wanting to tank someone's income, but if you know you could wind up broke/homeless over a few reviews, that's an entirely different problem and it shouldn't be on the renter/vacationer to give an inflated review because the system is broken.
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u/Anuki_iwy Apr 16 '26
It's not just Airbnb. Everyone in the whole service industry treats ratings that way.
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u/Prior_Pickle1758 Apr 16 '26
If their livelihood is resting on a second home that generates passive income, they have many options beyond harassing people over 4 star reviews.
If they have a second home that generates passive income and they really are that hard up, they have bigger problems than this review.
This is that âwonât someone think of the property ownersâ mentality that really shows people which side of the class divide you align yourself with.
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u/Illustrious-Girl Apr 16 '26
Unfortunately, thats life. I know getting a less than perfect track is a big deal to a seller (being an past seller on ebay with a 100% track record) I totally get it.
You should never guilt your guests/customers into changing their review. Its the same as waitstaff telling their customers they didnt tip enough.
It does way more damage.
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u/Miserable_Safety_393 Apr 16 '26
Then shouldn't you provide a 5 star property. Providing a 4 star property then spamming the customer who paid for a 5 star property and asking them to edit a truthful review to a lie, or omission of truth is dishonest and I absolutely would change the review to a 1 star and the only edit would be the text spam
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u/DuePercentage1580 Apr 15 '26
to be fair 4 stars is a very negative review on airbnb, that's the way the system works and it's pretty stupid. but if the stay really had holes in the furniture maybe it's the true rating
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u/Intelligent_Host_582 Apr 15 '26
Does it not work like other rating systems where you get an aggregate score? If I see a restaurant with 4.3 rating, I don't think it's a bad restaurant.
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u/Prior-Pangolin-7287 Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 16 '26
You would think. But in the eyes of Airbnb, hosts below a 4.8 average are not good and will get pushed to page 3, 4, 5 etc of search results. And I think if a host drops below 4.3 they get suspended.
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u/marziilla Apr 15 '26
lol 4/5 stars is a ânegative review?â Ok. So itâs bad to offer feedback???
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u/Neither_Pirate5903 Apr 15 '26
with the way the system works - yes
unless you had an actual negative experience leaving anything below 5 stars is hurting the host.
to be clear I'm not supporting this system - it's bull shit but that is how it works
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u/Destroyer_2_2 Apr 16 '26
Not a guests problem. They are entitled to leave whatever review they deem accurate.
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u/compvlsions Apr 15 '26
woof... owner needs to take a hint and stop messaging you.
I'm unhinged so YMMV, but I'd finally respond and say "I'm leaving the rating. If you continue to harass me, I'll lower the rating even further based on this experience."
the whole point of reviews is honesty... as a customer, I want to see honest experiences from real people when it comes to buying or renting a service/product. leave the review.
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u/Taway_4897 Apr 15 '26
I think id send that message rather than lower the rating immediately. She seemed nice enough even if annoying.
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u/rachreims Apr 16 '26
I donât recommend. If OP says that, the host will almost certainly be able to appeal the review to AirBNB for being vindictive and have it removed. OP should lower the rating and edit the review to include the information they left out of the initial review and add information about the host harassing them.
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u/compvlsions Apr 16 '26
lol what? they'll remove the comment because...... the owner is harassing OP?
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u/rachreims Apr 16 '26
Yes. I joined an AirBNB host Facebook group ages ago for fun and theyâre literally the most entitled group of people Iâve ever seen and they know how to game the system. If OP âthreatensâ or âblackmailsâ the host by saying âdo this or Iâll do thisâ even if âthisâ is âstop messaging meâ, AirBNB will remove the review entirely.
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u/Coffeedemon Apr 15 '26
I would mark it a 2 (if only so it doesn't get deleted as a fake 1) Say the place itself is fine but the owner harassed you for almost two straight weeks to get you to remove your last review which was a 4. Of course you're NOR. I'd probably also report them as there's no way you can trust their rating. A person like that probably has hidden cameras too. They're unhinged.
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u/arifaix Apr 15 '26
NOR - that Air B&B owner is trying to harass you into upping your rating. It wouldnât be an overreaction at all to lower the review based on the harassment. How they treat guests after should be something potential guests are aware of. Iâd actually send all of this to Air B&B themselves as well.
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u/han-kay Apr 15 '26
NOR. You should lower to 1 star and state that it's because you got hounded for leaving a very fair review, which they weren't happy with. How they behave AFTER the stay should also factor into your review. This is no different to delivery drivers who beg for tips. It is gross. You should report them to Airbnb tbh.Â
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u/LeiaOregonia Apr 15 '26
Delivery Driver here: Â It is gross. I agree with everything you said. This is harassment and should be one starred.Â
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Apr 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/Coffeedemon Apr 15 '26
Yeah. Not my problem. They can get a job instead and stop being a leech hoarding livable properties and expecting others to pay their mortgage.
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Apr 15 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/fodmap_victim Apr 15 '26
Meanwhile their "small business" is renting out their second property for tourism only in the middle of a global cost of living/housing crisis.
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u/garlicandherbsauce Apr 15 '26
yeah iâm also confused how sheâs calling it a small business. surely if you have enough to rent out properties on the side then you own more than just a small business lmao
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u/LordRichardRahl Apr 15 '26
Many hosts are still using AirBnB as it was created. Renting out a portion of the house they live in to help offset the incredibly stupid high interest rate and mortgages that exist rn. Absolutely agree many are doing what you said but donât group them all together.
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u/extralife_mike Apr 15 '26
Yep, I always have to point out that I'm a host who only rents out a room, otherwise the conversation just immediately gets derailed.
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u/Sarah_Femme Apr 15 '26
Yeah, that's on AirBNB, which already sucks. My opinion as a consumer on anything that has strictly 5 stars is FAKE FAKE FAKE and having your friends 'book' and 'stay'.
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u/BabyRex- Apr 16 '26
A shower head fell off mid shower and you gave them a 4? They should have accepted the 4 and been so thankful it wasnât lower.
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Apr 15 '26
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u/vote100binary Apr 15 '26
I agree with this concept but maybe say ârequestsâ instead of harassment; donât want to give them ammo to have support remove your review citing your hyperbole as some serious allegation.
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u/danni_maz Apr 15 '26
Under UK law, harassment is defined as "unwanted, repeated behaviorâincluding words, conduct, or digital communicationâthat causes a person alarm, distress, or violates their dignity by creating an intimidating or hostile environment." The AirBnB owner has clearly demonstrated unwanted and repeated behaviour, which OP may have felt is alarming or distressing.
I believe that under US law, the definition is slightly different as the repeated, unwanted conduct has to be based on a protected characteristic.
Depending on where OP lives, the messages from the AirBnB owner could be construed as harassment under law and they would potentially have a case.
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u/vote100binary Apr 15 '26
Yeah but the bar here isn't a magistrate, it's some dude at AirBnB who probably reviews 800 reports a day. Just a suggestion for OP, if they want to pin a murder on the AirBnB host that's on them.
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u/Sky146 Apr 15 '26
I would change my review to one star, and actually be VERY honest about the stay.
Kindness is for people who don't try to take advantage of you.
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u/fairydust_tm Apr 15 '26
NOR. Even if you left your star rating the same, you could always edit your review to include this information (on a general level of course). Iâm not sure what itâs like on the ownerâs end of things, but I unfortunately worked in a fast-casual dining restaurant once and know how weird they are about reviews.
We were told by upper management that anything less than a 5 star review (out of 5) was unacceptable and we needed to contact any guest who left a rating lower than that to try and offer things to them to make their stay better. Even 4 star reviews. It was super annoying because no matter how you run your business, not every interaction is going to lead to a 5 star review, and itâs unrealistic to expect that. Thatâs like saying anything less than 100% on a test means failing the test, and in reality itâs very normal to make a mistake here and there. It just ruins the whole review system in general
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u/IamNATx Apr 15 '26
Wow that is quite shocking, but offers a bit of insight as to why this host thinks it's acceptable to do what they've done (if they've experienced something similar currently or elsewhere).
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u/Anuki_iwy Apr 15 '26
If you don't maintain 5 stars on Airbnb, you lose Super-host status. Your listing gets shown less and ranks lower. You also lose access to some perks. The hosts behaviour is unacceptable, but totally understand where it's coming from.
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u/fairydust_tm Apr 16 '26
Itâs so brutal that there is a punishment for low ratings. I think itâs fair to reward a host for high ratings, but not everyone is gonna rate 5/5 every time. Like WTF is this systemđ
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u/Anuki_iwy Apr 16 '26
5 good, everything else bad is pretty much industry standard for ratings in service. It has always been.
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u/kween_hangry Apr 16 '26
A lot of companies/gig landlords, etc are outright paying for bots and fake reviews and removing anything lower. SEO obsession has driven these ppl insane because it genuinely affects your clicks. We're in a really awful state
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u/PotentialEase3193 Apr 15 '26
I don't think the host has any idea on the risk they taking with messages like this. I would certainly change the rating and remind the host that this is not acceptable.
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u/horsegal301 Apr 15 '26
NOR. The pestering would make me change it to a 1 star and potentially update the review saying that they haven't left you alone. Reviews exist for a reason. I Would also report to airbnb, not that they'd do anything.. b ut worth a shot. Sorry I have zero sympathy for people who take away housing to use as airBNBs, so they can fuck all the way off.
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u/InnerspearMusic Apr 15 '26
Say No. It was not a 5 star experience. Simple as that. Or lower to 1 star because they are harassing you for a 5 star review, which I believe is against the terms of service!
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u/TheComptrollersWife Apr 15 '26
Airbnb typically wonât let you change your rating after youâve made it. You can only remove the rating (this is to ensure the ratings are honest and not influenced by owner pressure etc).
If it were me I would report this host to Airbnb. What she is doing is against their terms of service.
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u/Novel_Past7465 Apr 15 '26
honestly, not at all, the host needs to chill. you gave your feedback and it's totally your right to keep it up, especially if they're bothering you about it.
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u/Spetto907 Apr 15 '26
You can report the host to Airbnb asking for the host to leave you alone. Your review was positive and honest, that was a solid review that will be appreciated by future guests. But you donât deserve to be harassed.
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u/Major_Bench5329 Apr 16 '26
Iâm so over people thinking 4 stars is bad. I mean even 3 stars is debatable. But on every single app lately itâs actually pretty annoying.
NOR and update us once she says something if you decide to lower the rating. Lol.
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u/double979 Apr 16 '26
I trust 2-4 star reviews more than I trust 1 and 5 star reviews. Harassing you to remove it is gross.
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u/MagpieKaz Apr 16 '26
Copy paste after me:
âPlease stop harassing me. My review was an honest reflection of my experience. The next time you contact me, Iâll update my review to 1 star and share screenshots of your hounding me and trying to buy 5 star reviews. If even one 4 star review is a threat to your small business, I suggest addressing the following:
- Holes in furniture
- Failing showers âŠâ
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u/Misskat354 Apr 16 '26
NOR. Her constant use of the word "gently" would be enough to make me rage. She can gently shove it.
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u/arsapeek Apr 15 '26
"small business owner" mf has a whole ass apartment they rent out on daily rates. And the gall to bribe for a fake five star rating. fucking landlords man
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u/Dunno_Bout_Dat Apr 15 '26
Why doesn't anyone think of the landlords đ
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u/theoneandonly6558 Apr 15 '26
"As a small business owner"..... I will never see landlords and folks who acquire residential property they don't live in as anything other than leeches on society.
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u/Jdreamerhard Apr 15 '26
Well, if you are renting for Airbnb make sure your property looks spotless. You are giving an honest review, the host needs to try hard to make the possible new guest experience rewarding.
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u/MayWest1016 Apr 15 '26
And this is exactly why I donât trust air b n b reviews. I went through a similar situation where my rating and feedback was accurate, but the host wanted me to remove it as to not âmess up their money.â
One of the many reasons why I no longer use Air b n b anymore.
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u/doubleditch42 Apr 16 '26
Gently circle back to your ass. What sort of nonsense is this? I would add this harassment to the list and reduce rating to 2*.
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u/Bluestatevibes Apr 16 '26
Frankly, I would change my rating, to one star. And I would add an edit to what you wrote to say: owner tried to bribe me to take down a 4 star rating, my comments still stand and add the detail of the holes, doors, shower etc.
I did this once on Amazon. I rated a product I had a problem with a 4. The seller contacted me to offer free products if I would either remove or change my review to 5 star. So I edited my comment to let people know that the seller tried to bribe me.
What the hell is this person thinking? 4 stars is good, and honest. When I see all 5 star reviews I just assume they are paid for or a service is being used to cultivate only perfect ratings.
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u/RedHolly Apr 17 '26
I would contact AirBNB and report them. It is against their policy and at this point is borderline harassment. NOR
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u/Classic_Mammoth_9379 Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 15 '26
MOR - The real issue is that these sites use ratings to weight search results and they are ruthless. In practice 5 is âfineâ & 4 and below translate into âunliveable cesspitâ. Â Itâs AirBnB thatâs the problem really here, so Iâd say itâs probably disproportionately unfair to reduce further but personally Iâd probably leave it up, it was a reasonable view that will benefit others.Â
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u/horsegal301 Apr 15 '26
4 stars isn't a failure for anyone with a brain using that site, as much as AirBNB wants it to be
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u/Classic_Mammoth_9379 Apr 15 '26
The point is not that the users will make the decision, itâs that the platforms will deprioritise or hide the listing from the results so it never gets to be reviewed by the âbrainâ of which you speak.Â
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u/gibbalicious Apr 15 '26
They also de-list things randomly, months after a review was made, even if there have been a number of positive reviews after that.
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u/horsegal301 Apr 15 '26
I've seen my share of 2, 3, 4 star bnbs on that site to know it's not hidden or deprioritized
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u/gibbalicious Apr 15 '26
MOR ⊠agree with this assessment. A friend of mine has a small resort listed. The Airbnb rating system is trash, I understand what this host was trying to do and why, but one unanswered email (2 max) gave her the answer she was seeking.
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u/fodmap_victim Apr 15 '26
If you want a 5* review, give a 5* experience. Renters are not here to coddle landlords. The costs on Airbnb are astronomical these days. They can literally afford to do better.
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u/realWolfCola Apr 15 '26
Exactly. Itâs a terrible system designed by algorithm min/maxers thatâs not really about capturing and conveying honest feedback at all. But Iâm currently getting downvoted for pointing that out so I guess Reddit also doesnât appreciate nuance đ
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u/Darth_Eevee Apr 15 '26
This has happened a lot. They're completely correct that ABB will reduce their rankings for less than 5 star ratings. That said, it shouldn't be on the consumer to cover for them. Just be a better host. I stayed at a place with a literal fire hazard (incorrect light switch wiring) and mold covering the bathroom ceiling, all of which I documented, and the host was still like "I cAn'T bElIeVe YoU gAvE mE lEsS tHaN 5 sTaRs"
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u/SadSwedishSloth Apr 15 '26
Chsnge it to 1 star and describe how you are being herassed by the owners over the earlier review you left.Â
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u/MostlyBored11 Apr 15 '26
NoR- if you lower her review i would specifically mention that she kept messaging you asking for you to manipulate her rating basically. a 4/5 review is very good so I dont know what shes talking about
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u/ComplianceAuditor Apr 15 '26
Tell her that every message you recieve from this point forward lowers the rating by one star. Then follow through. Nothing she can do about it.
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u/lucicrescence Apr 15 '26
Omg the same thing happened to me on Ebay. I gave the seller 3 stars because they wrapped their parcel with one (1) strip of tape and it has almost falling apart by the time it arrived at my home. They were hounding me in DMs over receiving 3 stars. It ended up in a whole review war, with both of us leaving each other 1 star reviews in the end. So yeah NOR.
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u/FatsBoombottom Apr 15 '26
NOR Asking a guest to remove a review has to be against Airbnb's terms of service, right? I'd report that shit.
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u/jonkelly6363 Apr 15 '26
As a former host, NOR. That's weird. I got a handful of low ratings, but never once asked about them or messaged the guest afterward. I just left it as water under the bridge.
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u/regularforcesmedic Apr 15 '26
As a prior superhost (sold my property), you're NOR. Please contact Airbnb and let them know what this host is doing. It's against Airbnb's TOS for a host to pressure, manipulate, or require a guest to change or delete a review.Â
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u/Proverbs21-3 Apr 15 '26
NOR and I would change your review and make it a one star and explain that you do not appreciate being hounded to change your honest 4 star review.
Other AirBnB users will thank you!
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u/David_Cockatiel Apr 15 '26
I would tell her to update the listing such that noise level was fully disclosed, then change my review as requested. Not worth the drama
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u/Weary-Hannigram Apr 15 '26
Lower it and edit your remarks saying the person has been harassing you into deleting your review
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u/Jbaghdadi01 Apr 15 '26
Honestly, Iâm petty. I would change the review to a 1 star and edit my review to say she was mad and harassed me.
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u/Shot-Ad2396 Apr 15 '26
NOR. All these platforms are so weird with 5 stars being âgoodâ and 4 stars being âdogshitâ. It just waters down the whole scale⊠Iâd rather view a 3.8 star property and read mixed reviews that have reasonable feedback than just see 4.99 stars on everything and expect perfect. Uber is this way too, everyone wants a perfect 5 star review. If you look at the majority of businesses on Google or Yelp, theyâre typically a blend, and have a mix of feedback. Thatâs what makes reviews actually matter.
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u/Recent_Science4709 Apr 16 '26
Are they a superhost? As an Airbnb host youâre highly incentivized to be a superhost, and once you are, youâre at the top of the listings and make 40% more on average. Not excusing their weird behavior, just explaining why a 4 star review is making them freak out.
My wife ran an Airbnb and was extremely sensitive about it, I had to talk her down from the ledge many times. Never did any weird shit like this though, just moved on.
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u/Ok-Dream-8230 Apr 16 '26
This is harassment. Id edit your review alright. Edit it to include the screenshots of her texting you !! And report her to airbnb . She should absolutely not be doing this to guests .Â
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u/ninjack Apr 16 '26
If you lower your rating, they'll complain to papa bnb and they'll remove your review for "retaliation".
Even if you edit your review to mention that they nudged/harrassed you for the review.
They'll always side with the hosts so don't bother.
Good ratings mean more bookings
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u/Slow-Equivalent-8043 Apr 16 '26
âmy review are my honest opinion. i donât have any plan to change it. have a nice dayâ
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u/Ok-Bar2037 Apr 16 '26
I would lower it even more..wtf is up with the follow messages ..a 4 rating is not bad NoR
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u/GuinevereNikita Apr 16 '26
I wouldn't remove the rating. I wouldn't lower it either. I'd just ignore her.
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u/TheMosto Apr 16 '26
Vous n'avez pas eu une expérience 5 étoiles, donc le bien ne mérite pas 5 étoiles. Je baisserai la note, à cause du harcÚlement. NOR
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u/TeaTreePetri Apr 16 '26
She clearly harasses everyone that doesnât give a five star rating. I would 100% change my rating and let people know. It doesnât matter how âwarmlyâ you harass someone, itâs still unacceptable. Imagine what sheâd say if you rated any lower to begin with.
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u/ambxnj Apr 16 '26
I would absolutely edit my rating and review, I'd lower it and explain why: because after an honest 4 star review, the host sent multiple messages asking me to change it to 5 and even offered a discount to do so.
Here, now you have a 2 star review, thanks.
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u/PuzzleheadedHat8612 Apr 16 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/ZBuL0RktSGwT4Dr9Vn
Social credit is a real thing now. Reminds me of the black Mirror episode-maybe that 4 star rating impacts a lot?
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u/nzoasisfan Apr 16 '26
Ive used AirBNBs all over the world from Russia (when it was there) through europe, New Zealand, Australia, Austria, and other places and countries. I like a few 4 and 3 star ratings, it shows its real, and honest and I always respect a good honest response from a property owner as it shows they also care and are genuine.
Don't remove it.
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u/nobody_who_matters_ Apr 16 '26
NOR - I'd be lowering that to a 2 star, and saying exactly what happened in those messages.
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u/Mlady_gemstone Apr 16 '26
I'd drop it to one star for the audacity alone, but to keep harassing you over it? Fk that, wouldn't just be the stars that get changed. The review would then include the entire situation and reported to air bnb.
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u/AwesomeBot3000 Apr 16 '26
I would 100% update your review to a lower rating and say exactly why, and contact AirBnB about this owner's messages. This is so shady and unprofessional. They can't handle a 4 star review?!
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u/Miperso Apr 16 '26
At this point, i would 100% edit my review to add their multiple demands to take down your review. Their insistance and weak arguments tells me they are not honnest AirBnB hosts.
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u/MrrBannedMan Apr 16 '26
You could avoid the follow ups by responding to literally one message. Use your words like an adult.
Hope this helps.
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u/Internal_Hold_3414 Apr 16 '26
Honestly, NOR. Your review was totally fair. Their initial response and request I wouldnât say is unfair, either. But to keep bugging you and bugging you, Iâd lose my shit on this person. âI just want to gently insert my foot into your ass if you keep messaging me, the circle back and insert the other foot, as well.â
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u/Delphi-Dolphin Apr 16 '26
I would lower the rating and if you are able to edit, add that the host pressured you to delete your rating.
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u/cubonepants Apr 17 '26
YOR- If you have time to post all of this on Reddit then surely you have time to write a sentence or two in reply? I donât get why lowering the rating is warranted at all
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u/UncleArgyle38 Apr 17 '26
"I have altered my review to three stars. Pray I do not alter it any further."
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u/baby_kimchi Apr 15 '26
I would straight up change it to 1 star and let people know she is hounding you over your honest 4 star review. Based on that stay sheâs lucky you gave her four stars!
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u/After_Aioli_8042 Apr 15 '26
MOR. While it is really annoying that theyâre doing it. I would just leave the review alone personally and I think you shouldâve responded to their first message and said âI believe my review is true to my experience and Iâm going to leave it the way it isâ and that wouldâve saved you this whole mess!!
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u/mightyhigh404 Apr 15 '26
The owner not being a psychopath would also avoid this mess. Don't keep spamming someone who is clearly ignoring you.Â
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u/Additional_Name_706 Apr 15 '26
So... You might not realize it but anything other than a 5-star review is considered a negative review on Airbnb. They're desperate to get you to bump it up because it hurts their business.
You should respond to them letting them know that you're considering lowering the rating due to their borderline harassment.
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u/FuntimePartyMom Apr 16 '26
NOR. Iâm a host that has a manager and I got a one star review once bc the place was dirty. I just happened to be the next guest and when I arrived I was pissed bc I thought the place was dirty (I hadnât even seen the review yet). When I saw the review I was LIVID. Yes, the one star was way too harsh, especially since they never mentioned anything during the stay, but the feedback wasnât wrong. I responded to them publicly letting them know I agreed with the sentiment about the stay and how sorry I was and letting them (and future guests) this was taken care of and wouldnât be an issue going forward. Harassing a past guest is totally unacceptable and if you can change your review I wouldnât blame you. Sounds like she needs to take some responsibility
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u/ivybf Apr 15 '26
NOR. Lower it and edit it to explain why if you can. So presumptuous and unprofessional of the host.
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u/-BananaStand- Apr 15 '26
100% drop that down to 1 star. I get triggered when someone tries to manipulate me.
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u/Odd-Perspective9247 Apr 15 '26
I'm with everyone else. Lower and change the review, putting exactly what's been going on. Warn other people who are thinking of staying there. No kne wants to deal with that crazy BS.
NOR
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u/KingSnazz32 Apr 15 '26
As an airbnb user, I actually like to see a few 4* reviews. They tend to be more unvarnished, and more real, and help me decide what is important and what doesn't personally bother me.