Negative Google review: how to respond and when to report it

In short: reply to a negative Google review factually, promptly and publicly, without customer details and without arguing. Report a review only if it violates Google's policies, for example because it is fake or insulting. Removal is not guaranteed. Legally, in Austria it is mainly untrue statements of fact that can be challenged, not uncomfortable opinions.

How to get and answer reviews in general is covered in our article create and maintain a Google Business Profile. This one is about the unpleasant case. It is based on Google's help pages and two decisions of Austria's Supreme Court (OGH), as of October 2026. This article is not legal advice.

First take a breath, then assess

Before you reply, take a calm look: what kind of review is it?

• Justified criticism: a real customer was unhappy, and not entirely without reason. The appointment was postponed, the bill was higher than expected.
• Unfair but genuine review: a real customer who exaggerates or leaves out something important.
• No real experience: you can't find the person anywhere, there was never a job, or the review clearly comes from a competitor or former employee.
• Insults or abuse: swear words, threats, personal attacks on staff.

You reply to the first two. You reply briefly to the last two and also report them.

How to reply well

Your reply is shown publicly and checked by Google against its policies before it appears. According to Google this usually takes up to ten minutes. You can edit or delete it later (Business Profile Help: reply to reviews). These rules have proven useful:

• Promptly: within a few days, but not in the first flush of anger.
• Factual and short: three or four sentences. Thanks for the feedback, some context, an offer.
• No customer details: no names, no addresses, no details of the job or the invoice. What you know about the customer does not belong in public.
• No back-and-forth: you are not convincing the author, but the many people who read along later.
• Offer a conversation: with the business phone number or email address, so the matter can be settled away from the public eye.
• Admit mistakes where there was one: it is more credible than any justification.

A reply to justified criticism could sound like this:

“Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. You are right, the appointment should not have been moved at such short notice, and we are sorry. We have since changed our scheduling. If you like, call me directly and we will find a solution.”

And to a review you can't match to any job:

“We take every piece of feedback seriously, but we could not find a job or any contact relating to your review. Please get in touch with us so that we can look into it.”

The second reply accuses no one, but shows everyone reading along that something is not right.

When reporting makes sense

Google only removes reviews that violate its own policies. Factually accurate negative reviews stay up (Business Profile Help: report reviews). According to the contribution policies, prohibited content includes (Google: Maps user contributed content policy):

• fake or bought reviews,
• reviews with a conflict of interest, for example from current or former employees or competitors,
• content not based on a personal experience,
• harassment, threats and hate speech,
• publishing personal information without consent,
• advertising, including links and email addresses.

You report directly in the Business Profile at the review or via the review management tool, where you can also see the status. According to Google, the review usually takes several days. If the result is “no policy violation”, you can appeal once. Choose the reason that really applies when reporting. A report just because the review is bad will not succeed.

When the law comes into play

Some reviews go beyond criticism. In Austria, online reviews are assessed under section 1330 of the Civil Code (ABGB). Paragraph 1 covers defamation, paragraph 2 the spreading of untrue facts that endanger another person's credit or livelihood (RIS: section 1330 ABGB, German). Two decisions of the Supreme Court show what matters:

• Stars and text count together. The OGH assesses a review as a whole. If an evaluative statement can be traced back to a verifiable core of fact, it counts as a statement of fact. Leaving out essential circumstances can also make a statement untrue (OGH 6 Ob 143/21d of 20 October 2021, German).
• One star without text is an opinion. A pure star rating is a value judgement and not an insult. But it can create the impression that the author was a customer. If that is untrue, it may give rise to a claim. However, the business has to prove that it is untrue. In the case decided, it could not, and the claim against the platform operator failed (OGH 6 Ob 120/23z of 18 June 2024, German).

In everyday terms: uncomfortable opinions have to be accepted. There are ways to act against invented facts, but they take effort and depend on evidence. Google offers a separate form for unlawful content and advises reporting in the product itself first (Google: report content for legal reasons). Before taking legal steps, get advice from a lawyer. We are advertising and marketing professionals, not lawyers.

What we advise against: threatening the author publicly or by letter with lawyers and costs without having it legally checked. That rarely solves the problem and can itself become the story others write about.

Two reviews for a plumber

The case is constructed, but typical. A plumbing business gets two one-star reviews in one week. The first comes from a customer: the fitter arrived two hours late without calling. That is true. The owner replies the next day, apologises, explains in one sentence what is changing and offers a conversation. The customer calls, and a few weeks later she updates her review.

The second review just says “Rip-off, never again”. There is no job, no enquiry, no call under that name. The business replies briefly that no contact can be found and reports the review on the grounds that it is not based on a personal experience. Whether Google removes it is up to Google. Either way, the public reply is there below it.

Our view

A single bad review among many good ones does less harm than it feels like. Readers also look at the reply. The best remedy for a negative review is therefore many genuine positive ones: actively ask satisfied customers, for example with a link or QR code on the invoice, business card or vehicle. How this fits into the rest of your presence is shown in the article local SEO and AI visibility and our overview marketing for small businesses.

Checklist

• Is the review justified, unfair, without real contact or insulting?
• Reply written with some distance, factual, without customer details?
• Conversation offered away from the public eye?
• Policy violation reported, with the reason that applies?
• Status checked in the review management tool, appealed once if needed?
• For untrue facts causing harm: legal advice obtained before threatening anything?
• Satisfied customers regularly asked for a review?

Frequently asked questions

Can you get a negative Google review deleted?

Only if it violates Google's policies, for example because it is fake, comes from a former employee, is insulting or has nothing to do with a personal experience. According to its own help pages, Google does not remove factually accurate negative reviews. Removal is not guaranteed even if you report it.

Should you reply to a bad review?

Usually yes. The reply is public and is read by everyone who later looks at your profile. A factual, short reply shows that you take criticism seriously. Don't mention customer details, don't argue in public, and offer a conversation.

What does the law say about false reviews in Austria?

According to Austria's Supreme Court, online reviews are assessed under section 1330 of the Austrian Civil Code (ABGB). Opinions and pure star ratings generally have to be accepted. There is a claim against untrue statements of fact that harm the business, but the business has to prove they are untrue. For legal steps, consult a lawyer.