Vrbo

• Variety of Options
• Booking Options
• Cancellation Protection
• Customer Reviews and Protection
• Mobile Services

Variety of Options

Vrbo has a variety of options for travelers. Each rental owner determines the price to rent his or her space, so prices will vary based on location, amenities, size, condition, etc. Vrbo rentals are available throughout the United States and in 190 countries around the world. An email and phone number are provided for each property owner, so travelers can speak directly with the property owner before they book or during the booking process. With the phone number, travelers are also given the best time to reach the property owner along with the languages they speak. Emails go through Vrbo.com.

• Insurance Options: Vrbo provides customers with the option to purchase damage and cancellation insurance.
• 24/7 Support: 24/7 support is available to all customers by Vrbo.
• Large Property Selection: Currently, Vrbo has over one million properties listed.
• Secure Payment Options: Vrbo has a secure and safe payment process, providing comfort to its customers.

Booking Options

Reservations are made through Vrbo.com. Travelers have the option of clicking the "Book It" button after their dates are selected to reserve the space. Or travelers can choose to email or call the rental owner for more information.

Cancellation Protection

Vrbo offers cancellation protection through a HomeAway partner, CSA Travel Protection and Insurance Services. This service safeguards the traveler's non-refundable payments in case they need to cancel their trip for a covered reason. Vacation rental payments typically become non-refundable 30-90 days before the arrival date. Cancellation protection features:

• Protects insured trip cost up to $50,000 if guests need to cancel.
• Offers reimbursement if guests cancel their trip due to covered events such as sickness, injury, flight cancellations, mandatory evacuation, or job loss.
• Travel delay benefits available if guests are delayed for 12 or more hours due to flight delays, weather, or sickness. Learn more.
• Additional services* can be found on the site.

Customer Reviews and Protection

Each property has customer reviews listed under their rental descriptions. Each review also has a star rating; so potential travelers can easily determine the quality of the rental without having to read through each review. Additionally, any payments made through the secure HomeAway platform are protected up to $10,000 against fraud. Or an additional fee will protect you against other renting issues like double booking or security deposit issues.

Mobile Services

Vrbo has a mobile friendly site. The mobile site makes it easy to enter the desired location and dates on the landing page. The site's design also makes it simple to browse rental listings. Vrbo also has the "HomeAway & Vrbo Vacation Rentals" free mobile app. Users are given the option to view the app when they visit the mobile site.

• Customer Complaints
• Fees
• Certain Fees are Not Refundable

Customer Complaints

Vrbo has many negative customer reviews about things like poor customer service and excessive fees. Both customers renting from Vrbo and homeowners listing with the site have written complaints. Many homeowners complain about new changes under Expedia's ownership. They complain about higher fees, more control by Vrbo, booking problems, etc. Renters complain about higher fees, booking errors, cancellation problems, and unresponsive or helpful customer service. 

Fees

Overall, there are quite a few things that Vrbo could improve on.  The biggest issue with Vrbo is the extra fees.  There is a high service fee and fees associated with damage insurance, cancellation insurance, and the Carefree Rental Guarantee.

• High Renters Service Charge: Vrbo charges renters a 5 percent commission in service fees to rent their property. 
• Credit Card Processing Fee: Vrbo charges a 3 percent credit card or e-check processing fee for the total amount paid by the traveler. 
• No Verification: No verification is done on properties listed with Vrbo. This is concerning, as customers want to be sure they are renting a legitimate property and aren't getting scammed.
• No Free Cancellation: Vrbo doesn't offer all customers a free cancellation option with all properties.  

Certain Fees are Not Refundable

Another issue that customers have been commenting about is the fact that Vrbo charges a customer's credit card upon booking, but owners are not paid until renters are in the house. If customers go to cancel the rental, customers will not be refunded certain fees. Most other companies refund these fees as a courtesy to renters if they have to cancel. Make sure to use the Vrbo fee calculator to see how expensive these add-ons would be for your vacation.