Example replies
Before you copyEdit every reply to fit: only promise actions, refunds or policies that are true for your business, and replace anything in [brackets].
Contractor, neutral
Thank you for your review. We take every concern seriously and want to understand it fully. Because this involves a dispute, we think it's best handled directly rather than here. Please contact our office at [phone] or [email], and [Name] will respond.
Very brief
Thank you, we've received your feedback. We would like to discuss it with you directly and in private, so please contact [Name] at [email] at your convenience. Every message is read by our owner and answered personally.
Restaurant, injury claim
We're sorry to hear you're unwell and hope you're feeling better. We take any report like this seriously and have started looking into it. So that we can do that properly, please contact our general manager, [Name], at [phone] rather than through reviews.
Product damage claim
Thank you for letting us know. We're sorry you're dealing with this. We'd like to review what happened carefully and hear your account in full. Please email [email] with the best way to reach you, and our owner, [Name], will be in touch within two business days.
Lawyer already involved
We understand you're unhappy, and we respect your right to raise your concern. As this matter is being handled through other channels, we won't be commenting on it here. Our office remains available at [phone] for any customer with questions.
Landlord or property manager
Thank you for your post. We want every resident to feel heard. We can't address individual tenancy matters in a public review, but our property manager, [Name], is available at [phone] or [email] to talk through your concerns in private.
Why less is more here
A review that says “you’ll be hearing from my lawyer” changes what a reply is for. Normally a reply is a chance to explain and repair. Once a legal claim is on the table, anything you write in public can be quoted back later. That’s why the safest replies in this situation are short, polite and empty of facts: they acknowledge the person, show readers you are responsive, and move the conversation to a private channel.
This page describes how to handle the review itself. It isn’t legal advice. If the dispute involves an injury, property damage, a contract or a large amount of money, talk to a lawyer before replying, and ask whether you should reply at all.
What the reply should and shouldn’t do
The usual habits of a good reply (stay professional, keep it short, move complex issues offline, be honest about limits) apply here with no exceptions.
Do:
- Thank them and say you take the concern seriously.
- Give a named contact and a phone or email.
- Keep the tone the same as you would with any customer.
Don’t:
- Describe what happened, even to correct them.
- Admit fault, promise compensation or mention insurance.
- Threaten legal action back. It looks bad to readers and escalates the dispute.
- Share any detail about the customer, the job or the invoice.
- Offer anything in return for removing the review. Google prohibits incentives for review changes or removal.
When the review itself crosses a line
A customer saying they intend to sue isn’t, on its own, listed as prohibited content in Google’s policy. But some reviews go further. Threats against people, doxxing or posting staff members’ personal details fall under harassment and personal information in Google’s prohibited content policy, and you can report them from your profile.
If you believe the review is unlawful, for example defamatory where you are, Google’s legal help pages describe a separate route for reporting content on legal grounds. Google asks people to try reporting the content in the product first. Whether a legal request makes sense is a decision to take with a lawyer.
Later on
If the matter is resolved, you can edit your reply with the Edit icon or remove it with the Delete icon. The customer can update their own review at any time; don’t make that part of any settlement you discuss with them.
If it doesn't work
- The review contains threats against staff, not just a lawsuit: report it under Google's harassment policy and keep a copy.
- You believe the review itself is defamatory or unlawful: Google has a separate legal request process. Whether to use it is a question for a lawyer.
- The reviewer keeps posting new threats: don't answer each one. One reply is enough, and repeated posts may count as harassment you can report.
- Your insurer or lawyer is already involved: ask them before replying, and consider not replying at all.
Questions owners ask
Do I have to reply to a review that threatens legal action?
No. Silence is a reasonable choice, especially if a lawyer or insurer is involved. A short neutral reply can help readers see you're responsive, but nothing requires one. If you're unsure, waiting a day to get advice costs little.
Can I apologize without admitting fault?
You can say you're sorry the person is unhappy or that their experience fell short of what they expected, which is empathy, not an admission. Avoid sentences that describe what you did wrong. Google's tips advise acknowledging mistakes but not accepting responsibility for things outside your control; with a legal threat, keep even that very general.
Will Google remove a review because it mentions a lawsuit?
Not for that alone. Google removes reviews that break its content policies, such as harassment or threats. A customer saying they plan to sue is usually not a policy violation by itself.
Can I edit my reply later if the dispute is resolved?
Yes. Under the reply, select the Edit icon, change the text and select Update, or use the Delete icon to remove it. Updated replies go through Google's check again before showing.
Sources
- Tips to get more reviews and write better replies (support.google.com)
- Manage customer reviews (support.google.com)
- Prohibited and restricted content (support.google.com)
- Report content for legal reasons (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.