# How honest are you in giving online feedback? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 30, 2013, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-honest-are-you-in-giving-online-feedback/664894 "2013-07-30T11:00:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-honest-are-you-in-giving-online-feedback/664894/1 "2013-07-30T11:00:40Z")
I recently rented an apartment in NYC through Airbnb. The place was in Soho, nothing special but great location, affordable for 5 people. Except there were two mice and about a half a dozen cockroaches. Maybe this is life for the average New Yorker but for a vacation rental, I was not pleased. They are pressuring me to leave feedback and while I don’t want to be all hysterical screaming COCKROACHES! especially on my first review, I don’t want to leave a completely positive review either. None of the 45-odd people before me made any mention of the critters so they either thought it was no big deal or they lied. Do you leave the unvarnished truth online or do you not rock the boat with a negative review? ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-honest-are-you-in-giving-online-feedback/664894/2 "2013-07-30T12:55:46Z")
If I were the renter after you I’d want to know about the mice, at least. A few roaches are common in the city, I’ve heard; as long as it’s not an infestation, meh. But mice, yuck and eeek. You can phrase it in a neutral way; “Location was great, a few roaches and two mice though.” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-honest-are-you-in-giving-online-feedback/664894/3 "2013-07-30T12:59:49Z")
“The apartment comes with cute pets included!” ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-honest-are-you-in-giving-online-feedback/664894/4 "2013-07-30T14:47:06Z")
I am pretty honest, but try to include some perspective just like you explained in your OP. I might say something like “Location and value were great. The biggest downside was the appearance of a few roaches and two mouse sightings … especially for a non-New Yorker, this was an unpleasant surprise.” ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-honest-are-you-in-giving-online-feedback/664894/5 "2013-07-30T14:57:11Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I am pretty honest, but try to include some perspective just like you explained in your OP. I might say something like “Location and value were great. The biggest downside was the appearance of a few roaches and two mouse sightings … especially for a non-New Yorker, this was an unpleasant surprise.” Right. I don’t think you need to type “infestation” in bold, red text, but feel free to leave a generally positive review with a mention of the downsides. I’m honest in my reviews, and if I like something that has a few drawbacks, I will state in my review that I was overall pleased, list why, and also make note of its flaws. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-honest-are-you-in-giving-online-feedback/664894/6 "2013-07-30T15:09:20Z")
I do like **delphica’s** answer – tell the truth calmly and factually, including both the positives and negatives.