VRBO’s earns a 1.5-star rating from 301 reviews, showing that the majority of vacation renters are dissatisfied with rental properties.
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Received confirmation 2 months ago paid in full and was told Saturday she double booked and cancelled our vacation! Two months out!
We booked property ID 114355 reservation ID HA-N6G80H in February. Carole asked when I inquired about it if we could adjust our date and come in on the Thursday or Friday before. I told her no we would all be working and it involved 3 families with dates to work around. Next thing I know she books our dates we asked for sent a confirmation and took full payment . We thought we were set, got an email Saturday ( two months later) saying g could we adjust our dates and come in on Thursday before. I said no like I told you before we couldn't. She said she had made a terrible mistake and double booked it. I asked if we had booked first and couldn't the other person change theirs? She never replied (she wanted this for her family) I told her I needed to know something g by 8am this morning. I've wasted two days looking for something ellse comparable and can't find anything two months out from our trip! I have never been so disgusted with the whole process as much as I am now! Needless to say I am reporting this to the better business bureau . I asked her if she would pay the difference in a unit we found
That's 600-800 more. She wouldn't even reply. I have used VRBO as long as it's been in existence, but never again!
Desired outcome: Pay difference in comparable condo
Vacation rental
Our contract for a 2-month vacation rental stipulated that in the event of a Covid border closure, we would be issued a credit voucher for the full amount paid: $4, 397.
The border closed on our day of travel. VRBO has refused to issue the credit voucher. We then asked for a refund in lieu of a voucher but that was denied as well. So we have nothing for our $4, 397.
We only purchased the vacation rental because of the assurance of a full credit voucher and now VRBO is not honoring their contract. They are even keeping their $300 processing fee. No one from VRBO has ever contacted us, despite repeated emails and phone calls. VRBO headquarters are in Austin, Texas. My contracts are in PDF and would not load here.
Desired outcome: Credit voucher for full amount as stipulated in contract or full refund.
money I am owed by VRBO for my rental
I have been trying without any success to have money owed to me for my apartment rent (16611) for the past three weeks. I have case numbers ( [protected] & [protected])as I have been told there is a technical fault but no one seems to want to resolve the issue. All I want is my legitimate payment that is being withheld from me. I have been promised by many agents that they will help(Ana, Marta & Nathalie) but no one appears to be doing anything to help. They are ignoring my calls after promising to call me back, The are ignoring my emails and withholding my money for no reason. All the data they have asked for regarding identification and bank details has been provided. Have been with Home & Away / VRBO for fifteen years and have not changed my details, they are still the same so I cannot understand why I being treated in this manner by VRBO. Please can you help resolve this
Desired outcome: Payment of withheld rent from my apartment into my account
Rental unable to use due to covid restrictions
We scheduled a week in La Quinta, CA Spring Break 2021 and then COVID-19 hit and we were unable to fly and take the trip. West coast states actually suggested residents not cross state lines so we could not drive from Oregon either, and in addition, California closed down most venues and restaurants. The homeowner very reluctantly agreed to let us reschedule to November 2021. My wife and I are in our mid to upper sixties so in a higher risk age group. My wife was in excruciating pain and was subsequently scheduled for hip replacement surgery, and the physician would not allow her to travel or fly prior to surgery in November due to continued spikes in COVID-19. When we contacted the homeowner, she was again very rude, thought only about herself and refused to refund us our deposit or even provide another travel credit for future use even thought it was obvious that no one was using the property nor would be as long as the strict guidelines were in place in CA. To make a longer story short, she was so ignorant and self-centered, she would not even refund us our cleaning deposit even though no one was going to stay at the property. Prior to this, I have been a loyal VRBO user, but they less washed their hands of it and told me to try and work it out with the homeowner. That didn't work, and I feel no support from VRBO unless they step in and apply pressure on the homeowner I am done with VRBO. Please do what is right and demand the homeowner refund us our money. To have a young, selfish homeowner have so little understanding and respect in the year of COVID-19 for two people in a higher risk age group is unacceptable and you would expect VRBO to make this right. I would also like to know where I can write poor reviews for this property to save others from dealing with this very unethical homeowner.
Thank you.
Desired outcome: Refund of $2302.30 paid
Property owner complaint
Property #274406ha 6465/67 South A1A, Melbourne Beach, Fl. 32951, Owner: Gina
My VRBO account shows one cancellation because we mistakenly booked ½ of this home and needed to book the entire home for our April 2020 vacation. After paying, in full, it became necessary to cancel our rebooking due to Covid-19. We purchased CSA travel insurance and our claim was denied. The owner, reluctantly, allowed us to reschedule to January 2021. In November, as holiday travel advisories continued, it became necessary to cancel, and we asked to reschedule once again. We are a group of elderly adults, some with serious health issues, advised NOT to travel by our doctors due to Covid-19. We offered the owner a $1500.00 rescheduling fee, offered to clean the home after use and to reschedule anytime there was an opening from September through December 2021. VRBO could not reach the owner and emailed the owner asking her to contact us. The owner has failed to give us the courtesy of a reply and appears to have blocked us. We paid more than $5000.00 for this vacation and, at the very least, deserve a response to our inquiries. The owner let us down. The travel insurance company let us down. VRBO let us down.
Desired outcome: We would expect the owner to do the right thing and allow us rebook.
Upfront information misleading
Before going with Vrbo, I called and spoke with many different representatives. I asked many questions so that I understood all of the workings that have changed with Expedia. What each representative knew was a little different from each other.
I finally spoke with someone at a more knowledgeable tier. He was helpful and showed me where to go to get some of my questions answered. My problem was there was not central information center laying out the website policies. I am not sure where to find that again.
Each representative was careful to explain the money collected by Vrbo would take 3 to 4 weeks for Vrbo to process it and get it to me. What each failed to say was Vrbo will keep my money until the tenant takes possession of the unit.
I was under the impression that when they collected the first payment I would get my portion in three to four weeks. However, I just found out that isn't true at all. Vrbo has collected thousands of dollars for the my two-booked units leased in 2022, and they are holding on to this money for a calendar year. There is something terribly wrong with Vrbo holding on to money that should be in my bank account. By having their representatives intentionally not make it clear that I will not see a dime until the tenant checks-in is deceitful. I am upset because I was asking questions every which way so that I was sure I understood it all. The simple fact that Vrbo keeps the money until the tenant takes possession was withheld.
Desired outcome: Stop the mis-leading sales tactics. Yes, knowing the truth will provoke many owners. But they deserve to understand that up front and center.
Motel passed off as apartment
The listing said 1st time rental so no address. As a matter of fact it was not put in the system till after it was to late to cancel. They advertise an apartment. It is a motel room. Limited security. [censored]ty place and no pics tgat would really allow you to see it for what it is. A f, motel room. Really,
I think vrbo needs to not have scammers list property. I rather go a different way but your reputation should get better. Thus kind of advertising that gives false sense of property is wrong.
Desired outcome: 1 day rental return.
Stole my money as a home owner
I have left vrbo as they are thieves. I had a large booking of 22 nights, according to my paperwork I luckily printed off at the time of booking... Guest booked and paid a total of $2548.65. As owner they were to give me $2055.33 (they put estimated payout* which seems odd) I rang to confirm when this payment would be paid. A customer service...
Read full review of VRBOUnauthorized cc charge / no refund / unethical behaviour: the wine stay, ca
Booked Res #79661 ID#5817 with VRBO and The Wine Stay prior to Covid. Prop mgr has declined any refund, charged a damage deposit not authorized, and when trying to apply credit to new stay, Mike Little thought it would be a good idea to try to extort an additional $2, 300. He won't answer our letters or attorney letters and not someone you want to do business with. Who does this during Covid? We are out $7, 154 and won't work with us at all!
This was a double-50th bday celebration in Sonoma, now it's a nightmare dealing with someone using a pandemic to his advantage. Serious warning! When looking at properties in Sonoma, CA.
Property id 8360895; reservation id ha-k5l12y
I am Abidemi Akande, I made a reservation for an apartment for three days at Flat 1, 7 Rasaki Balogun Street, Atlantic View, Lekki, Lagos Nigeria.
Reservation was for the 24th to the 27th November. £279:80 was duly debited. Confirmation came through. A few days after the booking was updated and I discovered the site had been taken down. Subsequent messages were ignored.
I was still hopeful that accommodation was intact and attended premises but was denied entry at the gate. Phone calls were not answered and this occasioned extra cost of £200 to get a substitute abode.
There was no communication nor refund.
I feel VRBO platform should not be made available for what appears to be a fraud.
I will report this to UK authorities and have reported this in Nigeria as well. The premises will be thoroughly investigated.
I eagerly await a refund and adequate compensation.
To my surprise, the same vendor still advertises on your platform.
I am Abidemi Akande, made above reservation on V R B O, was for three nights from 24-27th November 2020. £279:80 was duly paid.
To my suprise, the web page simply vanished and messages to Property Manager went unanswered. All arrangements made to collect key failed and my guest was turned away at the gate of the property last night.
Property address is Flat 1, 7 Rasaki Balogun Street, Atlantic View, Lekki, Lagos. Nigeria.
To my horror, the same image of the Property Manager appears on your site on a few other properties. I suspect this is a scam and serious fraud.
I have lodged a complaint with Lagos Police and steps are being taken to investigate the said property as other fraudulent activities might be taking place. Will forward details to UK Police as well after your response.
It is a shame your platform could be used for this.
Extra cost incurred to rehouse my guests will also be demanded in addition to a full refund. My email address is abidemiisiakaakande@gmail.com
Double booking of vacation rental, no refund
I rented a vacation rental from VRBO for 10/16-18 of 2020. I contacted the owner when we arrived and was told the property had been double booked. The owner wrote me a check for $350 and apologized. When I got home, I called VRBO and told them the situation. Customer service told me that the owner still owes me $50 for the cleaning fee. I contacted the owner and he sent me a $50 check for the cleaning fee. I called VRBO back to tell them, they told me that the owner should also sent me a check for $50.40 for taxes. I emailed the owner. He said that it is VRBO's responsibility to pay taxes. I contacted VRBO again, spoke with Alex. She asked for verification of the checks and asked that I email them photos of the checks. I did so while I was on the phone with her. Then the call dropped. I emailed her and asked that she return my call and gave her my phone number. She has not returned my call. I am expecting a refund of $96.40 for the taxes and service fee.
Took their fees and tax on a total charge which never been received by the owner.
In August 2020, VRBO gave the address of my property even if the total payment of the rental was received. People spent their whole stay ( 20 days) without paying the second portion of the payment. I was never notified of such like I used to when Homeaway was my platform. When I called VRBO about the partial payment on my bank, VRBO said they had some trouble with their computer program and I would received the complement of my payout shortly. I was patiently waiting for them to resolve their issue.
I discovered after the departure of the tenants that I was never paid for that second payment by the tenants. While VRBO was casually giving my address to the tenants, they also were quick to take their full booking fees and taxes on the total amount I never got. As the results, I had to pay for the booking fees, the taxes from the rental money that was supposed to go to me. I got robbed twice - one from the tenants and then from VRBO.
In addition, I never got the deposit for damage protection that was promised from VRBO. They breach their contract which state protection of owners with insurance and deposit.
It is hard enough to have to pay for all the expenses from the tenants who basically did not pay me, BUT I don't think that VRBO should benefit from a payment I never received, neither should I pay a tax on that absent payment.
I have talked to 3 customer service agents who brushed my concern away and a supervisor that never called me back as promised. I am irate at their dismissal after putting me at risk giving my address and with no insurance of any kind.
VRBO should refund part of their supplemental booking fees, part of the overpaid tax, and partially or fully pay for the unpaid rental portion ( do they have insurance for that?). In addition, change their policy of giving addresses before the total payment has been made.
The worst customer service ever
The worst customer service ever. I am a Vrbo Owner of two properties. I tried to give a customer a refund and because they had already checked out I called VRBO for advice they told me what to do and I followed the advice exactly. They said they would send me an email that I was to respond to the email never came and when I called back another rep told me that everything I had done was wrong and they refunded the money to the gas again even though I had already sent a personal refund. Every time you call you get a different answer and the last representative I spoke to did not seem to understand the problem on my complaint at all. Most of the people answering the phone seem to have limited understanding of the English language and communication is Difficult to impossible. The rep said he would escalate my part problem after he refused to let me speak to a Supervisor. He promised me that someone would call back within 72 hours it is now been a full week and I have heard nothing
My vacation rental
VRBO has suspended my listing not giving sufficient time for me to provide requested documentation. A guests did damage to our property and it took a few days to get the estimate written up, mailed to me and the repairs done, and I tried to submit the documentation however my emails are being rejected. This is totally unfair I cannot get a resolution.
Karla & Jason Marshall
Listing #4620326
I had the same issues with VRBO and absolutely do not like VRBO. I had a renter who did severe damage by ruining my master bedroom carpet, damaging an electric range, leaving a horrible mess that took 9 hours of cleaning and several trips up to my cabin for estimates and work that had to be done. The carpet has to be replaced as the pig guest spilled wine on the carpet and then used to bleach to clean up permanently staining the carpet. Pig guest paid a $600 damage deposit...damages and costs came to $4, 003.00. I sent in invoices, photos and documentation. VRBO said they could only allow carpet cleaning and a replacement element for the stove but could not pay for the extra cleaning time and work time to bring my cabin back to prior condition. $315.03 is what I could recover. When I claimed the $600 VRBO sent only $582.00 and kept $18 as a processing fee. I returned the pig guest $266.97 and then VRBO said case is still open and I risk being taken down if I don't send the other $18.00! VRBO has the $18.00...after spending a great deal of time explaining and replying to emails sent by VRBO explaining that they need to send the $18 out of their processing fee account did they finally understand what they did in error. Meanwhile I still have a carpet to replace out of my pocket. I rated this guest as horrible but was told that my rating does not appear for other owners to see because it has to protect the right of the renter! What about the rights of the property owners! Property owners be aware ... do not rent to unrated renters because they are probably like this pig guest and could be her! VRBO gets a -10 rating from me.
Guest renter was Yuanyan Pei and I rated her 1 star and woill never rent to her again.
Refund
We rented a property in June 2020 .we called vrbo inquiring on canceling our trip due to covid -19. We just called to see if we cancelled we would get a refund. We then tried contacting the property owner and she never answered . We never received the security code to the property . The day after we were supposed to check in, we received an E-mail saying the owner cancelled our reservations. It has been 4 weeks now and no refund. We can not get in touch with the owner .and vrbo is no help . They say all they can do is try and contact the owner. They also can not get in touch with wiener!
I have the same problem from back in April. However the homeowner did refund my security deposit of $300.00 while keeping $3, 105.00 for himself. I filed a complaint against him with the Consumer Protection Division the State of Maryland but it's slow going because of Covid. If all states had done like Florida and made Short Term Rentals illegal it would have saved a lot of us headaches. These homeowners on VRBO get to set their own rules and the public needs to be aware. I guess I still have small claims court if all else fails. VRBO want even let me place a review on the homeowners site to warn others because I didn't stay their. Should of used Airbnb heard they took care of their customers. Good luck with your homeowner.
Gary M.
Payment downloads
When downloading the payments we have received, I realized that the 'Deposit Amount' column and 'Payable to You' column did not match the money we actually received in our account. We called a couple of times and here is what we found out. VRBO has not taken out the 'Service Fee' amount detailed on the worksheet and it is still included in our deposit amount listed on the worksheet, which we did not receive. They said it would be fixed but here we are a week plus later and not fixed. If using their worksheet for tax purposes, the figures are WRONG. This is a major mistake on VRBO's part and only adds to the many other accounting errors we have noticed. Their worksheets are so confusing, not very customer friendly. And, now we are waiting weeks to receive our money. VRBO says "it's unfortunate you haven't received your money but we have problems concerning cancellations and bookings due to COVID-19", well it's unfortunate alright. We are refunding cancellations due to COVID-19 but we are not getting deposits for new bookings. And, they think it's 'unfortunate'. They charge a hefty service fee to our customers so as to better/upgrade their systems and all it has been is a huge mess.
I agree and am a property owner...VRBO's bookkeeping is horrendous and it seems there is a severe lack of communication between the different departments. I truly hate VRBO but now they are a conglamorant and have the whole vacation rental business in their laps...perhaps that is why they think that customer service is not important only getting money in their pockets.
Terrible customer service
We booked this home for a long weekend to visit my son is Scottsdale. When we booked we paid in full because it was about 30 days out. After booking we ran into a few issues with my son being exposed and self quarantine and such. I reached out to the property manager BRENT PAULY. Our initial emails were responded to until I brought up possibly cancelling. His lack of customer service skills were unbelievable. Here are a few of his responses to us:
"There was a pandemic prior to you booking. If you are worried about being around someone who has been around someone else with Covid-19 maybe they should not come. You and your family had every intention of coming out here even with Covid-19 still being around. I am not sure what is changing now." WOW — .. After all that, things were ok with my son and we were going to keep the reservation. Then 7/3 Chicago issues an Emergency Order to self quarantine when returning from AZ starting on 7/6. We are all returning to Chicago and work outside of the house so that is not a possibility. Plus the increase of cases in AZ caused us to cancel our reservation. We reached out and received the same response.. if they rebook it we will get some type of refund. It was 3 days out at this time and no way would it be rebooked especially in AZ now. We asked for a credit to use for another time/location etc. Same scripted response... no we are outside of the cancellation period. This was our 1st and obviously last time to use VRBO. Their website says they advise the owner to show flexibility with cancellations during this Covid time. Some much for flexibility. Extremely inept customer service! c
Non payment for booked rental by vrbo to owner
Owner # 560859 had guest book on 5/30/20 (Guest booking # HA-ZFT3NC), guest completed stay on 7/5/20. VRBO has not paid owner for this booking and keeps extending payout dates (funds now held by VRBO for 38 consecutive days after booking). Guest damage deposit is also being held for an extensive period. Basically VRBO is not paying owners or guests money owed.
Refund
We had to cancel a booking, 2 days after it was booked on June 5, 2020 and we are STILL waiting for our refund! I am tired of hearing their excuse about COVID causing the delay! This is pure and simple thievery! We have used VRBO for many years, but this situation has caused us to find lodging elsewhere. I have called them and emailed them and while they say our refund has been processed...we still haven't received it. I wonder who's enjoying the benefits of OUR money?!
I cancelled within the time frame, no refund 3 weeks later. They said they changed vendors and tried giving me a 900 number to call their vendor, they won’t call the vendor. I am livid. I’m calling 7 on your side.
Refusing to refund my money
Last November I rented an apartment in Oaxaca, Mexico, for July 2020 through Vrbo. The Covid19 pandemic hit. I am in the most vulnerable group (79 years old with heart problems and diabetes) and I was forced to cancel my trip so I would not be exposed to the virus. I notified Vrbo in writing, explaining the circumstances. They acknowledged the cancellation but said that there would be no refund. Now they are holding over $ 1000.- of my money, unwilling to give it back to me.
I also had a booking with Airbnb which I also had to cancel. Airbnb answered within 48 hours and issued the proper refund.
Vrbo should follow the same fair policy during these hard times. They do not even have a customer service number. This complaint should be a warning to others to avoid a company that does not follow industry ethical standards.
Good to know...I am a property owner and have received horrible service from VRBO. I am searching for a new provider who is easier to work with. I will look into AirBNB. It is very important to me to have good relationships with my guests and with my provider and I want my rights and property protected as well. I will check out AirBNB and hopefully be able to switch to them.
I am sorry you are having problems with VRBO but am not at all surprised after the fiasco I just had with them.
VRBO Reviews 0
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About VRBO
One of the key features of VRBO is that it allows travelers to book directly with property owners, which can often result in lower prices and more personalized experiences. The platform also offers a wide range of search filters and sorting options, making it easy for travelers to find the perfect vacation rental for their needs and budget.
In addition to its user-friendly interface and extensive selection of properties, VRBO also offers a range of tools and resources to help both travelers and property owners make the most of their experience. For example, the platform provides detailed property descriptions, high-quality photos and videos, and reviews from previous guests to help travelers make informed decisions about where to stay.
For property owners, VRBO offers a range of tools to help them manage their listings, including a calendar for tracking availability, a messaging system for communicating with guests, and a payment processing system for handling transactions. The platform also provides resources and support for property owners who are new to the vacation rental industry, including tips for setting up and managing their listings.
Overall, VRBO is a trusted and reliable platform that offers a convenient and affordable way for travelers to find and book vacation rentals around the world. With its extensive selection of properties, user-friendly interface, and helpful resources for both travelers and property owners, it's no wonder that VRBO has become such a popular choice for vacation rentals.
Overview of VRBO complaint handling
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VRBO Contacts
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VRBO phone numbers+49 693 4872 3536+49 693 4872 3536Click up if you have successfully reached VRBO by calling +49 693 4872 3536 phone number 13 13 users reported that they have successfully reached VRBO by calling +49 693 4872 3536 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached VRBO by calling +49 693 4872 3536 phone number 19 19 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached VRBO by calling +49 693 4872 3536 phone number+1 (877) 202-4291+1 (877) 202-4291Click up if you have successfully reached VRBO by calling +1 (877) 202-4291 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached VRBO by calling +1 (877) 202-4291 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached VRBO by calling +1 (877) 202-4291 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached VRBO by calling +1 (877) 202-4291 phone numberCustomer Service
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VRBO emailssocial@homeaway.com100%Confidence score: 100%Supportlegal@vrbo.com97%Confidence score: 97%Legalspoof@vrbo.com97%Confidence score: 97%media@vrbo.com97%Confidence score: 97%Communicationmediasg@vrbo.com96%Confidence score: 96%
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VRBO addressSuite 300, 1011 W. Fifth Street, Austin, Texas, 78703, United States
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VRBO social media
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Checked and verified by Olivia This contact information is personally checked and verified by the ComplaintsBoard representative. Learn moreSep 16, 2024
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