Having seen the recent news story at 4Hoteliers about customers have been blackmailing hoteliers by threatening to post false food poisoning claims on TripAdvisor, please read comments from Mark Harrington.

"The recent news that customers are blackmailing hoteliers by threatening to post false food poisoning claims on TripAdvisor is scandalous. It is almost impossible to say with any certainty that food poisoning came from any one meal, so making these kind of threats could potentially be libellous.

"Cases such as this show that hoteliers must have a system in place to record food hygiene checks. This system is a form of due diligence to protect them from false claims and keep their reputation`s intact. Hoteliers need a way to publish this defence with confidence and demonstrate that it is doing all it can to keep guests safe. Real-time independent safety reports are a reliable way to ensure consistent standards, so that customer blackmail can be avoided."

"After the story surfaced about the Sussex hotelier who allegedly posted positive reviews of her own establishment on TripAdvisor, the integrity of such websites must be questioned by consumers when choosing where to spend their money." 

Mark Harrington is the CEO of food hygiene experts Check Safety First. The company supplies health and safety risk management audit systems to hotels, holiday properties and restaurants around the world.