VRBO
Reviews and Complaints

I have several vacation rentals that get deposited into different accounts. I have one house linked to an account and they keep saying the W9 is filled out wrong. I have done this over and over. This has been going on for over a year. Every time I call they say the issue will be fixed within 72 hours. One year and $5,600. that they owe me. I have spoken with several agents and the legal department. They promise to call me back. I have never received one call back. They are holding my money and this is illegal and fraudulent. I need some assistance.

Don't ever book a VRBO or anything that says Homeaway! They are a nightmare to deal with if you have any issues. The owners, David and Nancy Leonetti, were terrible to us and claimed that we threatened them, so we never got a reimbursement. They even took down our honest review from the VRBO site because it said "This Is Not A Bad Review, Just An Honest Review" below.

My family and I spent six months researching this property in Costa Rica before our trip. However, when we arrived, we found that much of the property description was not as advertised and left out important details. The most important detail that was not mentioned is the fact that the property is entirely surrounded by barbed wire fencing. The next most important thing is that the third bedroom is entirely separated from the other two bedrooms in the house. This is only hinted at in the description, and not clearly described as there is no mention of a separated room. We were surprised to find that a family member would have to stay completely isolated from the rest of the family. This needs to be mentioned so that possible guests can make the most informed decision about where to have their family stay. The kitchen utensils were dirty, and there was mildew on the spatula.

Once we arrived, we found that the kitchen is described as having "shutters" that open and close, but in fact, this is not true. These "shutters" are at least 35-45 pound doors that have to be opened and hooked onto the ceiling. When Felipe showed us how to do it, he jumped on a crate to get them hooked on the ceiling. A normal person would not be able to easily do this as it took myself (6'2") and my brother (6'4") to open them as my mom was unable to. What is not shown in the pictures is that the kitchen table and chairs are actually cable tied to a lock and key, and the large metal doors lock you out instantly. This all signaled a very unsafe and sketchy environment and created an uncomfortable feeling about me and my family staying here.

What is also not mentioned in the description that would be very helpful for guests to know is that there is a high risk for 5-10 pound coconuts falling from 50 feet above on the property that could cause injury. We were warned about these falling coconuts numerous times by the property manager. We were also warned that if we left the property, we would need to lock and bolt everything up so nothing would get stolen. Another important item not in the description is that there were swarms of gnats all around the property and beaches that were constantly all over you. Not to mention all of the mosquitoes around the house that ate us alive while we were only there for 2 1/2 hours before leaving. The property is described as "private," but actually is everything but as it has houses directly next to the property with no "landscape on either side" that provides a "barrier," but just barbed wire fencing.

Upon leaving, the only thing we did was shower, and the beds were never turned down. We requested to pay for one night and be reimbursed for the other two due to what we felt were unsafe conditions. I cashed in over 100,000 points to stay at the Marriott Resort on top of losing over $1000 on a place we were hoping to feel safe and enjoy.

I gotta say, I wouldn't recommend using VRBO. There are plenty of other options out there that are probably better. My group of 10, which included some essential workers like nurses, teachers, and firefighters, wanted to take a weekend off and booked a property through VRBO in early December. The owner of the property assured us in writing that if we couldn't stay due to government restrictions, we would be given a credit to rebook for a future date.

Well, when the lockdown hit and we couldn't stay at the property, we tried to reschedule for a different weekend like the owner had promised. But he went back on his word and said we couldn't reschedule or get a refund. He even threatened to charge us for damages to the property even though we never even stayed there!

I tried to get help from VRBO, but their customer service was terrible. They kept hanging up on me or disconnecting from the chat. And when I finally got through, they just kept saying they couldn't change the cancellation policy. I wasn't even arguing about that - I just wanted them to help me with the owner who was going back on his word.

After the weekend we were supposed to stay at the property, I got an email from VRBO asking me to leave a review. So I did, and I warned others about my negative experience with the owner and with VRBO's customer service. But then VRBO rejected my review because "I didn't stay at the property." Well, duh, I couldn't legally stay there because of the lockdown!

Long story short, I wouldn't use VRBO again. If they let one owner get away with taking money from travelers and not helping them out, I bet it's a common thing.

My husband and I recently booked a three night stay on a 50 ft boat/Yacht using HomeAway, which has been bought by Vrbo. Unfortunately, we had a terrible experience and will never use them again. The "Yacht" did not have a fully functioning bathroom, which was a major issue for us. Instead, the owners directed us to use the bathrooms at the Yacht Club. We paid $125 a night for something that did not have a functioning bathroom, which was a huge disappointment.

According to the Vrbo website for this listing, "Boat heads (bathrooms) are notorious for clogging and having other problems. Two full restrooms (one male, one female), with full showers are provided on the dock. Please use these facilities instead of aft head, if possible. They are private, and door codes are provided upon check-in. Aft head, however, is fully functional if you need it! Forward head toilet in inoperable at this time, but the sink works. Additional restrooms located in the restaurant and Marina lounge." However, upon our arrival at the "Yacht," we encountered a terrible smell. I called it a sewer smell, while my husband referred to it as a chemical smell, like what you treat raw sewage with in an RV. Unfortunately, that smell stayed with us for the entire three night stay.

We were unable to cancel our reservation, as Vrbo does not offer full refunds. On the first night, I refused to take a shower in the Yacht Club bathroom because it was filthy. The women's bathroom had used feminine hygiene products overflowing a trashcan that sat between the only two bathroom stalls. There were only two sinks, two bathroom stalls, and two shower stalls. Since only one toilet was functioning on this Yacht and could be used in case of an emergency, I did use it in the middle of the night. However, as soon as I flushed the toilet, a raw sewage smell worse than when we first arrived came out of the AC vents. I have never been somewhere where the AC unit was so close to the black water tanks that the smell could infiltrate it.

The next morning, I went up to the Yacht Club to inquire when the bathrooms would be cleaned. That is when I learned they are only cleaned twice weekly. We immediately went to Wal-Mart and bought some cheap flip-flops to shower in. Meanwhile, the smell was so overpowering that it was saturating our clothes. We kept the windows and doors open when we were there during the day in order to air out the boat.

In their description of the bathroom accommodations, they state that the bathrooms are private, but that is a lie. The bathrooms we had to use were nothing more than glorified public toilets. The kitchen staff at the restaurant there used those bathrooms, as did the people at the bar on the other side of the building, and pretty much anyone who wanted to use them. The so-called passcode/lock is a joke. The door is old and antiquated, the code lock does not work, and if you fully close the door, you cannot get back in even with the code. So, in the middle of this Covid Disaster, we were forced to clean up in a public bathroom.

Once we left, we sent a message to the owner of the boat. His response was, "Whoops, forgot to clean out the black water tank, gauge malfunctioned." Not even an offer to refund part of our payment. When I tried to post a review with Vrbo, nothing from our stay even showed up. HomeAway limits your review to 1500 characters, which is not enough to fully express our disappointment. This owner gets away with charging almost $400 for three nights, and all we got was clothing that smells like human crap. We will never use Vrbo again.

I recently had a terrible experience with VRBO. I booked Property #133223, which was advertised as a "Beautiful Lake Tuscaloosa Luxury Waterfront Home." However, when I arrived, I found that the property was gross and filthy. The owner had clearly not taken any pride in ownership, and the home was rundown and old. To make matters worse, the price was ridiculous.

The fridge was full of food, opened bottles, and outdated milk. It was just gross. The oven was beyond use, and the kitchen and laundry room floors looked like they had never been cleaned. The main bath wouldn't drain, the toilet was stopped up, and the floor was so dirty that our shoes stuck to it. We had to clean everything before we could even stay there. The kitchen cabinets had dried food and stains, and I felt like there were bugs and things crawling all over me.

On Saturday night, we found a huge black roach on the kitchen ceiling. We tried to get it down to kill it, but it ran beneath the dishwasher. I found some bug killer and sprayed it all around the dishwasher trying to get it out and kill it. We later killed another roach above the door to the back bedroom.

To make matters worse, the owner accused us of causing a smell of cat urine or a strong chemical smell and of stealing one of her portable Bluetooth speakers. We each flew 2000 miles each way to go there, and we certainly did not take a cat with us, especially as I am deadly allergic to cats. I know exactly what the chemical smell is from; it was my cleaning the house with the chemicals she had beneath the kitchen sink and the roach killer I found and used for the roaches. We found out after we got home that her house was listed for sale, and there were probably a couple of hundred realtors that had the combination of the lockbox, so I wonder why she would accuse us of taking the speaker when there were many people coming in and out of the house that could have taken the speaker. Anyway, the portable speakers can be bought for $25.00 most anywhere, and of course, we didn't see it or take it. There was no inventory list, and as far as we know, there were no speakers.

When I contacted VRBO (HomeAway) for help, they were no help at all. They told me to go directly to the owner and settle it with her. I was very disappointed with their lack of assistance.

I wish you all the best of luck if you should decide to venture out with VRBO and HomeAway. I'm sure they do have some very nice places, but we thought this one was nice, and the pictures were beautiful. We just won't take that chance again.

VRBO clearly stands behind its hosts, not the customers renting properties. Please see below disastrous renting experience and how they denied refund no matter how underhanded and rule-breaking the circumstance.
Buyer Beware
Don't book this place! Sao Pedro da Cova, Porto, Portugal (picture attached) The host (not on-site or nearby) has his managers there, with whom it was nearly impossible to communicate, and I speak French, Italian, German as well as English. Before we could be checked-in, or even see the second bedroom, they demanded 200 euros (deposit, in cash) which was nowhere in the posting or payment details or in an email recently sent to me --owner claimed that I didn't read them carefully, which was not the case. With this service, as UBER and others, there is no cash exchanged once booked, other than a few euros city tax in some cases. Two more neighbors joined in, all trying to explain to me the concept of a deposit. After back and forth me trying to explain that this was not what I had agreed to, nor was it legal, they put me on the phone with the owner, who only speaks French. He tried to explain that we have to pay this, and since my purse was stolen that day, and I had no cash on me, I could pay through PayPal. However, I never felt I should pay them anything extra at all, and the whole thing was absurd. We had been driving all day, exhausted and ready for bed. By then, we had been "discussing" for 2+ hours.

By now it's getting dark. I finally reached VRBO on the phone, as their chat didn't work, and I explained the situation. The woman on the phone told me that the refund was being processed and they were going to find me another place. (Needless to say, that never happened.) After that, we left this remote village on (a stoney, windIng mountain, 40 minutes from Porto), we drove into the city of Porto. After VRBO reached him, I received this text from the owner: "Hello Rachel. I am sorry. I think it 's ? probl?me another vacationer. Please call. It s ok With the paiement. You can stay. It s ok. I am very confused."
VRBO then decided that we will be charged the full amount because the owner corrected his mistake,. (No matter that he broke every rule by demanding the money in the first place and only admitted a mistake after they contacted him hours later) By that time it was late, we were exhausted and long gone. After being on the phone with a manager for another hour, always hearing the same script, I asked to speak with his superior. I heard laughing on the other end and then disconnected. It was to be escalated and I never heard back. Apparently, because I had booked then cancelled an earlier reservation at the same location, the VRBO people were confused and were referring to the cancelled reservation regarding the refund. The person at VRBO didn't know the difference between a cancelled vs. current, NOT CANCELLED RESERVATION. SO, after all, VRBO claimed that we needed to stay at the property after all this, and our leaving confirmed that we chose to cancel the non-refundable reservation.

My only chance to get the money back ($411) is to contest it with my credit card company, which I am doing. Airbnb has a guarantee that if there is any problem at all with their property, checking in, whatever, there is an immediate refund, and I have experienced this firsthand. VRBO stands behind its hosts, and against the people renting. And their customer service is abominable. It goes without saying that I NEVER will use their services again. There are wonderful places on Airbnb and other more reputable sites. Don't use this service.

Me and my hubby rented a place in Capitol Hill from Cliff Palermo, the owner of DC 5 Star Rentals, through VRBO (vrbo.com) last weekend. We were excited to stay in our old neighborhood and enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. However, upon arrival, we realized that the unit was not as advertised. It was a total disappointment. The photos on the VRBO listing did not match the actual state of the unit. We immediately contacted Cliff to express our concerns.

We were shocked to find out that the unit had only one functioning bed. The rear bed was missing a foot and was severely leaning, making it impossible and unsafe to sleep on. We also noticed a hole in the wall in the kitchen with mold growing around it. This was a serious health concern, especially since my wife is three months pregnant. Mold could have adverse effects on our unborn child. Furthermore, everything was stained, including the sheets and towels, the sofa, and the walls. It looked like frat parties had been thrown there for years.

We were disappointed that we had to spend our time in a subpar rental. The bedroom wall lights were molded, torn apart, and hanging off the wall. The shower curtain was molded, the lamp in the rear bedroom was broken, the front entry console was broken and leaning, dirty dishes with food debris still on them were in the cabinets, there was a horrible smell coming from the kitchen sink, as well as odd or odors in the fridge. We suggested that the owner address these issues before the next guests arrive.

However, the owner, Cliff Palermo, decided to play email ping pong with us. He first claimed that he would refund us, then stated that he would not. He even had an unannounced man come inspect the unit for himself, who did indeed see the bed only had three legs and that there was a hole in the wall. But, Cliff was aware of the terrible state of the unit. He then emailed us again and claimed that no refunds would be made.

We contacted VRBO for help, but they were insanely unhelpful. They kept disconnecting us, refused to forward us to a manager, denied any accountability, and said they do not vet vendors or perform any background checks. It was up to us to get our $900 rental fee back from DC 5 Star, whom the payment went to. We were not sold any deals like 'it's cheaper to book offline.' We booked through VRBO, and yet they claimed no responsibility for the unit being inhospitable. We took photos, filled out paperwork, and forwarded all the harassing emails from Cliff, but VRBO did not care.

We were left with no option besides filing a fraud claim with our bank and filing a police report against DC 5 Star and VRBO. We strongly advise against renting from these people. It was a terrible experience, and we do not want anyone else to go through what we did.

I'm turning 55 on April 7th and I gotta say, I had the worst experience with VRBO this past February. I was all set to check in when I got a call from the host saying that my room had been cancelled due to fleas. Fleas! Can you believe it? Apparently, the previous renter had brought in a dog, which is against the rules. The host claimed that she had surveillance footage of the dog going in and not coming out until morning. Why didn't she say something earlier? Turns out, she allowed it so she could get a pricey cleaning done. So now, I'm left with no room for me, my wife, and my 81-year-old mother-in-law. But that wasn't even the worst part.

The worst part was how VRBO treated me. When I called to inquire about a refund, I was told that I probably wouldn't get one because it was past the 48-hour window. But they had only just told me about the cancellation, so it was barely within the window. Then, I asked if they could help me find another room in the same area for the same price range. They said they would reimburse me if it was more expensive since it wasn't my fault. So far, so good. But then they sent me a list of rooms that were way too expensive. I had to pay upfront and wait for the reimbursement, which I wasn't even sure I would get. I picked the least expensive one and got a confirmation number. But when I called the host for the exact address, I found out that the room was already booked for those dates. The host claimed that she had told VRBO about the current renter adding nights, so it was VRBO's fault for double-booking. When I called back, I was reminded that I might not get a refund because I was still within the 48-hour window. Can you believe it?

So I asked for another list of places to stay, but I was running out of time. I asked if they could prioritize helping me out since I was in a bind. But every time I called, I had to wait forever to talk to someone and explain everything from the beginning. In the end, we had to sleep in our rental vehicle, which was uncomfortable and set us behind schedule. My mother-in-law, who has a bad back, didn't get any sleep. It was a nightmare.

The next day, I called VRBO to ask about my reimbursement. I talked to a supervisor named Adam, but he wouldn't give me his last name. He lied to me twice about the room, and when I called back, they said they didn't have a supervisor named Adam. But later, when I was talking about reimbursement, the woman said that Adam usually deals with those things. I called her out on it, and she finally admitted that I should call customer complaints. When I asked if she could transfer me, she said no. But when I called the number she gave me, it was out of service. I was so frustrated and angry that I'm reporting VRBO to the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Crimes and Fraud Division. They were not helpful or friendly at all. Every call was just them trying to push me off to someone else. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

I gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed with VRBO and this one landlord in particular. Let me tell you what happened. So, my girlfriend and I rented this cabin in the mountains outside of Las Vegas, NM. The owner, Lacey Loe, listed all these amenities like WIFI and a kitchen, but when we got there, we couldn't even get in the dang place! We tried the access code like 20 times, but no luck. And to make matters worse, there was all this construction noise from the guys building a log cabin across the road. Like, we're trying to have a peaceful vacation here, you know?

Anyway, we tried to contact the owner, but there was no phone service or WIFI, so we had to drive like 40 minutes just to get a signal. When we finally got ahold of him, he was kinda helpful at first and offered to refund us for the first night since we couldn't stay there. But then, when my girlfriend emailed him later asking for a refund for the rest of the week since the place was totally unsuitable, he got all legalistic and accusatory. He even canceled our reservation, which meant he got to keep our money AND rent the place out to someone else. What a scam!

And you know what's really messed up? VRBO doesn't even have a provision for refunds when the property isn't as promised. Like, what kind of business is that? They make you cancel two weeks in advance for a full refund, but if you show up and the place is a dump, tough luck. We had to drive another 75 miles just to find somewhere else to stay, and we didn't get a single penny back from VRBO or the landlord. Plus, he kept the cleaning fee and taxes, even though we never even set foot in the cabin!

Honestly, I'm so done with VRBO. I'm deleting the app and never using them again. It's like, businesses get all this protection, but consumers are just left out to dry. It's not right.

I recently stayed at 2441 Sandfiddler Rd through VRBO and I have to say, my experience was a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the rental was spacious and allowed for privacy for my family while also providing open areas for fun. Plus, the location was great - directly across from the beach access with a clean, empty beach. We were even able to bring our dogs, although the pet fee was a bit steep. The fenced yard was a nice touch, although there were some issues with it that needed to be addressed.

On the other hand, there were some definite downsides to our stay. For one thing, the house was not as clean as we had hoped. While it appeared to be swept and tidy on the surface, there were some deeper issues that needed to be addressed. The stove, for example, was quite filthy on the inside, and the fridge had a fly in it. Additionally, the filters for the AC return were dirty and the outside of the house was not in great shape. The yard had some hazards and was not as appealing as the photos had made it seem.

Another issue we had was with the AC. One of the outdoor units was not working properly, which made it difficult to cool the large space. We called the rental company, Beach Pros, and were initially told that this was normal and to just lower the temperature on the main unit. However, we persisted and eventually they sent an AC technician to fix the problem.

The amenities were also a bit disappointing. The hot tub was full of sand and the pool was murky, which made us hesitant to use it. We even worried about getting a urinary tract infection or worse from the water. When we brought this up with the rental company, they blamed the previous renters and the pool guy tried to tell us it was food in the hot tub. However, we did some research and discovered that it was actually a water mold caused by improper maintenance and dirty filters. The pool guy even threw the dirty filter on the ground, which was pretty gross.

Overall, while our stay had some issues, I have to say that Beach Pros was fairly responsive in addressing our concerns. They sent out a pool guy, AC technician, and even got us new grills when we complained about the rusty ones. However, we were disappointed that they didn't compensate us for the day we spent dealing with these issues or the fact that we couldn't use the hot tub or pool. Additionally, some of the furnishings were quite old and uncomfortable, and the outside of the house was not in great shape. All in all, I would say that while our stay had its ups and downs, it was still a decent experience overall.

Me and my fam went to Indy for my daughter's dance comp on March 17. I booked a VRBO last month cuz I knew the prices would be HIGH and there wouldn't be much inventory cuz of St. Patty's Day Weekend. Normally, I get check-in deets an hour before, but this time I didn't. I called VRBO at 3:05pm and they gave me the host's info. But when I called the host, she said she didn't do anything with VRBO and the property shouldn't have been listed. She told me to call VRBO to get my money back. But that's not cool cuz it was the day we were checking in and prices were high and VRBO has a 24-hour prior to staying clause. But I booked weeks ago, so that didn't matter to me. The first customer service person I talked to was cool and tried to help. He said the rebooking team would call me within 2 hours with available properties since it wasn't our fault and we were out of town with 3 kids and no place to stay.

But 2 hours passed and no one called and nothing was resolved with the case number. I called back and was EXTREMELY frustrated. I had to tell the same story 3 times with 2 agents hanging up on me before I could talk to a supervisor. One agent named IVONNE closed the case out after she hung up on me. But I have 3 kids and no place to stay for a whole weekend. It was a mess.

I called back for my last and final attempt. The agent was nice and tried to do everything before passing us onto the next rep. But they transferred us to the hotel dept and said they couldn't get us in anywhere cuz of the high rates. That's not cool. But then the actual property manager contacted me and said we could get in, even though she said the property wasn't available before. After VRBO contacted her and said the same thing to the agents, she changed her mind and gave us instructions to enter the home.

But when we got there, the conditions were HORRENDOUS. Mail was stacked in the mailbox for who knows how long. Nothing was like described. A door fell off the hinges, there was no toilet paper, utensils, holes in walls, the furniture looked like a frat party had been all over it. Lamps were broken, the entertainment stand was broken. It was dirty, so dirty that we went and bought cleaning supplies, sheets, comforters, towels, etc. just so we could stay with a little peace of mind. I also NEVER received checkout instructions. I even tried to reassure the host that we would keep everything great while letting her know the condition. I'm sure she knew, which is why she declined us earlier in the day.

This was the most UNACCEPTABLE treatment of clients that have paid that I have ever seen. The customer service from VRBO was unacceptable. If you don't know how to train your clients in the art of de-escalation, then they shouldn't be part of that program. I should have been transferred immediately once they saw the case number in the notes. We didn't get checked into the VRBO until after 7pm, when check-in time was 4pm. I paid for something that was not AT ALL anything like the description. I plan on sharing this story with the different groups I travel with and am affiliated with (over 1000 in the dance community where I'm from, over 3000 in my work network) and plan to share this publicly.

VRBO didn't care that I had 3 kids under the age of 10. It wasn't urgent for them to help. It all came down to "Can you book a hotel and we can figure out a place for tomorrow the 18?" That's ridiculous. If anything, my money should be refunded for the conditions of the property and the way that customer service did nothing but escalate emotions and tension more. Thank you.

Re: VRBO Property # 2861541 and Reservation ID: HA-6SSG54

I’m writing for several reasons but primarily to request your help in facilitating a refund.

Secondarily, I’m providing VRBO with details of an unpleasant, challenging (and potentially code-violating) guest environment.

****Background

The journey my sister and I took from NY state to AZ was long and difficult and, sadly, for the purpose of thoughtful placement of two beloved relatives into assisted memory care.

On February 4th I rented the property through VRBO for four nights, March 13 to March 17, this property was selected for its “Uber Relaxing and Quiet” features as described in the listing. On March 10th I received a rental verification and an email entitled "Here are the keys to your Sun

City West, Arizona, United States of America trip!" The email contained this exact language for check-in instructions:

Check-in instructions

Checkin is typically after 4pm, but before 6pm however it depends on the previous Guests Checkout time, and the Cleaners schedule thereafter. (The Host will let you know, and send You a Welcome Letter/Door Codes to help you smoothly Checkin and get orientated to home)

A few days before arrival I asked if we could get into the property early and was told we couldn't because the cleaners needed to finish. So upon arriving in Arizona, we went directly to my relative’s home and waited for notification from the Host as instructed above. At 6:05 PM local time, I reached out again to gain access to the property I’d paid for. I was told that check-in was

between 4PM and 6PM and their office was closed… I’d unknowingly missed the narrow window, but they would “try to help.” I was then quizzed about whether my reservation information was correct.

Wait, what? The reservation I’d paid for? The one you have all the information about?

The Host, Ryan, made a point to let me know he was going out of his way to help me and told me to re-read the house rental agreement for rules about check-in time. I checked but didn’t find anything regarding his claim about a 4PM to 6PM “rule.”

Adding insult to injury: even though I had booked a two bedroom

property that is advertised on VRBO to sleep 10,

I booked it for two adult guests and indicated so on the

reservation form. Yet in a last minute text message

directly from the host, an “Additional Guests”

fee of $108.00 was added to my booking charges on the

day of check in.

Wait, what? My sister wasn’t the 11th guest, she was the

second (and only).

In the same day-of-arrival text message, I was supposed to

go back online to pay more fees. I was charged a deposit

of $250.00 for Cleaning and deposit of $175.00 for

Maintenance. The text message says I can

qualify for a 100% refund on ALL deposits.

NOTE: No instruction on paying these fees was included

in the communication. Buried in the 4-page document

called TDBG Rules, which was discreetly

attached to the bottom of the Feb 4th email, appeared a single sentence that indicates:

“As Policy we cannot advise/discriminate how Guests send Deposits but they’re Non-Refundable if sent via VRBO.”

At this late and exhausted point in the travel day, my sister and I had been traveling for about 19 hours and we simply wanted to get settled and rested for the long days ahead with our elderly relatives. So using the VRBO app, I paid the inappropriate “Additional Guest” fees. We finally

received the instructions to get in the property (BTW there was no “door code” as the email subject line suggested, the key was simply under the flower pot!).

Once inside, we discovered a property completely unattended. The beds had been slept in, dirty sheets still on the beds. Used towels on the bathroom floor, and a full kitchen garbage can stinking-up the house. I immediately texted the Host, and he simply told me there were clean

linens in the closet and I could make the bed myself.

Wait, what? This isn’t my ex-brother-in-law’s seedy bachelor pad, I’m a paying guest here!

Well, even if that were an acceptable way to host, there was one set of linens in the closet… and two dirty beds in the house.

The stress was simply more than we could bear. My sister and I were completely unsatisfied by the unsanitary condition of the house and the unsettling response by the Host and decided to find a hotel room where we could actually rest for the night.

The next morning I sent messages to the Host via VRBO as well as a text message, trying to get the matter resolved. The Host did not contact me, so I called the VRBO complaint line and did the only thing I could do, I filed a complaint. The Host and his assistant, Kai, finally replied

stating that I was at fault for all their problems. The VRBO rep was helpful in getting my sister and I into the property for the remainder of the week and I’m truly grateful for the assist.

If only the week had smoothed out at that point. On day #2 of our stay, my sister encountered a woman at our door attempting to enter, indicating that she’d rented this place. Ugh, seriously?!

****Key Complaints

1. The VRBO page for Property # 2861541, shows check-in time from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The Host indicated there was a requirement to notify them (notify them of what I’m not sure, the place was paid for via the platform) by 12:00 PM, but this is not on the main page, it is found by clicking into the Host’s Profile [by the time you read this that may have been changed by the host]. Not only is this unreasonably hidden from view, but if

the place is paid for, why does a guest need to notify a host that they’re still coming?

Further, upon receiving the reservation confirmation the Check-in instructions as highlighted above that state …The Host will let you know…. I waited for the Host to let me know. When I reached out at 6:05 PM, I was treated like I was the problem rather than a paying guest.

2. Before being allowed access to the property, I was required to pay an additional $108.00 “Additional Guest” fee and $425.00 in Cleaning & Maintenance deposits. In a property that sleeps 10, how is

guest #2 an “additional” guest? I was improperly charged this fee and related taxes.

3. Upon arrival at the property, the house had not been cleaned. Completely unacceptable!

Since the property had not been cleaned and sanitized, I was forced to seek a room elsewhere. I am requesting a refund of the 1st night’s rent at $127.00 plus taxes and fees.

I have been refused this because the Host claims I did not follow the instructions [which were hidden within the Host’s Profile], as described in item 1.

4. The Host provided “rules” for the house which state that the person renting has to leave the property cleaner than before arrival, including washing the sheets and making the beds; I presume the previous tenant lost their deposit, however it became my problem when the Host failed to attend to his property or designate someone to do so. Before I checked out I cleaned the house and made the beds, cleaned the towels and returned them

to the linen closet. I also vacuumed and took out the garbage. This was clearly better than when I arrived.

Return of the Cleaning and Maintenance deposits was requested on March 23rd.

According to this text message to me, the Host is evidently holding out for a positive review from me”

“As per House Rental Agreement / Rules

outline, Refunds are always based on the

Cleaners Log, issued to us after the

review process - typically 15 days

following Guest Checkout - expires.

We encourage You check back closer to

then.”

Then adds in the same text message:

“(Alternatively don’t hesitate to write a

positive Review before the process

expires (not obligated / 100% voluntary),

to help expedite automatic process:

simply let us know, we can ask Cleaners

if they’ll also help expedite Log)”

The text message wraps up with a

message encapsulated with asterisks:

*We don’t set review process expiration

timeframe, platform does*.

Clearly, this indicates that the Host is holding my

money until he exhausts his time-frame for

getting a positive review out of a guest. If given

the opportunity when the dust settles, I will write

a factual review of my stay. As of this writing the Host has not refunded my $425.00 cleaning/maintenance deposit.

Further, he states on page 2 of the attached TDBG Rules document that the refund of my $425.00 is not automatic AND will not be provided unless the guest asks for it back:

“Guest is responsible to followup after Review process expires, for any

Deposit(s), Refund(s).”

******Going Forward

I require an immediate refund as follows:

$425.00 Cleaning and Maintenance deposits

$108.00 “Additional Guest” Fee charged on day of check-in

$127.00 (plus tax and fees) 1st night’s rent

$660.00 (plus tax and fees) total refund

The Host is holding up the release of the money for a positive review from me. I firmly believe that if I were to post a negative review, I would get none of it back. Clearly this is extortion by the Host and I’m confident that VRBO probably has an extortion policy. Ironically, in his TDBG

Rules, guests are warned about extorting the Host for refunds or positive reviews The rented property was a decent-looking place, although there were no smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors, which I assume is required by code, this made my sister and I feel very unsafe. There are 3 units in the property and the community seems quite tight-knit with

lovely neighbors. Neighbors shared with my sister and I that the house shouldn’t be rented since it’s a violation of the community’s HOA rules; perhaps VRBO has already received a “Stay Neighborly” complaint about this.

This is my first experience with the VRBO platform for booking and I’d like for it to not be my final VRBO experience. I have been a guest in many places (others had made the bookings) but

never have I seen accommodations so inappropriate and with so many problems in booking,

check-in and the property conditions such as this one. Though I don’t consider this a VRBO

issue and I’m grateful for the assistance we were met with when the problems were encountered,

I am shocked that any platform would continue to have this Host in its inventory and hope that

this correspondence serves to inform changes to your protocols or your system of checks and balances.

Friends and colleagues who use VRBO and other platforms on a regular basis, and one who is

both a host and a traveler, have shared a lot with me, these points among them:

1. Check-in information should not be hidden under the Host’s profile; most report that they

never look at the Host’s profile because they truly don’t have an interest.

2. The Host’s rules/requirements must be made available prior to check-in (preferably prior to booking).

3. Without exception, each one says they would not book the property if they knew in advance that they were required to do the housekeeper’s job or risk losing hundreds of dollars for not doing so. (For example, if a traveler had an early morning flight, he/she would have to spend have to spend pre-dawn hours waiting for the laundry to finish before heading to the airport… otherwise, they are sure to lose their Cleaning Deposit.)

On site during our trip, speaking with other guests in the other two units at this property, we learned that they were not at all happy with their accommodations or with the Host. I suspect this Host doesn’t experience repeat guests and has no negative reviews on his property page

because he unreasonably holds up the Cleaning/Maintenance Deposit refund and departing guests are worried about losing their money.

I would be happy to provide you with additional visual information, I have saved the text message conversations and have photos and video of before and after my arrival.

I eagerly await your response to this information and my immediate refund of $660.00 (plus

taxes and fees). Thank you, in advance, for your prompt attention to this matter.

Regards,

T Connor

Property #2887454.
Reservation ID HA-OvK1iAw
April 26 2023- May 19 2023
14 nights
2 guests
Host Taner

After booking, paying in full, arriving to a dirty, smelly, cold apartment, nothing as described. We sat on the settee and tried, unsuccessfully, to contact the host. Contacted VRBO, who asked us to send photos. We did.

Then asked us to send a video. We did.

Finally, as it was late and we could not sleep there, we found an hotel and moved.

Numerous emails and phone calls led us nowhere and we were eventually offered one third of our money back! We had paid well over $2000!

Needless to say, we are extremely annoyed and upset, to say the least! A special holiday, ruined!

To add insult to injury, this morning, we woke up to read an email from VRBO, saying that, someone we’ve never heard of, has given. Feedback about us, on your site, giving us 1, on cleanliness, communication and, as guests!

NOW, we are beyond upset and annoyed.

We are mid 70’s, have stayed in rental properties all over the world and had nothing but praise and kind remarks from property owners.

We need to contact someone high up in your organization, on this very serious matter. We eagerly await your comments and for contact details of who we approach.

Meanwhile, we need someone in your organization, of importance to read this message.

Robert and Barbara Roberts

We arrived to no entry way lights, frontstairs had rotten steps, house interior smelled moldy, refrigerator smelled like rotten seafood, sand on floors, upstairs toilet did not flush, showers were brown from soap scum with mildew, hot tub smelled like old dish water, sofa was sticky and sandy. Homeowner had conveniently instructed us to contact manager because they would be out of the country during our stay. Manager said she could not come out to clean and had no other houses. Emailed owner - they said they would refund cleaning deposit plus $100. Weeks later we contacted VRBo - they did nothing

I rented a place on Scenic View Dr. in Pegram TN from Lace on VRBO (who also has the listing on Airbnb). Upon arrival the place smelled awful, however what was not doable were the stairs of inconsistent height and depth, which was not disclosed in the listing. Furthermore the flooring is uneven, and there are no markings on the stairs to indicate when on ends and the other begins, making the place unsafe and somewhat dangerous for those less able bodied. As I was traveling with my elderly parents we left, and never stayed there - never touched anything. We contacted VRBO and the owner immediately while we scrambled to get ourselves into a better situation. Also, apparently, the owner has cameras which I do not recall in the listing. We did not have a ruler us while on vacation, however we took pictures and reported the unsafe stairs to VRBO. VRBO sided with the owner and are deeming those wonky stairs as passable, and the owner states that's safe, however just because the owner claims they are safe, does not make it so for everyone.

Overall, I am very disappointed in VRBO for their inability and unwillingness to help resolve this situation, and also disappointed with the owner's greediness. She could have relisted her property for that time as it was Mother's Day weekend to get another renter, but instead she happily took our money stating it was her right to do so. If there was an accurate description of the inconsistency of those stairs and the flooring I never would have reserved that place. I despise the lack of humanity towards people that can not navigate stairs that certainly are not holding up to any safety codes. It is only a matter of time before someone falls on those stairs and VRBO and Lace will have a much bigger problem on their hands than this review.

I requested and actively pursuing a full refund, plus compensation for time dealing with VRBO and excessively long hold times. I would like an apology for being misled, and for Lace to be forced to accurately portray her listing by detailing the inconsistent height and depth of the stairs, the uneven flooring. $1800.00

I just wanted to join the conversation, albeit a little late. I have had the following experience twice now. I reached out to a VRBO owner to ask a question or get clarification about a certain date(s) and initially they are responsive, but then all of a sudden, before I actually book the dates and pay (but am about to), the entire month of the calendar gets "booked" or essentially changed to unavailable. Now, I realize these owners will often times use the property for their own enjoyment, but it feels very rude when they snatch it out of an interested renter's hands, which I can only assume occurred in both situations. The bookings were just too quick and the dates were far enough out that it was very disconcerting. And that is when they ghost me. Which is why I believe the owner's just decided to personally use the property on those dates instead of receiving rental income. It is their prerogative, but it feels shady.

I booked a home in Philips WI
Price County, Wisconsin, United States of America
Property ID: 9775313
Check-in
Apr 1, 2023
03:00 PM
Checkout
Apr 6, 2023
11:00 AM
The Evolve web site stated:
RESERVATION ID [protected]
CHECK-IN 04/01/2023 @ 3:00 PM
CHECK-OUT 04/06/2023 @ 11:00 AM
ADULTS 2
CHILDREN 0
TRIP TOTAL $773.5

A Trip total of $773.50 the actual cost was $883.50. Their cost did not include the no opt out non refundable Damage Waiver of $110 so their pricing was deceptive and was not near the trip total. I was also told the damage waiver was for that if I spill on the carpet or knock over a lamp I can stay stress free because I am protected by our program, which to me means that the rental should be in good shape because this fee should have covered previous renters. So the stain on the carpet the chipped counter top or the broken shelves in the refrigerator should have been covered and fixed by the previous renters Damage Protection fee.
I was also ghosted when I tried to ask about this both before and after the trip

This complaint is about our VRBO rental Property ID: 2794428. The title of this rental advertises a hot tub, as well as listing a "heated pool" in the amenities. The hot tub is one of the reasons we rented this vacation rental. I see that the owner has removed the "heated pool" from the list of amenities after we checked out of this VRBO rental. The VRBO title claiming there is a hot tub, remains the same. I took a screen shot of the list of amenities in case the owner changed the list and am including that photo. There was no usable hot tub. The tub cover was covered with sand and pieces of a crumbling gazebo. The little bit of water in the tub was cold, and full of debris.

I attempted to call Michael E., the "owner" twice on the first day we arrived to let him know my dissatisfaction. He never answered the phone, and his voice mail is not set up.

I also messaged him through the VRBO site...this issue was never addressed in the responses.

We had no way to make quick contact with the owner in case of an emergency or an appliance malfunction!

Another disturbing experience was reading a flyer posted both in the kitchen, and by the front door, requesting that if any of the neighbors ask us about Airbnb, we were to tell them that we are friends with the home owner Austin. We rented this through VRBO, not Airbnb and I had never heard of Austin. To request that customers lie to the neighbors is unacceptable.

A major lack of kitchen implements. No extra paper towels...we had to buy a roll to replace the skimpy, used roll that was provided. One kitchen towel...period. No coffee maker for the coffee grounds "provided".

No bath mat. No extra blankets for the beds.

The lame responses to my VRBO messages were to ask if I looked for these items. Of course we did! They simply weren't there.

I am requesting a refund for false advertising. The home itself was lovely, the management and supplies was not close to being worth the money I paid to stay at this place.

Last July I paid verb all necessary money for a rental indavenport,florida from March 14, through April8, 2023. When I arrived in florida on March 13, 2023 after driving over 1,000 miles I was confident that the property (ID:2812880) listed by verbo on behalf of the owner would be ready. As I did not have the access code or keys for entry I was instructed by verb to contact the owner. at about 6 p.m. on 3/13/2023 I left a voice mail for the owner, asking how to access the property. About a half hour later the owner called back and told me that I would receive an email and a text message the next day (3/14/2023) after 11a.m. with all of the pertinent information. About a half hour later the owner called back and told me I was cancelled due to verb double booking, but that he had an alternate rental close by which would meet my needs. That rental did not meet my needs. I contacted verb and after a few phone calls, they provided me with a list of three properties which supposedly met my needs. When I checked those properties I found they were not pet friendly and thus didn't work for me. Finally, I drove back home over 1,000 miles arriving home on 3/16/2023.

I rented 100 morning view, st Augustine, Florida from Sara Galloway.
The rental started Jan 5 2023 and ended feb 1, 2023 (but we left a day earlier)
Starting on our arrival date Jan 5 thru Jan 10 th we had NO HOT WATER!
We contacted Sara and told her of the problem. She did immediately sent out plumbers.. they were there for four days! Sometimes until 10 pm! WE did NOT shower for four days, stayed at the rental for four days - because of our dogs
With strangers in the house.
The plumbers cut out holes in the walls (micro dust from the sheet rock everywhere) I have severe asthma! We cleaned and vacuumed after the mess from the plumbers…who told us there were MAJOR problems in the house that had to be attended to after our departure.
There was a PUNGENT smell of SEWER.. permeating throughout the home
Especially the master bath and master bedroom. (that’s where we slept.)
The toilet kept leaking on the floor - I slipped and wrenched my back. (I’m 73 yrs old) our stay at this property was a nightmare! I asked for consideration
Of $1,000 back! And was refused! Where do I go from here?
What are my rights? Thanks, Kim Cifatte. ([protected]@yahoo.com)
We