5-star landlords respond to every booking request within 48 hours (after that, the request expires), keep their listings accurate and make move-in easy for the tenant. Your rating is the average of the reviews tenants leave after their stay, and a strong rating can improve your listing’s visibility in search results. The foundation is accuracy: once a booking is confirmed (you accepted and the tenant’s payment went through), the property must not be materially different from your listing — if it is, the tenant may cancel with a full refund.
What is the 5-star landlord rating?
Your landlord rating on Uniplaces is calculated from tenant reviews submitted after each stay. Tenants rate their experience on a scale of 1 to 5 stars and leave a written comment. Your overall rating is the average across all your reviews, and it can influence where your listing appears in search results.
Landlords with consistently high ratings can receive better visibility and more booking requests. A 5-star rating is a strong signal to tenants that your property delivers what your listing promises.
Response rate — why it matters and how to improve
Tenants can filter for landlords who answer within 12 hours or who have a high response rate. Uniplaces tracks how often you respond to booking requests within the 48-hour window — a high response rate signals to tenants that you are an active, reliable landlord.
To improve your response rate:
- Turn on email notifications so you never miss a booking request
- Respond to every request within 48 hours, whether you accept or decline
- If you are going away, block your dates in advance so requests do not arrive when you cannot respond
- Aim to respond within a few hours rather than waiting until the deadline
Before you accept, check that the price, availability and facilities on your listing are correct. Once you accept and the tenant pays, the booking is confirmed and you are bound to provide the accommodation for those dates at the listed price.
Listing quality — photos, description, accuracy
Tenant satisfaction starts before they book. You are responsible for the content of your listing — Uniplaces does not verify the information you upload unless it expressly says so — and a listing that accurately represents the property sets the right expectations. A tenant who arrives to find what they expected is a tenant who leaves a 5-star review.
- Photos — use clear images that show every room as it is. Update them if the property changes. See Why Are Photos So Important for Your Listing?
- Description — be specific and honest. Mention what is included, what is not, and anything a tenant should know before booking.
- Amenities — only list amenities that are actually present and working. A missing item that was listed is a common trigger for complaints and low reviews.
- Payments — state every payment the tenant makes to you directly (security deposit, admin fee, bills, rent in advance) and its amount on the listing; the first rental payment and the Uniplaces service fee are always paid through Uniplaces, not to you. Do not ask for anything that is not on your listing, and do not ask for any payment before the booking is confirmed on Uniplaces.
- Availability — keep your calendar updated so tenants only send requests for dates you can accept.
If the property, its condition or its facilities are materially different from your listing on arrival, the tenant can complain to Uniplaces within 24 hours of the move-in date and may cancel with a full refund. Minor differences in location or surroundings do not count — but a missing room, a broken facility or a property that does not match the photos do.
Tenant satisfaction — communication and move-in experience
The move-in experience is your biggest opportunity to earn a 5-star review. Tenants who feel welcomed and well informed from the start are far more likely to leave positive feedback.
- Communicate before move-in — send a message with arrival instructions, key collection details and any local tips a few days before they arrive
- Be available on move-in day — be reachable and responsive on the day your tenant arrives, especially if they are travelling internationally
- Make the property ready — clean, furnished as listed, with everything working. First impressions set the tone for the entire tenancy.
- Stay in touch — a brief message after the first week shows you care and gives the tenant a chance to flag any minor issues before they become bigger problems
Benefits of 5-star status
Maintaining a 5-star rating can bring benefits on Uniplaces:
- Higher search visibility — listings with strong ratings can appear higher in search results
- Featured placement — top-rated listings may be featured in Uniplaces recommendations to tenants
- More booking requests — tenants actively prefer well-reviewed landlords
For sponsored placement, see How to Get a Sponsored Listing on Uniplaces for Free.
When to contact Uniplaces support
- You believe a review contains false information or breaches the review guidelines
- Your rating is not showing and you believe you have enough reviews to qualify
- You cannot find the reply option for a review in your Personal Dashboard
Frequently asked questions
Can I respond to tenant reviews?
Yes — you can respond publicly to reviews left on your listing. Go to your Personal Dashboard → Reviews → Review Details to find the reply option. A thoughtful, professional response to any negative review shows future tenants that you take feedback seriously.
What if I receive an unfair review?
If you believe a review breaches Uniplaces’ review guidelines — for example, it contains false information — contact the support team with the details. Reviews are moderated against platform guidelines. Respond professionally to the review in the meantime rather than leaving it unanswered.
Does declining booking requests affect my rating?
Declining requests does not affect your star rating — that is based on tenant reviews after confirmed stays. What matters for your response rate is that you respond to every request within the 48-hour window, whether you accept or decline. Keep your calendar up to date so that you receive fewer requests you have to decline.
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