VRBO Customer Service Issues

Hello, I'm Candis Daugherty. I recently stayed in Siesta Key in April through VRBO for a work trip. Upon arrival, the owner took individual pictures of my husband, 1 and 3-year-old daughters, which I found odd. We noticed an unsecure window, and when I informed the owner, she said it was intentional. After our stay, she mentioned returning a deposit that I didn't realize I had paid. A month later, I was contacted by a claims representative about a damage claim under my name. The owner assured me not to worry, but later got upset when the claim was denied. She bombarded me with texts, despite my declining to engage further. My concern now is her behavior and having my family's pictures. I'm willing to discuss this with VRBO or claims but need advice on dealing with her. Thank you, Candis Daugherty.

I secured a rental at 58 Sandy Lane, Santa Rosa in Grayton Beach from 6/22-6/29 through VRBO and Barefoot Vacations (barefoot40a.com). Jared Pool at [redacted] has been our main contact. Despite initial responsiveness to calls and emails, we now struggle to reach him. We attempted daily calls and emails for over a week without a response. While we received confirmation and arrival/departure instructions, uncertainty lingers regarding our 6-night stay and an unexplained convenience fee. The lack of communication is unsettling, especially with our family reunion approaching. How can we effectively communicate with Mr. Pool to address these concerns? - Ellen Murphey

We rented a cabin in the woods for a getaway to celebrate my husband's 56th birthday. Despite being advertised as having internet, we found ourselves without any connectivity which was concerning. Packing for ourselves and our two dogs required extensive effort the day before the trip. Upon arrival, we were initially happy with the cabin but discovered a severe pest issue with termites, ants, and spiders. After attempting to address it ourselves with no success, we decided we couldn't stay due to the overwhelming infestation. The owner was apologetic but claimed no responsibility. We are disappointed with the experience and the financial loss incurred by taking time off work. I believe the owner should have regular pest control in place considering the location and age of the cabin. I am reaching out for advice on how to proceed and would appreciate any assistance in resolving this matter. Thank you, Colleen C.

I was taken by surprise to find out about a $[redacted] mandatory fee at the resort upon arrival, which was not disclosed in the Vrbo listing. Throughout the booking process, I meticulously checked for any additional fees but found nothing. It was only after receiving an email post-payment that I discovered this unexpected charge. I find this lack of transparency disappointing and misleading. I either need this fee waived or I would like to cancel my reservation. When choosing this accommodation, affordability was a key factor for me, and hidden fees are not in line with fair business practices. I have screenshots proving that the listing did not mention any such fee.

We had a booking HA-FSHQRH in Calgary, Canada for the Stampede on July 4th. We made the reservation on February 1st, and recently the rental agent informed us that the property was repossessed by the bank and our reservation was canceled. We are concerned this might not be accurate and could be a way to accommodate other renters. This abrupt change caused stress during a high-demand period. Despite being offered alternative lodging by a different company, we are unsure about the situation. We noticed other rentals scheduled on the property later on, raising doubts about the claim of bank repossession. We would appreciate your assistance in investigating this matter. Thank you.

Upon arrival at our booked accommodation, we were disappointed by the messy state of the place. It was not only unclean but also had various hazards like wet paint, paint cans, a ladder, and a power washer blocking the front porch. Inside, there were paint samples, toxic items, and a generally unhygienic environment with laundry lying around, rugs on chairs, curtains on beds, and dirty kitchen appliances. When I reached out to the owner, she claimed confusion about our arrival date, despite our booking clearly stating the 6th. Despite her apologies through your messaging system, she has not addressed the possibility of a refund. We were forced to find alternate accommodation at the last minute. I can provide you with photos of the condition of the rental whenever I have a stable internet connection to share them with you.

During a recent photoshoot in Vieques, Puerto Rico, I rented a house for my crew. Upon arrival, we were disappointed to find roaches scattered throughout the property and what appeared to be dried dead bug debris on the sheets and walls. Despite contacting the owner regarding a full refund, they instructed me to cancel the reservation. I attempted to do so online but encountered difficulties with the cancellation process. As a result, I am still seeking a cancellation as we did not stay at the property and would like a refund processed to my credit card. The property in question is #[redacted], with reservation code HD-F2HD51 registered under the name Kim Sauter.

Dear VRBO, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention some concerns regarding my recent stay at one of your properties. The reservation ID for the booking was HA-394FLF, with Property ID [redacted], for the dates April 25 - 29. Our group of 8 had a wonderful time during our stay, and we were looking forward to returning next year until post-departure issues arose. After leaving the property, the property manager, Karen Puschendof, contacted me regarding a $[redacted] security deposit matter. I have reservations about her justifications for withholding the deposit. The described damages, such as broken blinds and alleged excessive garbage, seem exaggerated and unjustified. Moreover, the claim about city fines for parking additional cars on the property was unexpected, as no such restriction was mentioned in the House Rules. Despite numerous attempts to address these issues, including providing my email for receiving the supposed invoice, no resolution has been achieved. I am reaching out to seek clarity on the situation and am eager to find an amicable resolution. I appreciate your attention to this matter and would welcome guidance on the next steps to address these concerns. Thank you for your time and assistance. Best regards, Brenden Nager

I attempted to book property #[redacted] on Tuesday, June 11th. I was surprised by the delay in receiving the email confirmation from VRBO, which usually comes instantly. Three hours later, I got an email saying my request was pending. By then, the property was no longer available, and I assumed it had been booked by someone else. Concerned about my upcoming trip, I quickly booked an alternative property. However, three hours later, I was notified that my original request had been approved and I was charged. The hosts kindly refunded me, but they were unable to refund the VRBO fee of around $65. I believe this situation was due to a system glitch, and I kindly request a refund of the fee.

Subject: Request for Refund or Credit for Itinerary #[redacted][redacted] Dear VRBO, I am writing to kindly request a refund or credit for my upcoming booking as the weather forecast for our intended travel dates is less than ideal. I had booked a hotel room for myself, my daughter, and my elderly mother in early May in the hopes of providing a day of beach relaxation in Holland, MI, especially to uplift my mother's spirits after the recent passing of our father. Unfortunately, given the predicted rain and chilly temperatures expected for 6/15/19, I am concerned about my mother's well-being as she cannot withstand prolonged exposure to such conditions due to her age and health. I have been attempting to contact customer service at [redacted] to discuss this matter, but have been unsuccessful in reaching anyone. While I understand the booking policy is non-refundable, I sincerely hope you can make an exception in this case and either provide a refund or offer a credit for the full amount. Your understanding and assistance in this difficult situation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for considering my request. Best regards, Alexandra S. Chicago, IL

During our stay in Saint Martin last week, we encountered a security issue at the rental home we booked. The glass doors were supposed to lock, but they were locked open upon our arrival, leaving us vulnerable to a robbery. When I reached out to the owner, he mentioned that they were kept open to prevent breakage, which seems suspicious to me. This incident occurred on the second night, causing us unease for the remainder of our trip from the US. Despite having insurance for the rental car, we feel the house lacked proper security measures. It would have been helpful if the owner had given us detailed instructions on securing the storm shutter with pins. Our rental car and $[redacted] were stolen while we were asleep, and even though the owner acknowledged the ongoing crime post-hurricane, we felt uninformed and unsafe. Additionally, my iPad went missing, possibly due to the lack of proper door locking mechanisms in the bedroom. I suspect someone with access to the house may be involved. Looking forward to hearing from you. - Tracey

I reserved reservation ID [redacted] yesterday and received a confirmation email. This morning, I signed a contract with Compass Realty. Later, they informed me that the contract needed to be shortened by 3 days, which conflicted with my other travel plans. I reluctantly agreed, only to discover they adjusted the price by over $[redacted] without informing me. When I questioned them, they claimed the original rate was incorrect in the contract they sent. They mentioned adjusting the price due to the shorter agreement. I believe they should honor the original confirmation and contract, especially since they initiated the changes. I expect them to reverse all charges, including those for trip cancellation insurance and damage policies.

Subject: Issue with Editing Reservation Dates Hello, I typically reserve 2 days before and after a booking for cleaning purposes. Recently, a guest, Sherry Higgins, was permitted to alter their reservation dates from July 22 - 25 to July 20 - 23. Unfortunately, I encountered an issue with modifying this change on the VRBO platform. Despite sending confirmation via email, I have not been able to update it directly on VRBO or request a new quote. The system is blocking the date changes due to my cleaning buffer. I am the owner of Property #[redacted], and my name is Kathleen Rinehart. Any assistance in resolving this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Kathleen R.

I booked property [redacted]ha through your site for $[redacted] per night ($[redacted].07 total), but the owner quoted me $[redacted] per night ($[redacted] total). After a 31-minute wait, I spoke to an agent for 5 minutes who confirmed the initial price. I was then disconnected after a total of 45 minutes on hold. No follow-up was received. This is false advertising. Please refund the difference and compensate for my call costs. Contact me promptly to resolve this issue. This experience was disappointing, and I expect better service from a reputable company.

I recently made a booking for a property in Wildwood NJ from Aug 3-10. After booking and receiving a confirmation email, the property manager Isabel informed me it was not available, and I would be refunded $[redacted] of the $[redacted].74 I paid. Upon contacting Isabel for the refund, she mentioned the rental company was responsible. However, my credit card statement shows two pending transactions, $[redacted] and $[redacted].74. I have alerted my credit card company and booked another available property, but I am concerned about the discrepancy in the refund amount. I hope to see a prompt refund of $[redacted].74. The property in question has the number #[redacted] and reservation #HA-5YB7P3. Despite Isabel stating it was unavailable, the property still shows as available in searches.

I mistakenly booked a property in Austin instead of Arlington about 4 hours ago. The property owner is refusing to provide a refund of $1,[redacted]. VRBO has not been helpful either. The homeowner claims it is outside the 10-day refund period, but it has only been a couple of hours. I contacted VRBO, and they advised me to negotiate with the homeowner, which we attempted immediately after booking. The homeowner insists it does not fall within their 10-day policy. I'm left with no option but to contact the bank in the morning and face a loss of $35 instead of $1,[redacted].

On June 25, [redacted], I contacted the property manager regarding renting VRBO# [redacted], unit #[redacted] for March 1-31, [redacted]. The manager offered a rental rate of $[redacted] US$. After emailing on June 26 through the VRBO site to accept the rental, I did not receive a response. I followed up with another request later that day, but still didn't hear back. Feeling anxious by evening, I sent another message expressing my interest in the rental, as I had declined two other offers. The property manager replied the next day, stating they were too busy and offered me another rental instead. Despite promises to respond, I have yet to hear back as of June 28 at 5:55 pm. I am a senior and find the rental process confusing. Seeking help from VRBO customer care to assist in finalizing this rental as I feel ignored and disrespected in this situation.

Hello, my name is Kimberly and my reservation number is [redacted]. We recently checked into a Vacasa property at Northstar Tahoe Lake. We booked a 7-day stay for a home that sleeps 12, which was advertised to include pool access on the website. However, upon arrival at the NPOA Rec Center, we were informed that it costs $60 per day to use the pool. I extensively researched options before booking and did not encounter this issue in early June. I have invested almost $5,[redacted] with your company and feel disappointed not receiving what was promised. VRBO directed me to Vacasa management, but despite reaching out, I have not received a response. I want to address this matter with a manager promptly to ensure my family can enjoy the amenities we paid for and to prevent similar experiences for others in the future. Thank you.

Reservation ID: HA-GGV37J. My billing address is [redacted] Hilltop Village Ln, Imperial, MO [redacted]. Contact me at [redacted] I made a booking in New Orleans for a 30-day rental starting June 29th. I paid $[redacted].00 and the owner canceled due to a family visit for 8 days. I need a full refund since I can't stay there now. The owner refunded $79.00 for rental protection, but I still need the rest. Her name is DeCarlas O’Neal. A partial refund of $[redacted].00 has been received, but I'm waiting for the remaining $[redacted].00. I believe I am entitled to the full refund as the cancellation was not my fault. Hoping for a prompt resolution. Thank you VRBO for your assistance in resolving this matter. - Michael Bowe

Reference Case #[redacted]5 Reservation ID HA-NSRSXJ for Jul 5 through 7 - Vrbo #[redacted] Hello, I attempted to contact customer service but have not been able to connect with a representative. I am experiencing difficulties in obtaining my full refund after the Vrbo host informed me that I could no longer stay at the property I paid for in March due to a double booking issue. The host mentioned a full refund, but she has not yet approved my cancellation on VRBO, and communication with her has been unhelpful and rude. It is important that I receive my refund promptly as this situation was not my fault. I am seeking assistance in obtaining my refund and would like guidance on filing a complaint against the host to prevent this issue from happening to others. Please advise on how to proceed. Thank you for your help. Best regards, J. Carroll