Scottish guest house sues TripAdvisor over ‘malicious' review
A Scottish guesthouse owner is suing global review website TripAdvisor over a suspected malicious review.
Richard Gollin, who runs the six-bedroom Baille na Cille in the Outer Hebrides, claims that a false review about his business should have been removed by TripAdvisor.
He has launched a small claims action in Stornoway Sheriff Court, claiming his business has been damaged through lost bookings as a result of the negative review.
Gollin insists the review - criticising the food and claiming visitors were underfed - was false and that the author had listed the wrong date.
"I believe that that one lie should disqualify his entry," he said.
"TripAdvisor is in deriliction of duty in failing to have proper supervision of what goes on their website. All across the country people should stand up to TripAdvisor."
Gollin claims he has lost bookings as a result and is seeking compensation from TripAdvisor of up to £3,000, which is the maximum limit under the small claims procedure.
TripAdvisor has said as a US-based company it is not subject to the law in Scotland. Its legal team has directly instructed lawyers to demand the case is dismissed as it is outside Scottish jurisdiction.
TripAdvisor declined to speak about the case. A spokesperson for the travel website said: "We do not comment on threatened or pending litigation."
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By Kerstin Kühn
E-mail your comments to Kerstin Kühn](mailto:kerstin.kuhn@rbi.co.uk) here.
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