Airbnb will soon let neighbors complain about guest behavior

Airbnb will soon make it a lot easier for neighbors to provide feedback – AKA, complain – about how guests behave while staying at a host’s home.

Bloomberg reports that Airbnb made the announcement in Japan, where the company has seen huge growth recently.

That surge means a lot of residents have had to deal with a sudden influx of temporary neighbors, with little or no say until now. The company’s leader in Japan, Yasuyuki Tanabe, said:

One of the most important issues facing the sharing economy is how the people choosing to take part in it co-exist with those that aren’t. Our first step in this direction is to give neighbors the opportunity to comment or complain.

Neighbors will be able to fill out an online form to provide feedback, which will be reviewed by Airbnb’s customer support. That said, the company isn’t specifying whether this information will be made public – perhaps a guest score, the way Uber ranks drivers and passengers – or how it will take action in the case of significant complaints.

Still, it helps neighbors have a bit more of a say in the way hosts handle their guests, while hosts can get some sense on whether the people staying in their homes are trustworthy. For Airbnb it could have the benefit of subtly onboarding a few new people onto the platform.

The company says the feature will roll out globally “in a few weeks.” We’re not envious of the customer support teams that will have to deal with all the complaints, but hopefully this ultimately will lead to a more positive experience for hosts, guests and neighbors alike.

➤ Airbnb to Let Neighbors Give Feedback on Hosts, `Party Houses’ [Bloomberg]