HomeAwayReviews 1,751

We have rented our apartment for 15 years with Holiday Lettings, that became HomeAway, that became part of VRBO. Never had a problem with guests until now. Our last guest STOLE FROM US. HomeAway REFUSED TO DEDUCT FROM THEIR SECURITY DEPOSIT, leaving us severely out of pocket. HomeAway (so called) CUSTOMER SUPPORT REFUSED TO ENGAGE WITH THE GUEST ABOUT THE THEFT, they REFUSED TO ANSWER ANY OF OUR QUESTIONS about why they would not withhold the security deposit, THEY BULLIED US by cutting the 14 day period to discuss deductions down to 7 days, THEY CANCELLED OUR LISTING (that we had just paid for) and THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT A COMPLAINT against them! All in all, the most SHOCKING AND APPALLING CASE OF CUSTOMER NEGLECT I have ever encountered.

I had to cancel a booking made though this site. The property owner agreed to a full refund ( less a small admin fee), but I only received half of this despite a lengthy email exchange with the owner. There appears to be no way to contact the web site directly to pursue complaints. The property owner also trying to contact them on my behalf without success. I WILL NEVER USE THEM AGAIN AND STRONGLY ADVISE EVERYONE TO AVOID BOOKING THROUGH HOME&AWAY.

Homeowners need to stay well clear of HomeAway/VRBO as they are not paying out when guests stay. We are a "Premier Partner" and currently have 4 payments (everything post-COVID lockdown) still outstanding, with the first of these being from almost 6 weeks ago. The sums involved amount to over £7,000, and with another set of guests due to check-in in 2 days' time, doubtless without any payment forthcoming, we will then be owed about £10,000. The recent email from HomeAway to homeowners, setting out how they typically pay "one business day after your guest checks in" just adds insult to injury as it is clearly completely untrue.

HomeAway simply deflect and delay when we get in touch, which we have been doing constantly for weeks now. The excuse of the "technical issue causing a temporary delay in payments, which is now corrected" is just a smokescreen to cover up what seems to be a consistent strategy of non-payment to homeowners. We can only speculate, but it looks as though HomeAway has a serious cashflow problem that they are dealing with by not paying out to homeowners. This is both illegal and immoral.

We have received numerous assurances that "payment will be made soon", that are simply lies designed to buy time. The mysterious "technical department", that cannot (of course) be contacted, is said to be dealing with our case. Obviously, our issue is so complex that it has taken weeks so far, with no end in sight. The implication that is given by all the support staff who we have spoken to is that our situation is unique, but a quick search online shows how untrue this is, with tens of homeowners writing similar reviews to this one, with equally dire warnings about how HomeAway does not pay the money that they owe.

What is most disturbing is that we have 20 bookings via HomeAway that stretch more than a year in the future. The guests have booked in good faith and paid 25% upfront, obviously with the money being held by HomeAway. We have 7 bookings in the next few months where guests have paid 100% of their costs to HomeAway already. However, as there appears to be no sign that we will ever receive any payment for these stays, and there are obviously significant changeover costs for each stay, we will very soon have no choice but to cancel bookings as we simply cannot pay people to stay with us for free. Once we do this, the guests will obviously believe that it is our fault that their holidays are ruined, but we cannot operate without payment. This is entirely down to HomeAway taking our guest's money and not carrying out their legal obligation to pass this to us when they stay.

How can anyone, homeowner or guest, trust a company that behaves in this manner? Just how many scathing reviews does it take before the message gets through? Why are heads not rolling amongst their senior management for allowing this situation to get to the point where essentially all feedback gives the lowest possible rating?

Disaster, smelt of damp, asked to remove shoes upon entering? Ripped toe on carpet runner, garden (if you can call it that) overgrown full of brambles which grandsons leg got caught. One toilet on ground floor- sleeps 10, totally unsuitable for two 6 year olds. Dishwasher not working, not enough beds made up even though I stated from the start that 4 were booking in but two might come for 2/3 nights (relatives) even though they charged for extra person. They stated that no smoking was allowed in the house, near the house or garden. On arrival there were plenty of cigarette butts outside back door.
Had to find somewhere else on a Saturday afternoon as could not offer suitable alternative accommodation, thank the lord for Sykes Cottages who were a lifesaver and found us a beautiful 5 bedroom cottage in the Brecon Beacons.
Asked for refund, after a stressful phone conversation with Homeaway where they put the phone down, they emailed asking for proof of which we had plenty of photos, they gave me a reference no. And were looking into it? Not heard a word since.

We are ment to travel in 8days, the owner has canceled 2days ago, iv spent hours on the phone to homeaway trying to rebook another place but home away want me to pay for the new place now and wait upto 3weeks for them to refund me for the other place?
Meaning that the holiday wev payed for wont hapen as we cant aford to rebook and wait for a refund.
Thanks homeaway i will never book with you agin youv cost us our holiday we will now loss the money payed for the flights(£1400) and the airport trasfers (£350).
HomeAway dont care about you, the cust serv is awfull and i dont think il ever get my refund looking at other reviews

I had booked a caravan for my family(5 children) in wales, we were travelling from Cornwall this day and I was tired of driving and wanted a well deserved rest, arrived at the caravan park I called the caravan owner to hear that he wasn't aware of the booking and wasn't working with homeaway... Called homeaway and had to choose the option for caravan owner as no option for holiday maker. The man told me he was sorry and would try to find something for us but didn't and was quick to say the refund had been made to make me feel responsible to find my own solution. We had to shorten our holidays and it s a chance that the train company of Snowdonia accepted to refund us. The e mail I first received was telling me I would be refunded after five or 7 days, now it shows on the website that it may take two or three weeks...

Three days before we were to go to the villa we booked in Tenerife our flights were cancelled and UK and Spanish borders closed. The property owner offered us a 50% refund or to look at re booking. She said 'stay in touch'. When it was evident that travel was going to be impossible for our party we emailed asking for our options. Would she meet us half way on the refund etc? We got no response. We contacted HomeAway. They said they would get in touch with her telling her to contact us. We were delighted to get an immediate response only to find it was from a property owner we had made an enquiry through but not booked with. Our property owner has still not responded and HomeAway say she has withdrawn her offer of any refund. Two of our party are nurses in the NHS so the loss if not only a precious holiday but also all our money is devastating. HomeAway blame the owner although we booked through them. Please don't use this company they have treated us very badly

Waiting on my refundable deposit of $500 (for a property of $290/n) with no one to contact. There is no number you can call and there is no way you can do anything else than just wait for their mercy. Contacted the property manager who confirmed that the property was left in an perfect condition which was conveyed to Homeaway the same day. At this difficult time when we all are feeling the financial pressures, they are illegally keeping our money. Will never book with them again.

I booked a lovely villa in France for August of this year and the owner decided that due to Covid they would cancel the booking. I totally understood this and accepted the 100% deposit refund offered. Sadly what I wasn't expecting was that John Kim and his team don't appear to want to actually issue the refunds they promise. I have rung the Company three times to be told it has been authorised and I had to prove I haven't received the refund as it has been issued. I am then told it will be issued last week even though a colleague had said it was already done. This company should be ashamed of that appalling lack of service and what appears to be daylight robbery.

Took my money for nothing and have to wait 5-7 days to get it back. They weren't going to give it back until I complained!
The whole booking process was hard work. You select where you want to stay and pay. They don't take your payment until your booking is confirmed which they have 24hours to do.
So my booking gets confirmed and payment was taken. I start planning what to do in the area.
Then about an hour later I get a message saying sorry the booking site have double booked so you can't stay with us.
I called the customer service number and they were less than helpful blaming the Property owner. So both blaming each other and no one taking responsibility for the £216 they had taken out of my bank account for nothing.
Then they tell me they have to wait for the property owner to refund the amount Again have to wait 24hrs for this. Which they did at £184 which is short of the total I paid. They then did refund a service fee. So I will get the total amount back after complaining.
This will be in 5-7 days as they need to keep hold of my money for whatever reason.
I wouldn't mind if I was getting something in return but I'm not. Just people blaming other people on the phone and activities booked in an area I'm not even staying in now. See photos below of email correspondence which is just confusing.