How reviews work, and how to write a helpful one

Who can write a review

Reviews are written by AskedFor members. To write one, create a free account or sign in, find the listing and add your review. Signed-in members can also save places to come back to later.

Every review is checked by our team before it's published. This keeps reviews fair, respectful and free of anything that shouldn't be there.

Moderation can take a little while, so don't worry if your review doesn't appear straight away. Each one is read properly rather than rushed through.

What we publish and what we do not

We publish honest accounts of real experiences, positive or negative, written respectfully. We don't publish explicit descriptions of sexual activity, prices for sexual services, abuse, threats, personal details, real names, or anything that could identify a member of staff or another customer.

We also reject reviews that appear fake, are written by or for the business itself, or are posted by competitors. Our terms set out the full rules.

If your review isn't published, it's usually because it included something from that list, such as a name, explicit detail or a price for a sexual service. Writing it plainly from the start saves time.

Writing a helpful review

Think about what you'd have wanted to know beforehand. Was it easy to get in touch? Were the details explained clearly? Was the place clean, safe and welcoming? Did things start on time, and did the price match what was agreed?

Be specific but discreet, and fair rather than dramatic. A short, balanced review that mentions both good points and anything that could be better is often the most useful of all.

Here's the sort of thing that helps: easy to book by text, quick and polite replies, a clean flat that was simple to find, and everything matched what was agreed. That's short, discreet and genuinely useful to the next reader.

If something went wrong

A review is the right place for an ordinary disappointment, such as poor communication or a venue that didn't match its description. It isn't the right place for serious concerns.

If you saw something that suggested exploitation, someone under 18 or a crime, don't write a review about it. Call 999 in an emergency, or see our guide to reporting concerns and use our report form.

And if something went really well, say so. Good businesses rely on fair reviews, and a few kind words about a welcoming receptionist or a spotless venue are worth just as much as a complaint.