VacationRentals.com

Once a great, easy to use web site. Now it's an over complicated, time consuming mess designed to fleece owners and dominate all facets of the vacation rental procedure without regard for those who are paying for the advertising, namely owners. I can't think of another form of advertising that disregards the interests of clients so blatantly as vacation rental websites. Particularly those run by HomeAway. This is what happens when a company closes in on cornering a market.

They now double dip in an effort to generate added revenue... Charging home owners who advertise and again to those who rent, charging a service fee. This has had a dramatic effect on my inquiries which are next to nothing and to date I've had one rental when I normally have rented all my prime weeks by now. I've used VRBO/HomeAway/VacationRentals.com for years with success but if things stay like this I will terminate my subscription.

I would also like to add, VRBO/Homeaway are deleting all negative posts in Facebook, on their sites, wherever they can control communication thus masking the issue that's causing a major problem for both property owners and renters/clients.

I have listed with the website a couple of years ago back in 2011-2012 and have great results. I tried to list with them again. After I paid with the credit card, I realized I cannot upload the photos and thus my rental cannot be listed. I called and emailed but all their phones listed as customer service/ account inquiry does not work at all. Neither do they respond to me at all.

I am disappointed and hopefully get a refund. Never use them anymore. It is sad how it used to be such a terrific site before Airbnb becomes popular.

We pay for a premium listing with these shysters, something like $1800 per year for one listing and now after taking everyone's renewal money they sneak in their grubby hands for more with their service fee. My inquiries have fallen way off. The bottom line goes p by 9%. That translates into us having to lower our rates to get renters so that these greedy people can take more than is anywhere near reasonable after already taking an annual premium. We should all leave them in the dust. Expedia should be boycotted for all of their greedy, grubby, gouging practices. I hope they tank. We are going elsewhere especially as soon as it's time to renew. You should too whether you are a vacation renter or a vacation property owner. Boycott Expedia!

When I took out a year of listing my Condo with VacationRentals.com I was able to list my telephone number on the listing. After about a month I guess their policy changed and w/o telling me they blocked my telephone number making it impossible for me to talk directly with potential renters. I do not rent my condo w/o talking to each renter. Its terrible that they can change their policy during a contract. When I spoke with Customer Service they said they could change their policy and my listing at anytime during a contract. They also charge a fee to anyone renting that I don't agree with. If I'm paying to have the listing why are they charging renters a fee. They are going to lose a lot of customers. I will not be renewing my listing with them.

Years with HomeAway, VRBO and Vacation rentals.
Not only are we not getting the placement we pay dearly for (because we do not allow YOU to handle our bookings), the charges to list are through the roof.
We the customers, made you what you are Today and you took great advantage of us.
Every aspect of our rentals you want control of, our emails and phone numbers.
Sad responses and lecture why you make the changes. Its all about GREED and CONTROL!
We hear excuse after excuse as your reasoning.
Goodbye!

I have used this website in the past to find lodging. I will rethink that action as after staying at a very mismanaged property/mold, etc... I tried to write in a negative review. The owner disputed this review. After several phone calls and an email requesting 3 or more types of documentation - rental agreement, picture inside the property, receipt, etc. (1 of which should be more than sufficient). I found that the "customer service" at this company is almost completely totally lacking, in specific Ron was unhelpful and rude on call. I would avoid this company and try for other companies that are showing up trying to do this process right. Beware Homeaway, VRBO, and vacation rentals.com are all the same company.

Like the review I just read, I have been using Vacation Rentals for several years ranging from 3 to 7 properties. The company was wonderful and allowed owners to be in contact with the tenants. I never had a complaint until mid summer of 2016.
The price was reasonable originally they offered a 3 month for $99. Then they only a 1 year at $199 per year. After selling out to Expedia, any properties I put on Vacation Rentals was also put on VRBO, Home Away and others but the price would be $249 each per year. Since somewhere around the fall of 2016 they wanted to do all communication with tenants, scheduling etc. If an owner wanted to
Do their own contact and contract, the price would be $549 per property per year. I have NOT renewed any of my properties and the last one listed will expire June 4,2017. I have tenants confused because Home Away and some others have insisted the tenants give a credit card and charged them a fee and deposit before even notifying me they are interested in a specific week or weeks. It appears the corporate has pushed too far and many owners and tenants are frustrated and no longer using this service. Sounds a lot like the medical epi pen 500% increase

This company goes by several aliases. In this case it started out as VRBO then VacationRentals.com as a request for a few days in August - Sept, 2018. Small print says VRBO, VacationRentals is part of the HomeAway "Family". Next, a deposit was obtained on my American Express card in the amount of $3559. 71. The transaction then showed up on my AE account as YPS-HomeAway but the receipt revealed a company called Yapstone, Walnut Creek, CA.

Below is the summary of the transaction, once I got the reported owner involved:

Dr. Jeff Cohen. He, or his representative, took $3559. 71 of my money, via American Express credit card, as confirmation of a rental date in August, 2018. When I tried to confirm the contract, Dr. Cohen denied knowledge of the transaction and asked me for a confirmation number. I told Dr. Cohen that I would call him back with the number. I called him back one day later, today, June 26,2018 with the confirmation and he told me "the transaction was cancelled. I don't have time to talk to you and hung up". So, yesterday he denied knowledge, today he says he cancelled the transaction.

I can only speculate that Dr. Cohen probably had no knowledge of what these scammers were doing on his behalf. How Dr. Cohen found out about the transaction is unknown to me because he refused to answer my questions.

Thank goodness for American Express.

I had been a subscriber with vacationrentals.com for 7 years since 2007. In March 2014, I renewed my subscription as usual and all of the parameters were fine on my add. In April of 2014, Vacationsrentals.com made some changes to its website and caused my property to be inadvertently moved the geographical location of my property on the site from a tourist area to a slum area. I thus received no inquiries from this website for about six months until I caught the error. Once I notified the company, they were willing to offer me an extension of two months which I of course refused. The company makes it clear that THEY DO NOT PROVIDE COMPENSATION TO SUBSCRIBERS WHEN THE COMPANY MAKES ERRORS on the subscriber's listing. Of course I cancelled the listing.

I went to renew my listing on Vacationrentals.com today and was told I have to use "HomeAway Payments" or I cannot list my property. That means my guests have to pay VacationRentals.com (owned by HomeAway) a high booking fee in addition to my rent AND that HomeAway will keep my guests' payments until after the guests check in and then and only then would HomeAway pay me those funds. I get reservations 6 - 9 months in advance and use the deposits to pay expenses like insurance and taxes on my vacation home. I spent an hour trying to get a waiver of the HomeAway Payments requirement to no avail. I found out today that HomeAway uses a third-party company, Vacation Rent Payments, to handle my guests and my funds and that company refuses to release the funds until guest check-in. HomeAway calls it "HomeAway Payments" but it is not Homeaway at all but this third-party company in Europe with a location in CA. I have no contract or relationship with this "Vacation Rent Payments" and HomeAway did not tell me about them at all. Now they have my banking information and that of my guests! I am cancelling my Vacationrentals.com listing ASAP.

I am a vacation rental owner advertiser with VRBO & Homeaway for 10+ years with 4+ homes. Before the Homeaway Family (VRBO, Homeaway and VacationRentals web sites were bought by Expedia FOR $3.9 BILLION homeowners were required to supply proof of the home ownership by providing utility bill or mortgage statement. NO MORE. Anyone can place an ad on VRBO. The cost is now only $349/ ad. Expedia/Homeaway Family began charging travelers 6% for NOTHING. Owners are penalized if they do not use the new Book It Now system. VRBO owners ads are disabled if the owner attempts to save the traveler money by allowing the traveler to book directly with the owner. Guests are forced to enter credit card information to make an inquiry. If a booking occurs, owners do not get the rental proceeds until after the guest checks into the home (unless the owner complains to VRBO and then, VRBO will release the funds sooner. VRBO deducts from owners proceeds the credit card fees incurred when Traveler uses a credit card. VRBO harasses owners with any traveler complaint (forcing the owner to compensate the complaining Traveler), even when the Traveler did not book the home through a Homeaway Family web site. Travelers, please call owners directly. Make sure the person advertising actually owns or manages the home. Ask to be supplied a tax record or contract of employment. You will probably get a discounted rate if you go directly to the owner.

Plenty of people are livid with this new service fee. Many people have renewed their listing contract spending hundreds of dollars only to find out a few weeks later about a mysterious service fee. Homeaway says that this is paid by the guest true, but I and many others have noticed less requests for actual booking and complaints from loyal guests planning on booking their weekly vacation. Many reviewers are quitting there subscription fees when they run out. Fat chance of getting a refund if you quit before it runs out. So is there a solution?

Perhaps a the few hundred that are on sitejabber could band together and create a homeowners vacation rental co-op. The by-laws would not allow a sale to a horrible giant like Homeaway or Expedia. Hire a company to create a website like Homeaway with the same functionality. Perhaps hire another company to cold call homeowners to join. These companies started with the first paid listing than another and then another. We have an advantage because many people are very upset. As more people join it is conceivable that costs could go down and maybe offer additional advertising etc.to generate income for the co-op. There are internet experts that can help new site move up in the rankings. Interviews could be done locally and as exposure increases with bigger more standard companies. Perhaps even the Today Show. This is just an idea but it is worth trying I will become a member with a $ 300.00 donation. We could hire a lawyer to hold and disperse funds to grow the co-op.

Let me know what you think and if there are any internet experts please email me.

*******@att.net

HomeAway.com, VRBO.com and VacationRentals.com have completely changed their websites to be combined into one collective pool and they are trying to control how travelers and property owners communicate with each other. It's horrible for travelers and property owners.

They are also desperately trying to convince travelers to use their online booking payment system and telling property owners that 85% of people want to book using their online payment system. The real reason is they will charge the traveler and property owner a fee to book that way.

This new format also makes it harder for travelers and property owners to communicate in a personal way leaving unsatisfied travelers and property owners. I paid my yearly fee and within 1 month and with no notification they changed their site and basically ruined my short term rental business that I've spent 4 years building up with 5 star ratings. When I asked for a refund they refused, which confirmed to me that they are acting unscrupulously.

I tryed contacting the Better Business Bureau and none of the 3 sites can be found. If I was a traveler this would make me question their business practices.

This review is not ment as a rant since I have booked a multiple yearly lease which profits about the same for me. I do feel an obligation to warn travelers and property owners of their business practices as I own another successful company which can be easily found on the Better Business Bureau site and we have an A+ rating after being in business for over 10 years.

My advise if you use them for booking is to bypass the automated system and fees, and contact the property owners directly, or find other sites to book from that are more reputable. Thanks and good luck. -Jim