About VRBO Cancellation Policies
VRBO has a few different types of cancellation policies. When creating their property listing, owners choose from one of five cancellation policy options, which range from relaxed to very strict. The policies are: Relaxed, Moderate, Firm, Strict, and No Refund. The type of cancellation policy that a property has is entirely dependent on the owner, who likely takes into consideration the cost to rent the accommodation and to maintain it. All cancellations must be made 12pm Central Standard Time (CST) on the given day outlined in each given cancellation policy.
VRBO Cancellation Policies
The following descriptions outline the conditions associated with each policy.
1. Relaxed: If a traveler cancels their booking up to 14 days before the beginning of their stay, they receive a 100% refund and are not charged any booking fees. For bookings cancelled up to 7 days before the stay, the traveler gets a 50% refund and is charged booking fees on that portion.
2. Moderate: If a traveler cancels up to 30 days before their stay, they are given a 100% refund and are not charged any booking fees. For the bookings cancelled up to 14 days in advance, the traveler receives a 50% refund and is charged booking fees on that portion.
3. Firm: If a traveler cancels up to 60 days before their stay, they are given a 100% refund and are not charged any booking fees. For the bookings cancelled up to 30 days in advance, the traveler receives a 50% refund and is charged booking fees on that portion.
4. Strict: If a traveler cancels their booking up to 60 days before their stay, they are given a 100% refund and are not charged any booking fees.
5. No Refund: No refunds are given if a traveler cancels their stay at any time.
How to Cancel A Reservation on VRBO
How Hosts Can Cancel a Reservation:
1. Log in to your VRBO account
2. Click on the listing of the reservation you want to cancel
3. Click on 'Reservations'
4. Locate the reservation then scroll to bottom of page and click 'Cancel Reservation'
*Hosts who plan to refund a guest must do so prior to cancelling a reservation.
VRBO Refund Policies
Can I get my money back if I need to cancel my trip?
Whether or not a traveler can get a refund on a cancelled booking depends on the cancellation policy or rental agreement that a traveler signed with the property owner. It is best that the guest contact the home owner directly to inquire about this matter.
HomeAway also offers a Cancellation Protection policy (an insurance for cancellations) at an extra cost. Learn more about it here.
Does VRBO automatically refund the security deposit?
The property owners are responsible for issuing the refund of the security deposit to the guest(s). If the owner is using HomeAway Payments, there is an automatic setting. If their account does not have this function set up, the owner will need to manually action the refund from their HomeAway account to the guest.
How long will it take for the refund to reach my bank account?
Usually refunds through HomeAway Payments take from 5-7 working days. If an owner is using HomeAway Payments, the refund will show on a bank statement as coming from HomeAway, not the owners themselves.
How VRBO Hosts Can Adjust Their Cancellation Policy
To edit the cancellation policy, hosts should follow these steps:
1. Login to your account
2. Select the listing you'd like to change
3. Click 'Settings' then 'Rental Agreement and Cancellation Policy'
4. Select the policy of choice upon clicking 'Cancellation Policy'
5. Save your changes
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