VRBOReviews 2,004

I've had my property listed on vrbo since 2012. The first 3 years were very good. Just a normal, nice company to do business with. However, in the past 3 years they have gone from being a site to advertise my villa to potential renters, to taking over nearly every aspect of how I run my business. It feels like I've become the schmuck who just pays the bills!

Now they've changed the way they handle REVIEWS.

Recently, they sent me an email that looked like it came directly from my last renter, but upon opening it, I realized it was actually sent by vrbo, using my renters name. Is that even legal?
The email said that I'd received a new review, but they wouldn't show me what it said, or how many stars we were given, until I rated my renter first! I felt like I was a child on a playground and they were running around saying "I know something you don't know... NaNaNaNa. NaNa!" Lol! They were basically going to extort a rating out of me! I called them to question this new procedure and the representative all but came right out and told me that it was a negative review. I was pretty upset, as we've had nothing but positive reviews and have worked very hard to ensure our guests have a positive experience. Although some furnishings did sustain damage, maybe $100 to repair/replace, I eventually rated my renter with a less than positive review than I would have normally.
Vrbo literally pitted us against one another. I suppose since they were purchased by Expedia.com, they've become a very poorly run company. Not only will we never book anything through EXPEDIA.COM,(or anything else they've bought up, Hotel.com; Booking.com, etc.), we will be dropping our listing and going back to a local rental agency, airbnb or maybe TopVillas.com. What a shame, it used to be a great way to connect couples and families with their next vacation rental and now there's so many fees added on for the renters and the owners that it's definitely worth it to explore other options.

This company is a total SHAM! The customer service is abysmal and they do nothing to help the renter. All they care about is following a script when you call their so called "customer service".

I sent an inquiry to book a property and provided the company with my credit card information. They put a hold on my money for $353 and the reservation was not confirmed. I tried to resubmit my request and an additional $353 was put on hold. The owner never responded.

I found another property I liked and tried to book that one. Another $384 later, I still had no reservation or place to stay. With $1100 of my money being held up, I reached out to VRBO/Home away to find out about a refund. I also did not want to do business with them any more so I told them to pull back my last request.

I was told that I had to contact the owner directly, which is ludicrous in my opinion. So, I called, emailed and texted the owner. Finally, I received a text back from the owner telling me she would refuse my reservation. About 30 minutes later, I get an email saying my reservation was confirmed! WHAT?

Upon calling VRBO I was told there was nothing they could do without the home owner canceling this reservation.

I would highly suggest NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER using this company... who claims they are nothing but an advertising platform! Their agent told me they do not actually represent any properties or owners.

USELESS! Try something like Turn key. An actual company who can actually help you!

I agree 100 % with the previous property owner. I WILL NO be renewing my VRBO property # *******. At Emerald Isle NC. The new money hungry management policy at VRBO/ HOME AWAY is not thinking about the owners of a property or the people that book thru them. This was not the case just a year or so ago. If you are looking for a rental in the future I suggest you contact a company in the area you want to stay and make your reservation so there is no hidden fees. Posted June 4,2017

I am a property owner who has use me VRBO since 2014. The site was nice and provided visibility to many potential renters. However, since then, VRBO is now forcing mandatory online booking fees for all renters and charging the renter ridiculous fees to do so. This is in addition to the the credit card fees. It also gives the renter the illusion these fees are posed by the owner-- absolutely not so! Very bad management decisions which will be the ruination of VRBO. As a property owner, I WILL NOT be renewing my site and renter with VRBO. Future renters should seek other sites to book their rentals.

Horrible experience. We spent hours online researching options for rental for 8 people to stay 2 nights in small college town for son's graduation. Found a condo on VRBO. Nightly rental rate advertised $160/night for 2 nights plus cleaning fees etc. When entered cr card info etc. hit send -only to immediately get email saying we reserved it min. 3 nights - and would be@ $500/ night vs, advertised $160. Our cr. Card was immediately charged $500 deposit. I called VRBO - only to be told we would have to contact the prop. Owner for that. Horrible experience and Zero customer service. DONT USE THEM! They use deceit.

VRBO is nothing but a prostitution scam for vacation rentals. They show you one thing at a price point and deliver an ugly disease ridden POS for you to sleep in/with. They will send you emails with misleading information and when they have your CC they start charging and never look back. You won't get a place to vacation but you always get a bill. They have people who can't answer your questions and then when you have had enough of their nonsense and smoke and mirror show they steal your money. Stay away from these thiefs they are only in business because they have dopey property owners that keep them in business. Stop the madness and put these people out of business!

I am outraged over learning that VRBO is charging me as the Owner of a Colorado vacation rental a 3% fee for my guests to pay for their visits by credit card. I spoke to a VRBO Customer Rep and was told that VRBOs demand for guests to pay by credit card was the companys policy. Keep in mind that regrettably VRBO has been bought out by one of the big-three major credit reporting agencies, Experian, based in Texas. I objected strongly to this arbitrary and totally undisclosed policy but then had to explain to the customer rep the definition of the word arbitrary. I would just as soon trust my guests to reserve, book and pay for their stays by cash, check, or Pay Pal either upon arrival or prior to arrival. It is apparent that VRBO has become so greedy and megalomaniacal they are electing to do business like a two-headed, fire breathing hermaphrodite dragon! SHAME ON VRBO. I will be using Air BnB from now on, unless Air BnB also degenerates into a similar reptile predator.

I have read a number of negative reviews about HomeAway and VRBO's process of on-line bookings, powered through Yapstone. I have to say these reviews and warnings are all RIGHT ON. Like others I read, I have been a VRBO owner for a number of years with no problems. The on-line bookings hinder any control we the owners have in the process - plus the payment process means everyone's hands are in everyone else's pockets. And when I recently received a chargeback (debit) on a VRBO stay it was incumbent on ME to prove otherwise. This is my last year with VRBO!

Vrbo is "vacation rentals by owners"But majority and arguably most are by real esate agents, many of whom deceptivley dont write or acknowledge that they are not owners, even though there is a box about "owner information" and a separatation for owners and managers. These scums wont negotiate good rates with renters and always quote a high price. Since they are not owners, they dont have anything to lose if the property remains unrented sometimes for extended periods causing loss to owners and sticking it to renters. The real esate agents are actually hurting free market from functioning and setting the prices.

After listing my property (and paying several hundred dollars a year) with VRBO, they are now requiring all owners to accept online booking via credit cards. So they can keep 3% of my rental revenue, and hit up the visitor with another 6%-10% on top of that. I have never accepted credit cards, do not WANT to accept credit cards, do not NEED to accept credit cards. VRBO used to be a great site to list your vacation home. No more. I am praying that another company steps into this void.

VRBO has changed the algorithm for getting lookers to the owners rental page. They call this process "best match". Clicks on my property have gone from THOUSANDS at this time last year, to 85 for the same period this year. When asked about this, the less than helpful representative at VRBO told me that my listing was one the best she had seen, and perhaps if I changed some of the pictures on my site, visits would improve. First; I have already recently updated the photos on my site. Second; pictures only matter if the guest CLICK ON MY PAGE, which is not happening.
If you search the area in which I list our property on VRBO, what you'll find is that dozens of listing in every condo building are actually from the large rental agencies in the area, not an actual owner. VRBO has lost interest in the OWNER and has seen fit only chase after maximizing their revenue. Their purchase by Expedia has resulted in the addition of fees to the guests, more demands on the owners, and as near as I can tell, more latitude for the large companies with no benefit to the little guy who got them where they are today. Too bad.