Airbnb owner harassed guest after leaving a ‘just OK’ review for Clifftop properties

An Airbnb owner harassed one of his guests and told her to “burn in hell” after leaving a review stating that his guest house was “just okay.”

David Penman, 54, sent a series of emails to the woman and left a nasty message on her answering machine in May 2021.

The woman stayed at his award-winning The Clifftop guest house in Hepburn, central Victoria, which was ‘crowned number 1 from 55,000 rental properties’.

The woman had stayed at his award-winning guest house known as the Clifftop in Hepburn, central Victoria, which was ‘crowned number 1 from 55,000 rental properties’.

Penman pleaded guilty to Moorabin Magistrates Court for using a carriage to harass the guest and admitted to leaving the voice message.

“You’ve totally misjudged me,” Penman said in the message.

“You obviously haven’t researched the libel case on Google… don’t bother to delete your review, don’t bother to offer a settlement.

“See you in the damn court, you better have a lot of money. This is not over yet, we do not accept payout. We’re going to the damn court, and you’ll burn in hell.”

His lawyer Mihal Greener described the outburst as “out of character” and said her client was under great pressure and his company was suffering from the Covid pandemic due to lockdowns and travel restrictions to regional Victoria.

He was fined $2,500 and no conviction was recorded by the court.

Penman also sent a series of texts and messages to other guests that left unflattering reviews, The Age reported.

He texted a bank employee who had booked The Clifftop in May 2019 to introduce his partner before leaving a two-star rating on the property.

His lawyer Mihal Greener described the outburst as “out of character” and said her client was under great pressure and his company was suffering from the Covid pandemic, lockdown and travel restrictions to regional Victoria.

Penman had also sent a series of texts and messages to other guests who left unflattering reviews

“We have received a complaint today of possible domestic violence at your villa from another guest next door… We will consider this matter before deciding whether to report it to the police,” Penman wrote.

Penman also threatened legal action against a guy who worked for the Department of Education Training after they canceled a booking for being called to Gippsland after the January 2020 bushfires.

He warned that he had filed a defamation lawsuit against another guest who left a bad review and they were forced to pay more than $300,000 in legal fees.