In general, you cannot remove a negative review unless it violates Google’s policies.
🔎 In which cases can you report a review?
You can report a review if it is:
inappropriate (insulting, off-topic, spam, etc.),
related to identity theft,
or if it contains personal information.
⚠️ Google does not automatically remove a reported review, even if it seems unfair.
Reports are reviewed by a team, but the review often remains visible even after multiple reports.
📌 Before reporting a review
A review that Google considers “inappropriate” is not the same as a simply negative review or one you disagree with.
Google does not take sides in a dispute between a customer and a Business. Make sure to read the Google policies before reporting the review.
✅ Responding remains the best strategy
In any case, replying to a negative review is essential:
to win back a disappointed customer
to reassure your future customers,
and to show your commitment to service.
🛠 How to report a review?
1) From the Partoo interface
If you have access rights to the relevant Google listing and are an administrator on Partoo, you can now report a review directly from your interface:
Go to the “Reviews” section.
A small flag appears to the right of each review: clicking it will redirect you to complete the report;
Follow the instructions provided by Google and click the “Confirm” button to confirm your email address.
Choose the review in the list (a search tool is available to help you).
Search for the Business that received the negative review and click “Continue” at the bottom right
You can then click on the negative review you want to report by clicking “Report”
if you want to view the review on Google Maps, click “View on Maps”.
2) From your Google Business Profile account
If you don’t have access to the listing or are not an administrator on Partoo, you must report the review this way:
On a computer:
Sign in to Google Business Profile
If you have multiple Businesses, click the one concerned by the review
Click “Reviews” in the left menu
Find the review you want to report. Then click the three-dot menu and choose the option that best matches your case
On a mobile:
Open the Google Maps app
Go to “Your Business profile” (by tapping your profile picture)
Tap “Reviews”
Find the review you want to report, and tap it
Tap the three small dots at the top right of the screen
Tap “Report this review”
Why might Google refuse a request to remove a review from a Google listing?
Here are the specific reasons Google may reject your request to remove a review:
1. The review does not violate Google’s policies
For a review to be removed, it must explicitly violate a specific rule in their content policy. A negative but “ordinary” review will not be removed.
Google will refuse removal if the review:
Is a simple negative experience feedback (e.g. “Service too slow, food cold”).
Reflects a commercial disagreement or dissatisfaction about prices.
Is perceived by Google as constructive criticism or a subjective opinion.
2. Google refuses to arbitrate disputes (“He said, she said”)
Google clearly states in its terms that it is not a judge and does not take sides between a merchant and a customer.
If you claim: “This customer never visited my Business”, but the reviewer insists otherwise, Google will give the benefit of the doubt to the reviewer unless you provide irrefutable proof.
Google cannot verify whether the service was performed well or poorly in reality.
3. The chosen reason for reporting is incorrect or poorly argued
When you report a review via your Google Business Profile area, you must select a specific reason (Spam, Hate speech, Conflict of interest, Off-topic...).
The common mistake: reporting a review as “Spam” or “Defamatory” when it is simply a justified low rating. Google’s automatic filter or the operator then rejects the request instantly.
Lack of tangible evidence during an appeal generally leads to automatic rejection.
4. Automated processing
The first levels of moderation at Google rely on algorithms. The AI looks for forbidden keywords (insults, threats, personal data, promotional links). If the review is negative but written politely and respectfully, Google’s bots detect no violation and mark the request as “No policy breached”.
What to do if refused?
Appeal the decision (One-off appeal): Via the Google Review Management Tool, you can appeal if you have additional evidence or detailed explanations.
Respond publicly and calmly: This is the most effective solution for your image. A courteous, factual and professional reply shows prospective customers you are attentive and serious.
Contact the author: If the author is identifiable, try to resolve the issue privately to ask them to edit or delete their comment.
Dilute the negative review: Regularly ask satisfied customers for new positive reviews to improve your overall rating.
Legal action (Last resort): In cases of serious harm (proven defamation, gratuitous denigration, threat), you can consult a lawyer to send a legal notice to Google or pursue the author if their identity is known.
❗Important to remember
Even if a review violates the rules, Google may choose not to remove it.
It may be necessary to report multiple times for a review to be re-examined.
Deleting a listing to make reviews disappear is strongly discouraged, as you would lose all your history and SEO.