Business Profile

Travel Agency

Vrbo

Headquarters

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Vrbo's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

3,151 total complaints in the last 3 years.
1,060 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
VRBO charged me $3,500.00 for a rental damage deposit in ******. I checked out of the rental on jan 2nd 2025. I have never received the deposit back to this date. I have called repeatedly, to no avail. The host tells me that they have released the damage deposit. VRBO says that they have refunded the money. I have checked with my credit card company, and they have no funds sent to my account by **********************. VRBO will not talk to me further. They say that the matter is closed. I have been paying interest on the $3,500.00 since last july. I need my deposit back.
Business Response
Date: 03/11/2025
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 Jan's frustration regarding the refund of the refundable damage deposit. We are sorry to hear that their vacation plans did not go as expected.

Upon thorough investigation, we can confirm that our support team provided an appropriate resolution. We have manually issued a refund of the $3,500 deposit to *** *********, and the payout was claimed on February 20, 2025. As the reimbursement of the deposit has been issued, we consider this matter resolved.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing us the opportunity to resolve it.

Best regards,
Vrbo Customer Support Team
Business Response
Date: 04/02/2025
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 Jan's frustration regarding the refund of the refundable damage deposit. We are sorry to hear that their vacation plans did not go as expected.

Upon thorough investigation, we can confirm that our support team provided an appropriate resolution. We manually issued a refund of the $3,500 deposit to *** *********, and the payout was claimed on February 20, 2025. As the reimbursement of the deposit has been issued, we consider this matter resolved.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing us the opportunity to resolve it.

Best regards,
Vrbo Customer Support Team
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am an owner that was participating in renting my home on the VRBO platform. I recently secured a long term renter and had blocked all the dates available on my VRBO calendar. On Jan 5 2025, I received a message saying that my home was booked for a week at the end of June 2025. I was surprised by this because I had blocked all remaining days for 2025 knowing it was not available. Within an hour of the booking, I had emailed the person who made the reservation and informed them the home was not available and I would have to cancel the reservation. I then canceled it. As part of the cancelation, it asks why are you canceling so I explained the situation assuming that explanation would be looked at for a waiver to the cancelation fee. Then on Feb 6 without any other contact from VRBO, I received an invoice stating I owed them $232.79 for a cancelation fee. I then reached out to support asking if it was going to be waived and they informed me on 11 Feb that the waiver request had to be made within 30 days of the cancelation and they would not offer a waiver. Two main issues with this. They never informed me that there was a special process to request a waiver or that I only had 30 days to do so. It may be written in their fine print but I thought the form I filled out as part of the cancelation included the request for a waiver. Second, as an owner I would allow people to cancel their reservation up to 14 days prior to the stay and receive a full refund. I also gave a person a full refund 2 days prior to their stay because their plans changed suddenly at the last minute. I have been very understanding with all my guests and just ask that VRBO can be understand to the owners who are the bedrock to their business. I think charging me $232 is pretty unnecessary and a bad business practice. All I want is for the fee to be waived considering it was an error in their website and I had no ill intent. Also, the guests who booked this never reached out to me prior to booking.
Business Response
Date: 03/12/2025
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 ******* frustration regarding their experience. We are sorry to hear that their experience with Vrbo did not go as expected.

Upon thorough investigation of case *********, we can confirm that our social response team provided an appropriate resolution. Considering the inconvenience the host faced and to resolve this matter, we have, as a courtesy, waived the cancellation fee of $232.79, and the host would not receive any further notifications regarding this reservation.

We consider this matter resolved, Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing us a chance for resolution.

Best regards,
Vrbo Customer Support Team
Customer Answer
Date: 03/25/2025

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.

Sincerely,

***** ************
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
On January 2, 2025, I tried to renew my property listing on **************************. During the onboarding process, the form quit working, and I was unable to proceed with renewing. I logged out and logged back into my Vrbo owner account. The account immediately went to the page where I had left off trying to renew the listing and would not advance to the next step. As of February 5, 2025, my account is still stuck on that page. After many phone calls to Vrbo (I have spent close to 8 hours on the phone) and many emails telling me to be patient and that someone is working on my problem, the issue is unresolved. Vrbo refuses to give me a timeframe of when the issue will be fixed or allow me to talk to anyone other than the customer service call center. This has gone on for more than 30 days. I receive the same rehearsed answer each time I call with no new update. Vrbo has thousands of dollars I am unable to collect, because I cannot access my account. I cannot see the rental calendar, which has three rentals I know of coming up in the next two months. Not only can I not book future guests, which is a financial loss, but Vrbo is holding money owed to me and my property manager. I am also unable to communicate effectively with guests booked in February and March. I am at a complete loss of how to get someone from Vrbo to fix my issue or give may any updates or answers that are helpful. This has gone on for so long without a resolution, I don't believe anyone at Vrbo is working on the problem.
Business Response
Date: 03/11/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ******* Maioranas concerns. At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences. We acknowledge that ********* is concern regarding unable to access the dashboard.

We appreciate the time and effort ******* has taken to share their concerns with us.

We have thoroughly reviewed the information ******* has provided regarding this complaint and have found that your listing is live, and the calendar is accessible.

We also took the time to investigate onboarding process and tax section, and we are happy to report that no issues have been identified in these areas.

We are requesting ******* to let us know if the dashboard issue persists. If so, it would be helpful if she could send us any documentation or screenshots related to the problem on reply on the email our team sent on March 11, 2025. This will allow us to investigate further and resolve it as quickly as possible.

Additionally, ******* mentioned that she has concerns about finances involving VRBO and property manager. To better assist, we request her to please provide more details about these concerns. Understanding the specifics will help us determine the best way to assist you.

Thank you for reaching out to us about?******* Maioranas ?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
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
During my recent stay at a rental property, I discovered that it was infested with bed bugs, but I only realized this unfortunate fact on the last day of my visit. Throughout my time there, I experienced unexplained bites and discomfort, but I initially attributed it to other factors. To my dismay, when I reported the issue to VRBO, they claimed that I was responsible for the infestation. It's frustrating to be held accountable for a problem that I was unaware of until the very end of my trip.
Business Response
Date: 03/12/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ******* ********************** Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our guest with great experiences. We understand that ******* is contacting us regarding the refund for the booking.

We understand Franciss frustration regarding their experience. We are sorry to hear that their experience with Vrbo did not go as expected.

We are re-investigating their concerns. Case ********* has been escalated to social response team. The team have already reached out to ******* via email. We are requesting ******* to reply back on the email our team has shared for the further processing of your concern.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing us a chance for resolution.

Best regards,

Vrbo Customer Support Team
Customer Answer
Date: 03/30/2025

Complaint: 22900498

I am rejecting this response because:

Sincerely,

******* ****** ***
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I made a reservation with VRBO/Expedia and had the option to cancel for free by 1/14/25. From 1/10/25-today I have tried to get into either account and received an error message. I could find no phone number and was unable to cancel, so I filed a claim on 1/14/25 w/ my bank WF. Yesterday I received an email that the claim was reheated. ** said there was nothing they can do because VRBO had the final say though I am still unable to access my account to cancel! At least WF gave me a phone number to access, but when I talked to Rise at VRBO she said if I had contacted them earlier they could have worked with me. I pointed out that I had been unable to find a way to contact them until getting their number on the letter from **. I asked her to at least cancel my reservation so the host can rebook. She was unable to access my account, getting the same error message have gotten all month. I asked if that might lead them to reconsider, and she said no. I
Business Response
Date: 03/10/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for bringing to our attention the concerns raised by ***** ****** regarding a reservation made with VRBO that included a free cancellation option until January 14, 2025.

***** ****** experienced persistent error messages when attempting to access the account from January 10, 2025, onward and was unable to locate a contact number to resolve the issue. As a result, ***** ****** filed a claim with **************** on January 14, 2025. ***** Fargo later informed ***** ****** that the claim had been reheated and that VRBO held the final decision. After receiving a phone number from ***** Fargo, ***** ****** contacted Rise at VRBO, who mentioned that earlier communication might have allowed for assistance. However, due to the ongoing account access issues, cancellation was not possible, and Rise indicated that this would not change VRBOs stance.

After thoroughly reviewing the details, we confirmed that a refund was pending and have now processed a refund in the amount of $1,213.45 for the booking. Please note that, depending on the bank's processing times, it may take 57 business days for the refunded amount to be credited to ***** ******** account.

We value ***** Nakells feedback and remain committed to ensuring transparency, fairness, and continual improvement in our services

Best regards,

Vrbo Customer Support Team

Business Response
Date: 03/31/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for bringing to our attention the concerns raised by ***** ****** regarding a reservation made with VRBO that included a free cancellation option until January 14, 2025.

***** ****** experienced persistent error messages when attempting to access the account from January 10, 2025, onward and was unable to locate a contact number to resolve the issue. As a result, ***** ****** filed a claim with **************** on January 14, 2025. ***** Fargo later informed ***** ****** that the claim had been reheated and that VRBO held the final decision. After receiving a phone number from ***** Fargo, ***** ****** contacted Rise at VRBO, who mentioned that earlier communication might have allowed for assistance. However, due to the ongoing account access issues, cancellation was not possible, and Rise indicated that this would not change VRBOs stance.

After thoroughly reviewing the details, we confirmed that a refund was pending and have now processed a refund in the amount of $1,213.45 for the booking. Please note that, depending on the bank's processing times, it may take 57 business days for the refunded amount to be credited to ***** ******** account.

We value ***** Nakells feedback and remain committed to ensuring transparency, fairness, and continual improvement in our services

Best regards,
Vrbo Customer Support Team
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Beware of Acadiana Rentals properties, through VRBO traveling from **********, ********* to *********, ********* myself and 4 friends drove 4 hours to attend a concert only to be robbed. We made it to our stay around 4:30 pm. Started getting dressed and left out around 6:30 pm because the concert started at 7pm. Making sure the door was locked with the code given my friend twisted the door to verify after hearing the lock adjust. We made it back around 11:35pm only to find the front door unlocked the back door as well to bedroom 3 left open, being we're women we started packing our things and noticed shoes were missing my 2 friends ****** 1 and **** Dunks were stolen all size 7. After calling Acadiana rentals to make the report the representative was so unconcerned and offered to change the door code and did so while I was on the phone with him. When asked why did you not do it per guest as it should have been he explained the only person who would have that code other than staff was the housekeeper I was outraged, because this could have been so much worst. Clearly he admitted and then when I asked that he run the cameras back to see the person he said that entered with a manual code entry @ 6:51 PM he explained there are no cameras, but the front of the property says SMILE YOU'RE ON CAMERA, so it was someone who was familiar with their properties and know that they in fact don't have camera this is a common code they use abroad because there was no broken glass or kicked in doors. They simply entered the premises with a code. The property was not clean its an older house that has been patched throughout but caulking was mildewed. Dust throughout the entire house as well the floor rugs that are in each room are covered in hair and dirt clearly not being vacuumed. The door frame striker plate to bedroom 2 Was repaired with strips of U S postal packaging. We took a video upon entering. Arrival Date Jan 17, 2025 ************************* to contact 2/3/25
Business Response
Date: 03/13/2025

Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ******** ****** concerns. Our team actively listens to concerns, values input and takes swift action to resolve any issues that may arise. We understand that ******** is concerned regarding theft in property during the stay.

We have thoroughly reviewed the documentation and evidence ******** has provided regarding this complaint.

We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and distress caused by this situation, and suggest that ******** pursue this matter further with the law enforcement or the Host.

In such cases only viable option is to purchase insurance, We are repentant for the loss and would like to advise to contact insurance agency if ******** have purchased when confirming booking.

Our site terms and conditions are outlined in Section 1. The Site is a Venue and We are Not a Party to any Rental Agreement or other Transaction Between Users of the Site, that Vrbo does not own or manage any property listed on our platform, and each user i responsible for their own conduct. For convenience we have included an excerpt below: ?

We urge all users to be responsible for their use of this Site and any transaction entered because of either listing a property or renting a property.?We do not own or manage, nor can we contract for, any vacation rental property listed on a Site...We are not a party to any rental or other agreement between users...As a result, any part of an actual or potential transaction between a traveler and a member, including the quality, condition, safety or legality of the properties advertised, the truth or accuracy of the listings (including the content thereof or any review relating to any traveler or property), the ability of members to rent a vacation property or the ability of travelers to contract for properties are solely the responsibility of each user...Users agree that they are responsible for, and agree to abide by, all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their use of the Site, their use of any tool, service or product offered on the Site and any transaction they enter into on the Site or in connection with their use of the Site."??

Our site terms and conditions can be read in full here:?*******************************************************************;

We have made sure that a comprehensive summary of our discussions has been communicated to our Leadership Team, ensuring they are fully aware of the situation and your valuable feedback.

We are grateful for the time and effort that ******** ****** has taken to share their concerns with us. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Best regards,

Vrbo Customer Support Team
Business Response
Date: 03/25/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ******** ****** concerns. Our team actively listens to concerns, values input and takes swift action to resolve any issues that may arise. We understand that ******** is concerned regarding theft in property during the stay.

We have thoroughly reviewed the documentation and evidence ******** has provided regarding this complaint.

We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and distress caused by this situation, and suggest that ******** pursue this matter further with the police or the Host.

In such cases only viable option is to purchase insurance, We are repentant for the loss and would like to advise to contact insurance agency if ******** have purchased when confirming booking.

Our site terms and conditions are outlined in Section 1. The Site is a Venue and We are Not a Party to any Rental Agreement or other Transaction Between Users of the Site, that Vrbo does not own or manage any property listed on our platform, and each user i responsible for their own conduct. For convenience we have included an excerpt below: ?

We urge all users to be responsible for their use of this Site and any transaction entered because of either listing a property or renting a property.?We do not own or manage, nor can we contract for, any vacation rental property listed on a Site...We are not a party to any rental or other agreement between users...As a result, any part of an actual or potential transaction between a traveler and a member, including the quality, condition, safety or legality of the properties advertised, the truth or accuracy of the listings (including the content thereof or any review relating to any traveler or property), the ability of members to rent a vacation property or the ability of travelers to contract for properties are solely the responsibility of each user...Users agree that they are responsible for, and agree to abide by, all laws, rules and regulations applicable to their use of the Site, their use of any tool, service or product offered on the Site and any transaction they enter into on the Site or in connection with their use of the Site."??

Our site terms and conditions can be read in full here:?************************************************************??

We have made sure that a comprehensive summary of our discussions has been communicated to our Leadership Team, ensuring they are fully aware of the situation and your valuable feedback.

We are grateful for the time and effort that ******** ****** has taken to share their concerns with us. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Best regards,

Vrbo Customer Support Team
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Billing Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I signed up as a new Host on VRBO and listed my property for rent, they automatically enrolled me in ' Auto book" which I was not aware of. Also, I found out later my calendar was not synced with other platforms. The property was rented later that the same day on another platform. The next day VRBO Auto booked the listing. I immediately canceled the VRBO booking and called the office. They said since i canceled the reservation, rather than the guest, they were charging me $725.13. I didn't know they had me enrolled in Auto Booking and I didnt know how to sync the calendar. I contacted VRBO immediately and they refuse to waive the fee, which didnt not cost or inconvenience anyone. my account is suspended unless I pay the exorbidant fee. It's not good business
Business Response
Date: 03/06/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for bringing to our attention the concerns raised by *** Bon regarding the $725.13 cancellation fee incurred due to a double booking.

We understand the frustration *** Bon experienced and acknowledge the concerns about the auto-booking feature, which was enabled by default when the property was listed. However, as per Vrbos policies, it is the responsibility of the host to manage the calendar and ensure bookings are properly synced to avoid scheduling conflicts.

Upon reviewing the case, our agents informed *** Bon that the cancellation fee could not be waived, as the cancellation policy applies to all hosts in cases of double bookings. Per Vrbos policy, a fee of 25% of the reservation amount is applied when a cancellation occurs more than 48 hours but within 30 days of check-in. *** Bon was advised on best practices to prevent similar issues in the future, including syncing calendars regularly and ensuring that guests cancel reservations when necessary.

While we are unable to grant a full waiver of the cancellation fee, as a gesture of goodwill, we have offered $120.00 to *** Bon to acknowledge the inconvenience. Additionally, we have provided clear guidance on Vrbos Partner-Initiated Cancellation Policy, which outlines scenarios in which cancellation fees may be waived, such as natural disasters or government-mandated closures.

We regret that this experience led to frustration and appreciate *** **** feedback. Vrbo remains committed to supporting our partners by ensuring transparency in our policies and providing resources to help prevent similar situations in the future.

Best regards,
Vrbo Customer Support Team

Business Response
Date: 03/25/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for bringing to our attention the concerns raised by *** Bon regarding the $725.13 cancellation fee incurred due to a double booking.

We understand the frustration *** Bon experienced and acknowledge the concerns about the auto-booking feature, which was enabled by default when the property was listed. However, as per Vrbos policies, it is the responsibility of the host to manage the calendar and ensure bookings are properly synced to avoid scheduling conflicts.

Upon reviewing the case, our agents informed *** Bon that the cancellation fee could not be waived, as the cancellation policy applies to all hosts in cases of double bookings. Per Vrbos policy, a fee of 25% of the reservation amount is applied when a cancellation occurs more than 48 hours but within 30 days of check-in. *** Bon was advised on best practices to prevent similar issues in the future, including syncing calendars regularly and ensuring that guests cancel reservations when necessary.

While we are unable to grant a full waiver of the cancellation fee, as a gesture of goodwill, we have offered $120.00 to *** Bon to acknowledge the inconvenience. Additionally, we have provided clear guidance on Vrbos Partner-Initiated Cancellation Policy, which outlines scenarios in which cancellation fees may be waived, such as natural disasters or government-mandated closures.

We regret that this experience led to frustration and appreciate *** **** feedback. Vrbo remains committed to supporting our partners by ensuring transparency in our policies and providing resources to help prevent similar situations in the future.

Best regards,
Vrbo Customer Support Team
Customer Answer
Date: 05/30/2025
BBB Re: # ********

Thank you for your patience with this issue. I recently had heart surgery and was not able to respond in a timely manner.

To summarized.
I was new to VRBO, I posted my listing and it was immediately booked , in AUTO BOOKING, by the client. I didnt immediately sync the calendar but I did immediately notify VRBO & the client. I was not aware VRBO automically enrolls listings in auto booking, theres isnt any notification on the site, its not clearly marked. I would to have approved the booking.

VRBO 25% cancellation fee.
The VRBO client booked my property for 3 months , the total fees were $720, this is an absurd amount, for a new customer listing and a first time offence. They offered $120 discount, now its $500 !

"the auto-booking feature, which was enabled by default when the property was listed
When I listed the property, this feature was not disclosed during the listing. Its buried in the website, not made clear. Listing are automatically enrolled without notification to me that I wa enrolled.

"Vrbos policies, it is the responsibility of the host to manage the calendar and ensure bookings are properly synced"
I had just posted the property andd didnt immediately sync the calendar, my error, but I immediately notified VRBO and the booking client .

"was advised on best practices to prevent similar issues in the future, including syncing calendars regularly and ensuring that guests cancel reservations when necessary"
VRBO notified *** after the fact, regarding their cancelation policy.

Also, its come to my attention that after one year,VRBO listings resets listings to auto booking feature again! Is this true ? Not fair for them to be charging uanessacry fees to it's customers.

I would like to do business with VRBO, but the penalty for my error, as a new customer is not fair. Rather than a % fee, is possible to pay a flat fee?

Business Response
Date: 06/04/2025
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 ******* has received an invoice for the cancellation penalty and is seeking a waiver for it.

We understand ********* frustration regarding their experience and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience they have encountered.

Following a thorough investigation, case ********* was escalated to our Social Response Team, who reached out to ******* via email on June 2, 2025. As a result, the cancellation penalty invoice received by ******* has been waived as a one-time courtesy. ******* *** disregard the invoice, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

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 Answer
Date: 06/06/2025

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.

Sincerely,

******* ********
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Customer Service Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Vrbo is jeopardizing my business and financial security by failing to resolve a critical issue with my damage protection settings.For over 2.5 months, I have been calling in to resolve that 'damage protection settings' are GONE/MISSING and not applying correctly to bookings. I have now received two bookings that lack the coverage I specifically set up, leaving me exposed to potential financial loss.Despite my repeated requests for help, Vrbo support has failed to provide a solution. I have contacted them 10 times, and each time I am told that someone will be in touch. Instead of real assistance, *** received just one vague email with internal payout provider details that I do not understandand no clear steps to fix the issue.This is not a minor inconvenience. Vrbos failure to act is putting my property at risk. I need immediate resolution because:Bookings are coming in now, and guests are staying at my property without the proper damage protection.****If damage occurs, I will have no recourse due to Vrbos system failure.******Vrbo is a paid service, yet I am being forced to operate with inadequate protection, despite following all the required steps on my end.******I have requested escalation multiple times, yet I keep getting the same scripted response with no action. This is completely unacceptable.***I am filing this complaint to formally document Vrbos failure to provide adequate host support and a functional resolution process.I am requesting:Immediate correction of my damage protection *************** contact from a senior support specialist who can fix this issuenot another empty promise.Assurance that all future bookings will have the proper protection applied.Vrbo markets itself as a platform that supports hosts, yet I am being left vulnerable due to their inaction. If this is how they treat property owners, I have serious concerns about continuing to use their service.
Business Response
Date: 03/14/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ***** Marquss *********** Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our partner with great experiences.

We understand Lauras frustration regarding their experience. We are sorry to hear that their experience with Vrbo did not go as expected.

We are re-investigating their concerns. Case ********* has been escalated to social response team. The team has already reached out to ***** via email. We anticipate a final resolution will be available at the earliest. Should that change, our team will update the guest. We will ensure that the partner concerns are addressed to the full extent we are capable of assisting.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing us a chance for resolution.

Best regards,

Vrbo Customer Support Team
Business Response
Date: 04/02/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for bringing ***** Marquss concerns to our attention. We appreciate the opportunity to address this matter.

After a thorough review, our Social Response team investigated the issue regarding the Property Damage Protection settings. We have determined that recent system changes resulted in the removal of this option from Lauras account settings due to the payment provider they are currently using no longer being supported.

We recognize that the recent system update has affected ******* hosting experience, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. Their feedback regarding this change is valuable, and we've raised it to our technical team for review. In the meantime, we recommend ***** to explore alternative damage protection options to safeguard their property.

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.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to clarify this matter.

Best regards,
Vrbo Customer Support Team
Customer Answer
Date: 04/18/2025
Hello *******,

I am grateful for your assistance, and I hope this email finds you well.
I'm writing to provide an update and share recent communications from Vrbo regarding my ongoing complaint (Complaint ID #*********. **********************'s latest response clearly demonstrates their unwillingness or inability to address the significant business risk they have created by removing essential property damage protection from my listings. Astonishingly, they have now deemed the matter "resolved" despite acknowledging that no solution has been provided.
I will forward additional email exchanges shortly, highlighting Vrbo's increasingly nonsensical responses and the unacceptable nature of their customer support. Your review of these exchanges will illustrate the severity and absurdity of the situation.
I greatly appreciate your continued attention and assistance in this matter.
Thank you,
***** ******
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
On 11/24/2024 I made a reservation on Vrbo for a house rental in ******. The total price paid was $2767.13. The cancelation policy stated in the rental agreement is as follows:100% refund for cancellations requested by Mar 8, 2025 at 11:59 PM (property's local time).50% refund for cancellations requested by Mar 24, 2025 at 11:59 PM (property's local time).On 1/24/2025 I requested cancelation and a full refund due to a change in plans. On 1/25 the "host" (i.e., the owner of the property I had made the reservation for) initially responded to my cancelation request saying, "We do have a strict cancellation policy, so we are not able to cancel your reservation at this time." I replied, 'The stated cancelation policy on the rental confirmation says, "Cancellation 100% refund for cancellations requested by Mar 8, 2025 at 11:59 PM (property's local time)." I have contacted VRBO to process the cancelation, but please know that I will be canceling it and want you to know the chance to put the house back on the rental market for this time period as soon as possible.'On 1/27 the host canceled my reservation. On that same day I asked for a status of the refund and have not received a response from the host. Also on that day I did however receive a refund from Vrbo for their service fee of $300.52.On 1/31 I contacted Vrbo and requested the status of my refund. I was provided information regarding the $300.52 fee refund, but nothing about the host refund. Vrbo claims that the host uses third party software and must make the refund themselves. Yet I never provided the host with my payment credentials. Vrbo claims they will contact the host and request the refund, but I have little faith in them given their mismanagement and the fraudulent statements of the host.
Business Response
Date: 03/06/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address the concerns raised by **** ****** regarding the reservation experience and refund request.

We appreciate **** ****** patience while we worked to resolve this matter. We acknowledge the difficulties and frustrations **** ****** encountered during the process,including misinformation, delays, and minimal support from Vrbo. We sincerely apologize for this experience, as it does not reflect the level of service we strive to provide.

We are pleased to confirm that **** ****** refund request has been fully resolved.**** ****** responded to our email the same day to confirm receipt of the remaining refund. We have sent a resolution email to **** ****** with an acknowledgment of the experience and our sincere apologies.

We deeply regret any inconvenience caused and value the feedback provided. This insight helps us improve our services and better support our customers in the future.While we understand **** ****** decision regarding future reservations with Vrbo, we hope there may be an opportunity to rebuild trust after we have made the necessary improvements.

Thank you once again for bringing this matter to our attention.
Best regards,

Vrbo Customer Support Team

Customer Answer
Date: 03/26/2025

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.

Sincerely,

**** ******
Initial Complaint
Date:03/21/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I booked a vacation rental in ****, OR from Nov 25 through Dec 1, 2024. This was for me, my wife, and my recently widowed mother. Immediately upon arriving we were heartbroken at the accommodations. The photos and descriptions on VRBO did not match reality. We looked for alternative accommodations, but since it was Thanksgiving week, there was nothing suitable available. We decided to try to make the best of it, however, each day we discovered more and more problems with the home. Additionally, the homeowner scheduled loud and disturbing yard maintenance to be conducted during our stay. Initially upon contacting the homeowner about our horrible experience, they were apologetic and promised a full refund of $2939.62 for the awful experience. However, they did not issue a refund as promised. Instead, they said they spoke to their "VRBO Manager" who suggested a $200 cleaning fee refund only. After this, the homeowner ceased all communication and refused to answer my messages.I left an honest review for the home on VRBO, detailing the problems with the property. VRBO said that my review was approved, yet it is not visible on the VRBO property website. I have contacted VRBO several times about this and they have not addressed it. This is very unethical to hide negative reviews of a property. Additionally, the homeowner, after seeing that i submitted a negative review, retaliated by submitting a very dishonest, innacurate, negative review of us as guests. I submitted my complaints to VRBO regarding all the problems with the property, including photos, and the message from the homeowner where they promised a full refund, and requested that VRBO step in and provide a more acceptable refund because the $200 cleaning fee is far from acceptable. Every time I reach out, VRBO says they are escalating it to the proper department and to await their response. This has been going on for 2 months and I've yet to receive any response.
Business Response
Date: 03/18/2025
Dear Better Business Bureau,

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to address ***** Barcelons concerns. At Vrbo we take complaints seriously and strive to provide our customers with great experiences. We understand ***** is concerned about the property issues and misrepresentation during their stay and is seeking refund.

We recognize ******* frustration regarding their experience and apologize for the inconvenience caused. Please note that Vrbo serves as an intermediary between hosts and guests, therefore any potential refunds are at the discretion of the host.

Following a thorough investigation, Case ********* was escalated to our Social Response Team. Initially, ******* review was approved; however, upon further review, we found that it did not align with our review guidelines and was subsequently removed. Regarding the issues ***** encountered at the property, our team has provided an appropriate resolution and offered a goodwill gesture of $120, pending ****** confirmation. We kindly request ***** to respond to the email with their confirmation, and our team will proceed with further steps.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and allowing us a chance for resolution.



Best regards,
Vrbo Customer Support Team
Customer Answer
Date: 03/21/2025
Complaint: 22922094

I am rejecting this response because: The miniscule refund offer of $120 is not even close to adequate.

Regards,

***** ********

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