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Is it possible to prevent a client from leaving a review?

Hello out there,

I've just had a negative interaction with a client (I think...the tone of text messages can be difficult to read). He's been having me use his only spare set of keys, which he leaves in the mailbox for me. Everyday, I've taken them from the mailbox, walked his dog, locked everything up, then dropped them back in the mailbox. I haven't been comfortable leaving his keys in the mailbox, because he's in a bad neighborhood and it doesn't feel right leaving them outside like that, but he initially told me he'd have a set made for me soon, which I've been waiting for.

Today, he messaged me asking if I forgot to leave the keys. I didn't. I remembered clearly dropping them in the mailbox after I left, and I told him that. I told him it's not a great neighborhood (he's brand new to this city) and that I had been worried leaving them in the mailbox. His response seemed very aggressive and accusative, saying "Really. Unacceptable. No one stole them i asked my land lord to look at the camera." I responded, if his landlord has cameras, can't he see that I returned the keys after the walk? The rest of the conversation tapered off, and he ended it in a way that tells me he won't book me next week (our original plan was for me to walk his pup for the next few weeks).

I don't know what to do in this situation, and it's unsettling. Is a client really able to leave a negative review totally unrelated to the services I've given, over something that happened to his keys when he's been leaving them outside in his mailbox? I don't like that he may well be able to do that over something I'm not at all responsible for.....Is there anything I can do to prevent this?

I'm basically wanting to know, does Rover not protect me (or allow me to protect myself) against slander?

I told this to Rover support, and got a very generic answer back as though I wasn't talking to a real person, or the person was having to just follow script. I didn't feel like the person was actually considering and weighing this specific situation and giving me helpful feedback. They just replied "Turn a negative review into a good thing for you, with a carefully worded response." That may be applicable if someone was simply complaining about the service or sitter in some way, but if I have a client who believes I stole from them, and states as much in a review, once that is out there, there really is no "carefully worded response" that will remove that idea from a new potential clients mind.

I'm thinking about this from a potential client's perspective, because I have been a client ... (more)

3 Answers

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Heather W.

Thanks all, he did in fact find his keys. 🤦

As for saying he's not in a great neighborhood, voicing that wasn't unsolicited. As I said, he was brand new to the city, so he'd asked my opinion of the city/the neighborhood during our Meet and Greet (and as someone who's been new and alone in a city many times myself, I've always asked and appreciated a local's opinion of the area...areas to go and areas to avoid... including my dog walker's) 😁.

I guess I still don't have an answer to my question though....

Accusation of theft is entirely different from a complaint about the service or the sitter (a typical negative review). As I tried explaining, there really is no carefully worded response that would successfully counter an accusation of theft. When something like that has been put out there, the damage is done. It's a big deal. A new or potential client won't forget reading that, and will be suspicious (I would, anyway). And trust is everything with this kind of work.

So my question....we in fact have no way to protect ourselves against slander, and Rover doesn't do anything?

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Lisa H.

I know it's been a couple of days so it may have been resolved but first off I'm so sorry that happened to you. I'm guessing you already did, but I would recommend checking your pockets, purse, car, or anywhere else you could have inadvertently left the keys. Just in case. If you've already had the service, I don't believe it's possible to prevent them from leaving a review. If he does leave a negative review, I would definitely respond back to it, reiterating that you had voiced your concern over leaving them in a mailbox and asking if he checked the camera footage he said was available, because you are confident it shows you leaving the key, and probably shows who took the keys. Nicely, of course. :) Your other reviews are very positive so it's possible one negative won't hurt you overall, though I definitely understand your concern. Good luck!

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Lenka L.

Book a Stay
DENVER, CO

I wouldn't worry about a negative review. You can respond in a good way to make it sound right. If he has a camera, he will see that you did return his keys. You made a mistake though - telling your client that he lives in a bad neighborhood is not a good idea even if you think so or know so. That's why he got angry. He's asking you about his keys and you start telling him about his bad neighborhood.... You should not give him any unsolicited opinions about him, his house, his life. They all get angry :)

And really, dont worry about a possible negative review. So what. He's unhappy. That happens in life. You can't please everyone. You can't be liked by everyone. He feels unhappy, that's ok. You have a chance to write a response, keep it professional and positive :) Good luck. You did nothing wrong otherwise, so don't worry about a review.

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Is it possible to prevent a client from leaving a review?

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