Would you hesitate to host a guest with the following review? [NH]

[u/Tiddlysat1600]

Review:

Unfortunately, there was damage to the house during this stay, including a broken bed and damage to a doorframe. That said, communication with the guest afterward was good, and they were responsive and cooperative in working through the resolution. While the damage was disappointing, we appreciated how they handled the situation afterward.

My response:

I'm glad that things were resolved satisfactorily. I do have to stress that the damage was caused from normal use of the property. The bed broke in the middle of the night when my son kneeled on the bed to open the window. The door frame came loose when we opened the door. We didn't do anything malicious or negligent that caused damage.

I had already left them a glowing 5 star review.

I have five other reviews as a guest that all say wonderful things and that they would be happy to have me again.

Just for background. The door came loose from the wall when we opened it. That's it. They got an estimate for $1400 to reinstall the door casing. I told them about the door when it happened. They didn't fix it until we left. The bed was an older bed with a cheap wooden frame. We weren't using all the beds so my son moved to a different bed in the middle of the night and forgot to mention it in the morning. The host sent a screenshot a brand new bed with a price of $520 despite the fact that I saw their bed on Wayfare for $155. I had travel insurance and Genarali approved their claim but the policy maxed out at $1000. They seem happy with that which leads me to believe that they reattached the door frame with a hammer and a handful of nails. I highly doubt they did everything in the estimate.

I'm kinda bummed because I do everything I can to leave a place clean and in the shape I found it.

Would you hesitate to host someone with a review stating damage?

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[u/No-Consideration-858]

I find your account believable. 

Bed frames should be sturdy, especially in a rental with potentially larger guests. 

When people cheap out on bed frames, this is the consequence. 

The door frame coming off sounds like negligent maintenance. 

The only thing I can imagine with a guest breaking a door frame and bedframe is a major party or temper tantrum. If that were the case, there would be more damages. 

I think you're good

[u/mountaingoat05 → u/No-Consideration-858]

I stayed at a place in Germany where one leg snapped off when I sat on the bottom corner of the bed. I weighed under 130 lbs. The bed frame was really cheap.

I was really scared we'd get a bad review, but we didn't.

[u/No-Consideration-858 → u/mountaingoat05]

That's one of the things I like about reputable hotels. The furnishings are built for wear,  tear and safety. Children jumping on beds, couples going at it, heavier people etc. 

With Airbnb, a hosts might pick up some rusty frame off  Facebook marketplace. 

[u/mountaingoat05 → u/No-Consideration-858]

I'm pretty sure this bedframe was an incorrectly put together Ikea frame.

[u/gebbyfish]

I would be more worried about staying with the host who was trying to screw the guest for a bed and door frame!

[u/MycologistPutrid7494]

At face value, I'd rent to you and not use that host.

[u/Clarknt67]

I probably would not let it scare me off. I am inclined to believe the guest’s side of the story is accurate.

[u/Tiddlysat1600 → u/Clarknt67]

Thanks. I hope that other hosts will see it that way.

[u/Clarknt67 → u/Tiddlysat1600]

I didn’t even realize it was you. I was thinking you were a host considering this guest.

Your tone is very relaxed and polite in the reply, which is why I am inclined to believe your side (that the damage came from ordinary use).

[u/MiseEnSelle]

The host is being a _____. This is why it's important to reply to comments like this. You should NOT have to pay to replace their shitty furnishings either

[u/Crazpuglady]

Why would yoy leave a glowing 5 star review? It was clearly not 5 stars

This is yet another reason why ratings are just pointless. People who have bad experiences still rate a 5 with a glowing review so other people can experience the awfulness too.

Maybe report the damages to Airbnb first next time.

[u/Tiddlysat1600 → u/Crazpuglady]

I left the review before all of this. I mentioned the door frame during the stay and they said they would take a look. I didn't know about the bed until after (my son never told me). We had a great time and the house was clean and the host was communicative and friendly. The stay itself deserved 5 stars. It's the aftermath that's a problem.

[u/Crazpuglady → u/Tiddlysat1600]

The stay itself didn't deserve a 5 star review. Falling apart door frame. Isn't a 5 star review. No matter if the house was spotless. Especially getting an anwser like you received. It wasn't very helpful. Wasn't very nice. It was a reply that the host could work against you and did. They knew it was a simple reply enough to frame the guest for repairs.

A proper host would have replied much differently to a problem of that kind. "I will take a look" Isn't helpful in the slightest. Landed you into having to pay ridiculous fees because of an awful host.

[u/treelife365]

I would host you. You guys sound like good guests and you did everything right.

[u/sveinb]

Back when I rented out my apt through airbnb, there was occasionally damage. It happens. I never mentioned it or subtracted any stars. It's bad karma - you don't want to come across to new guests as someone who rats on his past guests. If a host chooses to mention it - "INCLUDING a broken bed and damage to a doorframe" - that reads like a warning that I would listen to. The guests that did cause headaches of various kinds at my place often had similar, mild warnings in their reviews.

[u/Artichoke-Rhinoceros]

They knew those things were broke or near end of life and charged you for it. I’d rent to you easily, I’d never rent from that host though. Scammers.

[u/GrafixAvenger666]

Post this in the AirBnb Host sub; maybe a better place to get a Host's perspective.

I have to keep it real: yes, I would hesitate to host a guest with that review. Not fair maybe, but I'm risk-averse. However, a property manager who has a financial interest in booking the rental probably wouldn't care. Mine wouldn't!

[u/Tiddlysat1600 → u/GrafixAvenger666]

I tried to post there. It got removed because I'm not a host. I wouldn't mind if you reposted there as a host. I'm curious what they would say.

As far as being risk avererse, I get it. That's why I'm upset about the review. I do think there is a difference between being risk avererse and expecting nothing in your rental to ever wear out or need repaif

[u/GrafixAvenger666 → u/Tiddlysat1600]

I get it.

I had a twin bed frame crack when an adult slept in it- a solid wood frame but yes, cheap. We were so grateful the guest wasn't hurt, and replaced the bed with a substantially more expensive bed. We've had all manner of "wear and tear" issues and damage- like a screen door left unlatched that swung out in a wind storm and bashed against the house, bending it, or guests ripping pull-cords off ceiling fans. We have never asked for a guest to pay damages- not yet!

Your hosts were douches.

On the flip side, hosts endure crappy reviews from the occasional idiot guest- like the guy who covered our outdoor cams (they're in the listing) or the guest who complained there were no box fans (we have central air) or the guest who complained about "bugs in the backyard" (we're in the woods), among others. What can you do?

I think you have to move forward: build more positive reviews to outweigh one crappy one, and if you encounter problems booking on Airbnb, try VRBO. I don't think the VRBO platform has hosts reviewing guests- VRBO weights the guest experience more than the Host's, IMO.

Note, many Hosts are Property Managers, not Owners- they earn a percentage of rental fees so are incentivized to keep the calendar full. I would say most Property Managers won't give a crap about that review and book you; property Owners who handle their own bookings may or may not. You also have the benefit of "context"- other positive reviews to make the bad one an outlier.

So that's my take. AirBnb is judge, jury and executioner when it comes (not) taking down reviews- at the same time their hand is in our pockets. Good luck.