Bad reviews on Airbnb can be damaging for hosts. A single negative review can turn away potential guests and impact bookings. The first instinct is to delete your existing account and start fresh.
But should you delete an Airbnb account after a bad review? Well, no.
While a bad rating hurts, it is impossible to address the underlying issues if all you do is delete accounts after bad reviews. Also, a bad review doesn’t warrant deleting an established account with multiple listings because of a single bad review.
Read on to find out if this drastic step is right for you. You will also learn more about recovering from such a situation and getting your business back on track.
Why you should not delete an Airbnb account after a bad review
Here are reasons you should not deactivate your account for getting a bad review:
1. Loss of accumulated positive reviews
Deleting your Airbnb account means losing all the positive reviews you’ve accumulated over time. These reviews build trust and social proof for potential guests.
2. Loss of potential return customers
Satisfied guests who enjoyed their stay and left you positive feedback may want to return in the future.
If you delete your account, you lose their ability to easily book with you again.
3. Established account history and listing
An established account has a booking history proving you are an experienced host.
Your listing likely took time to perfect with professional photos, detailed descriptions of amenities, and clear house rules. Deleting it erases your hard work.
4. One Airbnb account per national ID
Airbnb requires each account tied to be verified with a government-issued ID.
You cannot open a “new” account if you delete the existing one. You’d have to start completely with someone else’s credentials.
5. Deleting doesn’t solve the underlying issues
Bad reviews often reveal areas needing improvement as a host. Simply deleting your account does not address these underlying issues, so problems may persist.
You must tackle the root causes of negative ratings to avoid repeating mistakes.
What to do after a bad Airbnb review?
Instead of deleting your account, do the following:
1. Respond to the bad review professionally
Reply to the negative review politely, apologizing for any issues during their stay. Avoid being defensive or confrontational.
Thank the guest for their feedback and explain how you plan to improve. This shows future guests you take reviews seriously.
2. Learn and improve
Look at the bad review as an opportunity to improve as a host. If the guest complained about cleanliness, thoroughly clean and update your listing.
If they felt misled by your listing description, edit it to be more accurate. Use the feedback to strengthen your hospitality.
3. Build positive reviews
Work hard to provide excellent stays for upcoming guests.
When they leave you positive feedback, it helps offset and outnumber the one negative rating in your profile.
Can you get a bad Airbnb review removed?
Yes, you can report the review to the support team. It will be removed if it:
- Contains threatening, discriminatory or vulgar language.
- Reveals private information about you or another user.
- Refers to things outside the host’s control or unrelated to the actual stay.
- Violates Airbnb’s content policy.
However, remember that Airbnb heavily favors free speech and all perspectives being available to users. Unless the review violates policies, it likely will stand.
When to delete an Airbnb account after a bad review and open a new one
There are some rare situations where starting over completely may make sense:
1. Irreparable reputation damage
If your account develops a pattern of multiple terrible reviews that give guests an overwhelmingly negative impression, deleting may be a last resort.
Make significant improvements and try repairing your reputation before a fresh start.
2. Change in ownership or management
If your property was sold or you turned management over to someone else, deleting the account with your name on it and creating a new one for the new owner/manager is appropriate.
This gives them a clean slate untarnished by your previous hosting record.
If I delete my Airbnb account, will my reviews be deleted?
No. When you delete your Airbnb account as a host, all traces of your account are not erased.
According to Airbnb’s policies, reviews associated with a deleted account can remain visible to others.
Deleting your Airbnb account after receiving a bad review is not advisable.
The loss of your hard-earned positive ratings, history, and repeat customers outweighs the sting of one negative rating.
Additionally, Airbnb only allows one account per host, so you cannot simply open a “new” profile.
Rather than deleting in a knee-jerk reaction, use the bad review as feedback to improve your hosting skills.
