Channel Integration and withholding deposits (VRBO)

[Sam Stone]

Hey there,

Our most recent guest completely destroyed our home. We have a 1,000.00 security deposit in place, as well as a rental contract that defines damage and withholding.

This guest booked through VRBO, and I feel like my hands are a bit tied. While I CAN withhold his deposit, I am afraid that he may send us a negative review after I withhold. We have tons of evidence of the damage and he wouldn’t have a case even if he contested it. We’re still new on the scene a negative review could offset everything for us.

Has any one been in this situation before? If so can you shed some light on this?

Here’s what I’ve got:

• If we are withholding a security deposit from a guest and he decides to contest it, how does work with MYVR’s integration with VRBO?

• Let’s say I withhold the entire amount and send him a detailed message as to why, and he disagrees. How will we receive notifications and updates to the case?

• If we withhold his deposit prior to him reviewing us, can he leave us a negative public review even though he caused massive damages to a property? If he is able to do this, are we able to respond?

• When do VRBO reviews become visible to us, and how do we respond to it publicly once the review has been posted, I know MYVR acts as the middle man through a lot of this. Additionally, can we attach pictures of the damage that can be added to our response?

• If his damages exceed our deposit, do we have the option to withhold more? If so, how?

• It’s my understanding that anything to do with the reviews themselves, we have to open a ticket and MYVR responds on our behalf?

• We are supposed to receive an email from VRBO to rate traveler’s, none of the administrators on the account, including myself have never received these emails. Is this a glitch? How is this different than opening a ticket and asking that MYVR formally review a traveler for us?

Thanks so much!!!

[Joseph Sennish]

Those are all reasons why we moved away from Security Deposits and use the Damage Protection from Assurant.

Besides not having to pay the now non-refundable credit card fees for the Security Deposit, we don’t have to haggle with the guests over damages.

We chose to place $3000 coverage on each reservation as our costs regionally are very high. Ex. $65 per hour for a handyman.