ComplaintsforVrbo

• Initial Complaint

  04/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I booked a beach house through VRBO on April 5 2024 reservation id is ****** I paid $2,166.85, but only $232 was actually paid to VRBO. This $232 was apparently service fee to use VRBO. I was under the impression that all my payments would be made through the VRBO platform, that was not the case I had to pay the realty company directly, and be charged extra fees for using my debit card. Nowhere does it state on vrbo that I will have to pay outside of vrbo. I booked through VRBO because I felt say paying through them, then after I book I find out I have to pay the realty company directly. This is ridiculous and support refused to help me. I would have booked directly through the realty company if i would have known i had to pay them directly. Vrbo claims the $232 is for a safe payment platform and support. Well my money had to be paid through somewhere else anyway and theyre support was very unhelpful. I want my $232 refunded immediately.

  Business response

  04/19/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ********************* concerns. At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences.?We understand that Gage is concerned about the travelers service fee charge of $232 and is seeking a refund.
  Our records show that Gage booked with one of our ****************************** hosts. Many of our vacation rentals are hosted by property management companies. They often manage multiple properties, and many use an external software system to integrate their information with our website. 
  As a result, your experience when you book a property managed by one of these companies may differ from booking with a private host. 
  However,independently of the type of property or host you book with, your reservations are covered by our Book with Confidence Guarantee. See the link for more details on ******************************: ************************************************************************************************
  When you book a property hosted by a management company, you may see multiple charges on your card. The first payment is Vrbos Service Fee:  ****************************************************************************** service fee is a percentage of the total amount of the reservation, excluding taxes and refundable fees paid by the guest.  This fee helps cover the cost of secure transactions, product development, and 24/7 customer service. Additionally,when a guest pays through our site, they are eligible for the Book with Confidence Guarantee. 
  We hope that this additional explanation can help alleviate Gages concerns about the Vrbo ***************** Fee.
  
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing us a chance for resolution. 
  Best regards, 
  Vrbo Customer Support Team

  Customer response

  04/19/2024

  Complaint: 21561853
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I didn't pay through you guys, I had to pay through the actually realty company and they charged me extra fees. I want my $232 refunded. Nowhere on vrbo did it say I would have to pay else where. That did not make my payments feel secure. I still want my refund or I will dispute with my bank and provide the screenshot vrbo provided and show that they are refusing to help or refund me.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  04/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Reserved a rental property in February ****************** ****** ** from April 5th to April 8th & paid in full at time of reservation.Host did not respond nor provide check in information.My minor son and I had no place to sleep when we arrived. VRBO put us in a hotel for one night and then told me that I am financially responsible for the lodging for the remainder of my stay. I did not have money for lodging, as I had already paid in advance over a month prior. VRBO has not refunded my money for services that were not provided.

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ************************* concerns. At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences.?We understand that *********************** is concerned about a booking where check-in instructions were not provided and is seeking a refund.    
  Findings:  
  Our records show that the guest booked on February 23rd for the stay dates of April 5th to 8th at property VRBO/3190680 and the host did not provide access instructions. According to our records, *********************** called into customer support multiple times before the booking and the day of check-in. The customer support agent in case ********* lodged the guest for 1 night and escalated a case to our Rebooking team for further investigation. An agent from our Rebooking team advised *********************** to self-lodge for the remainder of their stay on April 6th. On April 10th, a Guarantee agent confirmed that ************************* refund had been processed. This is documented in case 125894553. ***********************;can expect to receive their refund within 5 7 business days of April 10th back on their original method of payment.   
  Conclusion:  
  We are grateful for the time and effort that ***********************;has taken to share their concerns with us. Case ********* was escalated to our Social Response team on April 17th and an agent will be reaching out to gather reimbursement review for ***********************.  

  Customer response

  04/22/2024

  Complaint: 21551106
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I was not provided with a room for 2 nights even though I had paid for a 3 night stay. My son and I had no place to go, ended up 20 miles out of town. The experience & the time I wasted with VRBO was unbelievable!! The way they have done my minor child & I was extremely bad & left us in an unsafe position! I want reimbursement for the hotel I ended up at because of VRBO's terrible service & the inability to provide us with a room while they had has my money for 2 months!
  Regards,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  04/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On January 8th, I purchased a 14 VRBO/Homeaway booking in ***** for 14 days for a total of ******* USD that took place on March *****th. The booking stated free cancellation until February 22nd. I requested and got approved for a reduction in the total amount of days in the booking, from 14 to 5, on February 19th. Since then, I have messaged VRBO and the host several times asking for when I will receive a refund for the 9 days reduced from the booking. Both VRBO customer service and the host constantly repeated excuses about why the refund hasn't arrived and saying it will come soon and to contact the host or contact VRBO customer service. The host will say just wait until after the booking, then said its coming soon, then said it would arrive the past week, and now saying its being worked on with VRBO/Homeaway/Abritel. VRBO **************** constantly repeats saying contact the host and that they have contacted the host and they are working on getting it completed. I contacted customer service regarding the refund in February and first contacted the host regarding the refund on March 18th and weeks later, I still don't have the refund, a timeline of when I will get it, and both parties say its the others responsibility to do it. The refund will be over 1000 USD and its starting to feel like I have been scammed and will never receive this money. Airbnb and every other hotel/rental has been able to do any refunds like this within days of the booking change, yet VRBO needs almost 2 months and still has no timeline of when I will receive it.

  Business response

  04/16/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,???  

  
  We appreciate the opportunity to assist *************************. Thank you for contacting us and sharing the details of his complaint with us. We are always looking for ways to improve and appreciate all feedback from our customers. We understand that ************************* is requesting a partial refund after they changed their booking from a 14-night stay to a 5-night stay.  
  
  We have the following findings and conclusions to share.   
  
  According to our records, on January 8th, 2024, ************************* booked property ID ABRITEL/******* for dates of stay March 23rd, 2024 April 6th, 2024. When he made this booking, he agreed to the following cancellation policy:  
  Cancellation Policy  
  50% refund for cancellations requested by Mar 09, 2024 at 11:59 PM (property's local time).  
  100% refund for cancellations requested by Feb 22, 2024 at 11:59 PM (property's local time).  
  
  Our records also show that ************************* requested to modify the booking on February 18th, 2024, which entitled them to a partial refund.  On March 17th, 2024, ************************* contacted our Customer Support to report he had not yet received the refund as expected. This is documented in case ********* and our Customer Support team reached out to the host on this same date to advise them the refund was due.  
  
  Our records show that the host issued a partial refund to ************************* in the amount of $756.10 USD on April 11th, 2024. We apologize for the delay that ************************* experienced in getting the refund they were due, and we ask that they please allow 7-10 business days for the refund to reflect to their original method of payment.  
  
  While we regret that *************************** experience was not as we would have hoped, we appreciate the opportunity to address the issues brought to our attention. If you have any further questions or concerns about this matter, please contact us.    
  
  Best regards,??  
  Vrbo Customer Support Team?  

  Customer response

  04/16/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I made a reservation in May 2023. I subsequently cancelled the reservation October prior to the full refund cancellation period of October 23. I am still owed $1,073.76. I have contacted the host who says they withheld funds as VRBO may charge her. When I followed with her to see if they did she did not respond. I started following up with VRBO on December 18,2023 and was told they send to a specialist. When I called on January 31st they said this had not been done but do so at that time and gave me a case number. I followed up again April 6, 2024 and was told again that it had been transferred to an agent and they would follow up with me via email. They would not give me a time as to when I would hear back. It has now been 6 months since I cancelled the reservation. I have sent VRBO copies of the payment and refund received to date that shows I am still owed *******.

  Business response

  04/15/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,??? 
  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ******************************* concerns. At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences.?We understand that ***************************************** is concerned about a refund for their booking that they cancelled without being refunded in full as expected. Were very sorry to hear that the guest has not been refunded in full and can understand their disappointment with this hosts actions.    
  
  We have the following findings and conclusion to share.  
  
  Findings: 
  
  Our records show that the guest booked reservation ******** for the stay dates of Dec 22, 2023 - Dec 27, 2023, with the following cancellation policy: 
  
  100% refund for cancellations requested by Oct 23, 2023, at 11:59 PM 
  
  ***************************************** requested their cancellation on Oct 3, 2023, within the window for a full refund. After realizing their host was not processing the refund accordingly, the guest reached out to Vrbos Customer Support for further assistance on Oct 13, 2023, as documented in case *********. Upon learning of ******************************* concerns, the customer support agent reached out to the host via phone to indicate to them that the guest was *********** a full refund and the host agreed to this, but they did not follow-through.  
  
  The guest followed up with Vrbo support on Dec 18, 2023, regarding the status of their refund. The customer support agent noted that this particular host is an Integrated Property Manager that uses their own software to process transactions which limits visibility on Vrbos end. The agent asked ***************************************** to provide proof of purchase which was completed via email. The customer support agent then indicated to the guest that this would need to be escalated to a specialized team in order to resolve this, however the case was never properly escalated to the correct team. We sincerely apologize for this misstep as it has led to a delay in resolving this for *****************************************.  
  
  Conclusion: 
  
  We understand that the guest has not been refunded as expected. The host the guest booked with processes their own payments and refunds. Upon learning of the guests complaint here, case ********* was escalated to Vrbos Social Response Team who contacted ***********************************;to inform them that a chargeback will need to be filed in this instance as the next step in this claim process. This contact was made via email on April 15, 2024.   
  
  While we regret that ******************************* experience was not as we would have hoped, we appreciate the opportunity to address the issues brought to our attention. If you have any further questions or concerns about this matter, please contact us.   
  
  Best regards,?? 
  Vrbo Customer Support Team? 

• Initial Complaint

  04/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was searching for a cabin rental for me and my family to take our vacation in ************** and after finding the right cabin for us I booked it and didn't realize i was going to be charged a service fee by VRBO. All I did was search in ****** cabin rentals in ************** and the first photo that popped up I clicked on it and continued my search not realizing I was on a website that charges service fees to use their website. I have booked cabins several other times with searching for them as I did this time and was never charged by any other site I located the cabin and booked it through. I feel that if they are going to charge you to use their website they need to notify you as soon as you click into their website. I didn't realize I was going to be charged $280 until I saw it on my bank card as a charge. Within minutes and hours of noticing this charge i was not informed of I attempted to go in and cancel my booking to get my money back from them and book with the actual company that owns the cabin and it said it is non refundable. After I saw they said it was non refundable I researched refunds from VRBO and it says %100 refuned if canceled within 30 days of the date of arrival which is not until 6/29. I am just wanting my refund of $280 from a company that fraudulently misleads people and not informing them of any charges they will pay until after they have their payment then don't give any refund when they advertise %100 refund per my research.

  Business response

  04/16/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,???   
  
  Thank you for contacting us about ********************** concerns. We appreciate the time and effort they have taken to share the details of their complaint with us. We understand that ***************************** is requesting a refund for the **************** Fee that she paid for a recent booking.   
  
  We have the following findings and conclusions to share.    
  
  According to our records, ***************************** booked property ID **********************/******* for dates of stay Jun 29, 2024 - Jul 06, 2024 under booking ID ******** with the host for $2,578.43. This total includes a **************** Fee paid directly to Vrbo in the amount of $281.00.  When ***************************** made their booking, they agreed to the following cancellation policy: 
  
  Cancellation Policy  
  0% refund for cancellations requested by Jun 29, 2024 at 11:59 PM (property's local time).  
  
  Vrbo is a marketplace for the business of vacation rentals, and we charge a Service Fee to travelers who create reservations on our platform. Our policy can be read in our help portal here: ******************************************************************** or in our terms and conditions (********************************************************?) under section 9. Service Fee Payable by Travelers and choice of currency which states, "We charge a service fee payable by travelers who book a property on the Site via the Site checkout. The service fee covers the use of the Site, including such features as 24/7 user support, and is calculated as a variable percentage of the total reservation amount (which may or may not include additional fees, taxes and damage deposits). Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction of the traveler and/or member, VAT may be charged on top of the service fee. The exact service fee (and any VAT, if applicable) charged will be displayed to travelers at the time of booking."   
  
  Upon further review of our records, there is no refund due to *****************************, though we understand this is not the resolution they were hoping for. **************** Fees are based, in part, on the length of stay, so this additional fee is correct and was not charged in error.   
  
  Thank you for reaching out to us about ********************************* concerns. We are always looking for ways to improve and rely on valuable feedback from our customers to guide those efforts. Please let us know if there are any other questions or concerns that we can address regarding this matter.    
  
  Best regards,??  
  Vrbo Customer Support Team?   

• Initial Complaint

  04/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I attempted to cancel my reservation with VRBO, first I signed in to my account to cancel it and it said that I have no reservation. Next I went to their chat, I was kicked off 3 times while chatting with an agent. I then received an email giving me a case number on March 31. We're contacting you because we seem to have lost connection with you on our chat service unexpectedly today. We have created a case for you *********. If you still need further assistance, please contact us again by chat or phone from the link below and include your case number. Do not reply to this email, as this inbox is not monitored.I tried contacting them again with an on line chat and was kicked off then an agent came on but it was in a foreign language. I gave up, this company is miserable to deal with. My reservation is for August, I'm within the window to cancel this reservation by months but I'm getting nowhere with VRBO.

  Business response

  04/11/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ******* Bears concerns.At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences.?We understand that ************;is concerned about canceling her reservation and is seeking a full refund.
  Our records show that Melissas reservation was canceled on April 7, 2024, and will be refunded back to her account in 7-14 business days.
  Thank you for reaching out to us about ******************** concerns. We are always looking for ways to improve and rely on valuable feedback from our customers to guide those efforts. Please let us know if there are any other questions or concerns we can address regarding this matter.  
  Best regards, 
  Vrbo Customer Support Team

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I STILL want 2 FREE months tacked on for my listing that is up for renewal in a few months. They can easily do this by their delaying for two months when my renewal is due. I have documented and written about this before and BBB managed to get Vrbo to call me."Private enterprise" marketing individual service HAS RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PUBLIC. AIRBNB SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN AND INDEED WAS FOUNDED ON THAT VERY MESSAGE.IN ***** CONTRAST, VRBO SEEMS LIKE A DEAF MACHINE CARVING OUT A MONEY MAKING EMPIRE PERCHED TOO OFTEN ON THE ***** OF HELPLESS TRAVELERS AND HOSTS.A class action law suit against them for their failure to deliver promised digital services seems warranted. THOUSANDS WERE IMPACTED BY THEIR SCREWED UP ONE KEY DIGITAL LISTING BLOCKADE DURING THEIR GIDDY "ROLL OUT" OF ONE KEY.As a Vrbo Host from their days in ******, I've experienced the good changes in mapping and advertising and the new bad policies and poor service to Hosts.Last summer their digitally absolutely inexcusably INCOMPETENT launch of One Key LOCKED TRAVELERS OUT OF MY WEBSITE FOR VIEWING AND BOOKING FOR 2 MONTHS -- DURING HIGH SUMMER SEASON. They added to this problem first with their failure to respond to my entreaties, then with their arrogant after-the-fact delayed DEFLECTING response. NOW I can't get into my calendar, inbox, etc. in any normally navigable way. The want me to "download the app." No thanks. I DO NOT WANT YOUR APP OR YOUR INCESSANT TEXTING OR MARKETING OR MORE TRIPS IN THEIR DIGITAL MAZES. As a business, Vrbo mistreats me in ways I have never been mistreated. Expect yet more Hosts to land on complaint sites and leave the message "I HATE VRBO." They epitomize the gonna-win, gonna get rich, gotcha aggressive money grabbers. They accomplish breath-taking feats of contemptuous disdain through their high-handed digital programming and incompetent "Support" staff, apparently all in the early stages of learning both the Vrbo platform and English.

  Business response

  04/23/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,???   
  
  Thank you for contacting us about ******************************* concerns. We appreciate the time and effort she has taken to share the details of her complaint with us. We understand that ******************************* report that she experienced technical issues when our OneKey program launched and is asking for a two month extension to her listings subscription.    
  
  After careful review of this complaint, as well as the one she submitted in August 2023, we have issued a one-time extension to her subscription as a gesture of goodwill. Our Social Response team sent ***************************** an email today, April 23, 2024, confirming the extension and her new expiration date.  
  
  While we regret that ******************************* experience was not as we would have hoped, we appreciate the opportunity to address the issues brought to our attention. If you have any further questions or concerns about this matter, please contact us.     
  
  Best regards,??   
  Vrbo Customer Support Team?  
  

  Customer response

  04/23/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We rented a home on VRBO for vacation from 3/16/-3/23. The home was nothing like the photos presented on the website (VRBO). There was a black substance on all of the vents that appears to be mold. The patio is unstable and a safety hazard. There is an elevator in house that the host warned us about using. the home was filthy. Every person in the home got sick. There should be an investigation into the safety and air quality of that home. The hosts tried to blackmail us into not filing a review.

  Business response

  04/11/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ********************** concerns.At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences.?We understand that ***********;is seeking a refund due to the property not being as advertised and some cleanliness issues.
  Our records show that the host processed a partial refund to ****** for $750 on April 1, 2024.  On April 10, 2024, our Customer Support agent processed a reimbursement of $120 for the cleanliness issues she experienced during the stay.
  As a goodwill gesture, we have refunded the travelers service fee of $349. This is the only fee collected by Vrbo and any other refunds will be at the hosts discretion. ****** can expect the refunds in 7-14 business days.
  While we regret that ********************** experience was not as we would have hoped, we appreciate the opportunity to address the issues brought to our attention. If you have any further questions or concerns about this matter, please contact us.  
  Best regards, 
  Vrbo Customer Support Team

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am a host thru VRBO. The payments that are to be issued to me when I have a guest are to be provided the day after a guest checks in. VRBO is at times waiting 4-5 days after check in to submit the payment. When I contact the help desk, ** told the payment is pending and they cannot help me other than that. I am suspecting fraud and I am guessing that VRBO is short on cash themselves and will hold the money for their own use instead of paying their partners as agreed.

  Business response

  04/11/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address *********************** concerns. At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences.?We understand that ***** is concerned that she has not received her payout for a booking the day after check-in.
  According to our records, the host contacted Customer Support on April 3, 2024, because she hadnt received her payout for booking HA-MWNFF5, which checked in on April 2,2024. The agent advised that the payout would be disbursed on April 3, 2024.
  Payouts can take 5-7 business days to deposit into the hosts account depending on their financial institution processing time.
  Thank you for reaching out to us about *********************** concerns. We are always looking for ways to improve and rely on valuable feedback from our customers to guide those efforts. Please let us know if there are any other questions or concerns we can address regarding this matter.  
  Best regards, 
  Vrbo Customer Support Team

• Initial Complaint

  04/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  RE VRBO CASE #*********** On June 8, 2023 I reserved and paid in full for 2/17/24-3/18/24 at a home in **********, **. On 2/16/24 the owner texted "...that rental should be disabled....It's no longer available for short term leases." During the conversations that I had with VRBO representatives, I was given a Case Number and assured that their "Book with Confidence Guarantee" means that VRBO's specialized department, "Booking Support" would send me options of similar properties by email.WE NEVER HEARD FROM BOOKING SUPPORT AND THEREFORE WERE NOT GIVEN THE SUPPORT AND OPTIONS THAT HAD BEEN GUARANTEED, FORCING ** TO HURRIEDLY ATTEMPT TO FIND ACCOMODATIONS. VRBO commercials state "VRBO vacation rentals come with 24/7 live support. So if you ever need anything, you can reach a real person in about a minute." We definitely did not receive the support VRBO claims to provide. As it was, we were compelled to remain in a hotel in ********** for 8 days until we arranged for suitable accommodations ... without receiving the booking support that had been promised.

  Business response

  04/11/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,   
  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ******************************* concerns. At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences.
  We understand that ******* experienced a cancellation by the host due to the property being unavailable. ******* was assured by Customer Support that they would receive assistance with rebooking, yet there was no follow-up communication from the Rebooking team. Consequently, ******* was compelled to arrange her own hotel stay for 8 days until she secured appropriate accommodations.
  We sincerely empathize with the inconvenience and frustration that ******* experienced due to the unexpected cancellation and the lack of communication from the Rebooking team, which led to her having to find her own accommodation. 
  While we are not in a position to refund the interest ******* has requested on the booking amount, we are open to considering a potential reimbursement for the initial three nights of her self-lodging. We reached out to ******* on April 10, 2024, through email to gather her self-lodging documents for evaluation and are presently awaiting her reply. This is documented in case number 126056228.
  While we regret that ******** experience was not as we would have hoped, we appreciate the opportunity to address the issues brought to our attention. If you have any further questions or concerns about this matter, please contact us. 
  
  Best regards,
  Vrbo Customer Support Team 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩