Ron Kobayashi rented a home in Newport Beach for a weekend getaway in July with his family.
“The house looked great,” he said. “It was perfect, right on the sand.”
He booked the home through VRBO in January.
“We booked it far in advance because everyone knows beach houses are taken up quite quickly,” he said.
Travel plans were set and even airline tickets were booked. But months later, the VRBO host cancelled his reservation.
“We booked early, paid early,” he said. “And then four months later, whatever it is, boom – cancel us.”
Ron asked VRBO to help him find a new property but the answer was no. According to VRBO’s terms and conditions, if a host cancels a reservation within 30 days, VRBO will help you find another property. But outside of that 30-day window, you’re on your own. For Ron, that meant his family vacation was ruined.
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“I wouldn’t want to go through this again if the policy isn’t changed,” he said.
All home rental sites have cancellation policies, so make sure you read them and understand what you’re agreeing to. VRBO’s cancellation policies may even vary by property, so be sure to ask a lot of questions before committing.
