Concern with Homeaway / VRBO

I have rented apartments in Paris and elsewhere through VRBO/Homeaway for the past few years, and have never had a problem. You can purchase insurance from them if you are worried. I only select places that have several good reviews from previous tenants, particularly about the apartment owner/manager. I think you will be OK.

I've rented many homes through VRBO over the years and have never had a single problem! I did receive an email from VRBO recently about a property I had inquired about--they alerted me that there had been a fraud complaint, and asked me to contact them if I'd booked with that property owner offline (which I hadn't).

I did have the same concerns you have when I was booking for our Europe trip because all of my VRBO rentals have been in the U.S., so I actually called and talked to VRBO before booking. They said to make sure to call the phone number listed before booking. I did that, and I also did a google search for the property just to make sure nothing crazy came up (it actually turned up positive reviews on trip advisor, so I contacted a couple of those people to ask about the property!). Also, I never book unless the property has at least three reviews.

VRBO is a division of www.homeaway.com, not the other way around. That is why they are called VRBO by Homeaway. Homeaway (and VRBO) recommend that you get a receipt/confirmation in writing or email from the owner. They do sell trip protection and that can be helpful in case anything goes wrong (including you getting sick and not being able to go). We have used Homeaway/VRBO for many years worldwide with no trouble. If he blacked out your dates, it sounds like everything is fine. Also, Paypal offers you some protection as well. You have to be careful with Airbnb as cities around the world are working legally to drive them out.

VRBO and all the rest are marketing tools for independent apartment owners. While they may provide many safeguards and a forum by which to comment on experiences, you are ultimately doing business with one of 200,000 private individuals each with their own sense of honor. Some will treat the process very professionally while others are just trying to make some spare change off deceased Aunt Bertha's old place. Some will be spotless while others will tell you if it was good enough for Aunt Bertha you shouldn't expect more. I mention Aunt Bertha because I actually read the exact argument from a gentleman who's deceased aunt's apartment got a bad review. If the Bagdad Marriott does you wrong then Marriott corporation will come to your rescues to secure their reputation. If Bob messes you around, don't count on Aunt Bertha coming to your rescue.

Oddly enough i do stay in holiday apartments. I am in one at this moment. Personally I prefer the cash on arrival places and I always have a back up location in the event the first doesn't work out. The first has worked out 100% of the time so far. Just trying to be real about it.

We've had only good experiences with Homeaway and VRBO in the US and Europe. Unlike airbnb (which we've also used) they don't handle the payments. They basically just put owners and renters in contact, plus sell insurance in case things don't work out. But they want to protect their reputations (like Marriott) so they won't keep listing places where there have been well-founded complaints. I wouldn't hesitate to use the services, though I'd hesitate to rent a place without reviews (or with negative ones), without photos of the inside (vs. photos of the city), or with inconvenient payment arrangements (like costly bank transfers up front). Keep in mind that the property owner has to trust you as much as you have to trust him/her.

That's the difference between VRBO/Homeaway and Airbnb...with Airbnb you don't have direct financial dealings with the owner. Airbnb takes care of all of that part for you which, to me, is a huge advantage. Trying to organize payment directly to a property owner can be very inconvenient.
That said, we have used VRBO numerous times in Europe and have had no problems, even though we had to pay owners directly on one or two occasions outside of their system.
We've never had a problem with any of the property owners on either listing service.

I get slammed on occasion for not being all giddy over renting apartments. Its sort of like the European pick pocket discussions. Never happened to me so it must not exist sort of rational. Odd thing is that I own holiday apartments in Europe...... They can be great, just be careful and remember that when push comes to shove, only YOU will be able to settle the issue.

Thanks to all of you for the detailed messages. I feel much better now. If it doesn't work out, I will be sure to post! Thanks again for taking time to opine.

just got back from a VRBO listed property in MN that had NO reviews......but it all worked out fabulous!!! they had been renting to friends of friends for years, and had just listed it w vrbo jan 1 of this year.....

doric8, there is no such thing as a VRBO property. There are properties that market through VRBO and possibly a half dozen other sites simultaneously. It worked out so well for you because that particular owner or management company was exceptional; but that had nothing to do with VRBO.

We've used both VRBO and HomeAway in many locations in the USA and Europe and have always gotten a great place at a great price. For a cottage once in Dingle, Ireland, the owners, who were English, didn't provide any online payment options, and wanted us to pay by a bank wire transfer, apparently a common and inexpensive method in Europe.

Unfortunately, it's a less-common and very expensive method in the U.S., and we arranged instead to mail them a AAA Visa Travel Debit card, loaded with dollars that would automatically be withdrawn in pounds, euros, zlotys, whatever and wherever it was withdrawn. Part of the issue for us was that their bank was British, ours was American, but their property was in the Eurozone, so what amount of downpayment, exactly, were we to pay? We came up with an estimated amount based on the exchange rate at the time, and mailed the card to them in England, with tracking. It arrived a few days later in England, and delivery was attempted, but the cottage owners were away at their place in Ireland during the big Kate and William royal wedding. The Royal Mail never attempted to deliver it again, and it came back to us in the mail, months later (so much for having a tracking number), after we'd come back from Ireland ourselves. We wound up paying cash for the whole amount to their agent in Ireland, who met us at the bus stop in Dingle to give us the key to the place. The owners later said they were looking into setting up an online payment procedure, but the cottage was still advertised in euros, while the owners wanted to be paid in pounds.

There's never a guarantee on anything (including advice you get on the Internet ;-) ) but we've never been let down by either HomeAway or their sister company VRBO. Enjoy Paris!

IggyStooge - we have rented from VBRO and Homeaway both in Europe and here in the states with no problem at all. Read the reviews and ask questions. FYI - Jim Osterberg and I were I in the same high school class in Michigan 50 years ago next month.