The guest review system on Airbnb builds trust and informs decisions for both hosts and future travelers. These reviews hold significant weight, directly affecting a listing’s visibility and a host’s reputation. The platform has established specific rules governing when and how a review can be changed. These rules are designed to maintain the authenticity and reliability of the review database, but they also create narrow windows for modification.
Editing a Review During the Initial 14-Day Window
The ability for a guest to edit their review is limited to the initial 14-day review period following check-out. During this time, the review is considered private and is not yet visible to the public or the host. The system encourages unbiased feedback by only publishing the reviews once both the host and the guest have submitted theirs, or when the 14-day window expires. A guest who submits their review first retains the ability to edit it until the host submits their reciprocal review, at which point both reviews are published simultaneously.
The Strict Policy on Changing Published Reviews
Once a guest’s review is published, it cannot be edited or modified by either the guest or the host. This published status is reached when both parties have submitted their reviews or when the 14-day period has elapsed. This strict policy ensures the integrity of the feedback system and prevents manipulation of ratings. The definitive nature of a published review means a guest cannot go back and adjust their star ratings, correct factual errors, or soften their tone.
Requesting Review Removal Due to Extenuating Circumstances
While editing a published review is not possible, a guest retains the right to request the complete removal of the review they wrote. This process involves contacting Airbnb support and is the only avenue for a guest to retract their feedback after it has gone live. The outcome of this request is the deletion of the entire review, not an opportunity for modification or revision. Requesting removal results in a void, meaning the guest cannot submit a new review for that stay.
Host Recourse and Disputing Guest Reviews
A host who receives a negative review that they believe is unfair or inaccurate cannot compel the guest to change it, but they can dispute the review for violation of Airbnb’s content policies. The platform allows for the removal of reviews that contain irrelevant content, such as commentary on a host’s political views, or that violate privacy by disclosing personal information. Reviews containing discriminatory language, hate speech, or explicit material are also subject to removal upon reporting. A host can also dispute a review they suspect is retaliatory, which occurs when a guest leaves a biased review after the host enforces a policy violation. Examples of serious violations include property damage, overstaying the reservation, or unauthorized parties. To successfully dispute a retaliatory review, the host must provide clear documentation and evidence that a policy violation occurred and that their enforcement of rules likely prompted the negative feedback. The process requires the host to submit a formal request to Airbnb, detailing how the review breaches the established guidelines. Providing supporting evidence, such as communication logs, photos, or screenshots, is necessary to make a strong case for removal. If a review is not removed, the host maintains the ability to post a public response within 30 days, providing their perspective on the guest’s feedback for future travelers to read.
Can Hosts Edit Their Reviews of Guests?
The rules governing a host’s review of a guest mirror the policy applied to guests reviewing hosts. A host can edit their submitted review of a guest only during the private, 14-day window before it is published. The editing capability ends the moment the guest submits their own review or the 14-day period concludes, whichever comes first. Once a host’s review of a guest is published, it cannot be altered. This applies even if the host later discovers issues, such as damage or policy violations, that they wish they had included in the initial assessment. Any recourse for later-discovered issues must be handled through other channels like the AirCover system.