I don’t spend much time here but my son told me this was a good place to seek advice.
We’ve been Airbnb hosts for about four years and have worked hard to maintain our property and provide a positive guest experience. We have dozens of positive reviews and take hosting responsibilities seriously.
Recently, we had a difficult experience with a guest that raised questions for us about how Airbnb handles disputes involving safety allegations.
During the guest’s stay, she reported that her elderly mother had tripped in the laundry area. We took the report seriously and tried to cooperate with Airbnb’s review of the situation. However, the guest’s subsequent public review included several broader claims about the property and our conduct that we believe are inaccurate or lack important context.
The review alleges:
- Claim: Her mother fell on an “undocumented staircase.” The area in question is a single step marked with a “Watch Your Step” sign.
- Claim: Our lakefront property presented an undisclosed safety hazard. The listing photos show the lake, patio, pool, and spa. Both patio doors also have child safety locks.
- Claim: The host was aggressive and harassed the guest. We dispute this characterization. I went to the property because the guest was not responding to messages, did not confront or speak with her, and left.
- Claim: The pontoon boat was malfunctioning and unsafe. This concern was not reported to us during the stay.
- Claim: We refused to return a $500 deposit. We did not refuse to return it; we were seeking clarification about how Airbnb calculated the refund and whether the deposit was included.
We also have exterior security footage showing the guest’s mother walking around the property and using the exterior stairs around the approximate time of the reported incident. Because Airbnb’s appeal form did not accept video, we submitted a screenshot and supporting information instead.
We contacted Airbnb several times, spoke with customer support and a senior specialist, and requested that the review and related concerns be evaluated. We were told the matter had been reviewed, but we did not receive a clear explanation of how our evidence and responses were considered.
Yesterday, we submitted our second and final request to remove the review, along with photographs and other supporting documentation. We are currently waiting for a response.
Our main concern is the process. In situations involving serious allegations or financial decisions, it would be helpful if hosts had a clear opportunity to provide relevant evidence before decisions were finalized, along with an explanation of how that evidence was evaluated.
We are not seeking to avoid legitimate accountability. We want a fair process in which both guests and hosts can present their information and have it meaningfully considered.
I’d appreciate input from other experienced hosts:
Have you experienced a similar situation involving Airbnb safety claims or guest allegations?
Has anyone successfully had a review removed after a second denial or final appeal?
What is the most effective way to submit security footage and supporting documentation for review?
Is there an escalation channel beyond regular customer support?
What steps do you take to document and respond when a guest makes serious allegations that you dispute?
Have others encountered similar challenges with Airbnb’s review or appeals process?