VRBO won't refund Sanibel stay for next week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Six months ago we booked a long weekend on Sanibel island next week. Even if the condo we booked wasn't damaged by Ian, there is no power or water, the only road to the island was destroyed, and even if you arrived by boat, the authorities are only letting local residents collect their belongings and then leave again.

The property manager says "reservations are non-refundable." I escalated to VRBO and they said "refunds are up to the owner, we can't help you."

Am I taking crazy pills? How can someone keep my $2,000 when they are physically and legally unable to provide the service I paid for?

I will dispute with my CC next, no idea if they will take my side.

https://shorttermrentalz.com/news/hurricane-ian-airbnb-vrbo-refunds/

This is ridiculous. Call their bluff. Say you are planning to arrive on check in day, and you expect the property will be "as advertised" when you booked it. Meaning: accessible by car, electricity, water, a pool, restaurants close by, etc. Ask them to verify all these things are STILL TRUE and you will come (which you won't, you're calling their bluff). Screen shot the listing before you do this.

Exactly. You aren't cancelling - THEY ARE because they can't provide the accommodation you contracted for.

+1 I’m pretty sure non-locals aren’t even allowed onto the island right now.

[Anonymous]

Dispute this on your credit card. They were supposed to provide a service and they did not. You'll have to do it twice. VRBO will uphold their decision and fight this once but not twice. Seriously, do this.

[Anonymous]

Just call your CC. They will handle it if you have a more premium card.

Amex is amazing at this and makes the platinum card worth the fee alone.

[Anonymous]

Credit card dispute is the only way you will see anything back.

[Anonymous]

Stop booking vacations to hurricane zones during hurricane season. Acts of God are not always included in Force Majeure when it’s a known and likely risk.

-Someone who lives in a hurricane zone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop booking vacations to hurricane zones during hurricane season. Acts of God are not always included in Force Majeure when it’s a known and likely risk.

-Someone who lives in a hurricane zone

This isn’t that their flight is canceled or it’s rainy - the island was destroyed and not accessible or inhabitable. Who’s going to get the insurance payout for the loss? Not OP. The homeowner is in theory going to be twice paid.

[Anonymous]

https://www.winknews.com/2022/10/04/sanibel-residents-allowed-to-temporarily-return-to-the-island/

You need to have an address on Sanibel or go get a Hurricane Pass to get onto the island (on your own that is). Will the host be providing the Hurricane Pass for your stay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop booking vacations to hurricane zones during hurricane season. Acts of God are not always included in Force Majeure when it’s a known and likely risk.

-Someone who lives in a hurricane zone

Stop being ridiculous. You love our vacation dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is one reason I hate vrbo.
In contrast law there is a concept of “impossibility of performance” that would in some circumstances lead to contract rescisision— as if the contract had never been made. But some contracts draft around that — you should read the fine print and see what it says about force majeur, acts of God, governmental acts etc. I think after the pandemic people really tightened those clauses. Depending on what that says, you may be able to take the position that they have breached the contract because they are unable to provide you with the service you contracted for, and you are not paying due to their breach.

This is the best answer in the thread. You need to read your full contract, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Six months ago we booked a long weekend on Sanibel island next week. Even if the condo we booked wasn't damaged by Ian, there is no power or water, the only road to the island was destroyed, and even if you arrived by boat, the authorities are only letting local residents collect their belongings and then leave again.

The property manager says "reservations are non-refundable." I escalated to VRBO and they said "refunds are up to the owner, we can't help you."

Am I taking crazy pills? How can someone keep my $2,000 when they are physically and legally unable to provide the service I paid for?

I will dispute with my CC next, no idea if they will take my side.

https://shorttermrentalz.com/news/hurricane-ian-airbnb-vrbo-refunds/

This is ridiculous. Call their bluff. Say you are planning to arrive on check in day, and you expect the property will be "as advertised" when you booked it. Meaning: accessible by car, electricity, water, a pool, restaurants close by, etc. Ask them to verify all these things are STILL TRUE and you will come (which you won't, you're calling their bluff). Screen shot the listing before you do this.

+1. I’m sorry op. This is so ridiculous and frustrating. unbelievable.

[Anonymous]

I’m surprised the owner would do this and risk a terrible review. Are you sure the management company is informing the owner of your request to cancel? We own a vacation rental and our booking agent would be the first person to tell us we needed to issue full refunds.

[Anonymous]

Wow, surprised by how many people on this thread are clueless to the risk of booking during hurricane season. I NEVER book in advance to a hurricane zone for August to early November. I'm even leery of July now. Yes, it is completely unfair and ridiculous but it's really hard to get your money back even if you buy the travel insurance. Even with insurance they sometimes only give you for the days it was a mandatory evacuation.

Example: You have booked a Saturday to Saturday rental. There is clearly a storm coming there that is going to hit, say Monday. But the evacuation order only covers Monday and Tuesday. They will still charge you for Saturday and Sunday, even though it is crazy to travel there then. And after even if the place is a mess they will often not cover you for Weds on.

It's absolutely absurd. Don't book in advance during hurricane season. I only go to the beach in the south august to early november if it is a raltive's house OR if it's like Thursday or Friday and I am looking to book for the Saturday coming up in like a day or two.

[Anonymous]

What does the contract say, OP? What did you sign?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, surprised by how many people on this thread are clueless to the risk of booking during hurricane season. I NEVER book in advance to a hurricane zone for August to early November. I'm even leery of July now. Yes, it is completely unfair and ridiculous but it's really hard to get your money back even if you buy the travel insurance. Even with insurance they sometimes only give you for the days it was a mandatory evacuation.

Example: You have booked a Saturday to Saturday rental. There is clearly a storm coming there that is going to hit, say Monday. But the evacuation order only covers Monday and Tuesday. They will still charge you for Saturday and Sunday, even though it is crazy to travel there then. And after even if the place is a mess they will often not cover you for Weds on.

It's absolutely absurd. Don't book in advance during hurricane season. I only go to the beach in the south august to early november if it is a raltive's house OR if it's like Thursday or Friday and I am looking to book for the Saturday coming up in like a day or two.

Good general advice for the Caribbean, Florida Atlantic Coast, and the Louisiana/Mississippi gulf coast. I think it's somewhat reasonable to have assume that the Florida (non-panhandle) gulf coast was a rare enough hurricane target to not be as worried in that location. Obviously that assumption has been proven wrong, but it wasn't unreasonable pre-Ian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, surprised by how many people on this thread are clueless to the risk of booking during hurricane season. I NEVER book in advance to a hurricane zone for August to early November. I'm even leery of July now. Yes, it is completely unfair and ridiculous but it's really hard to get your money back even if you buy the travel insurance. Even with insurance they sometimes only give you for the days it was a mandatory evacuation.

Example: You have booked a Saturday to Saturday rental. There is clearly a storm coming there that is going to hit, say Monday. But the evacuation order only covers Monday and Tuesday. They will still charge you for Saturday and Sunday, even though it is crazy to travel there then. And after even if the place is a mess they will often not cover you for Weds on.

It's absolutely absurd. Don't book in advance during hurricane season. I only go to the beach in the south august to early november if it is a raltive's house OR if it's like Thursday or Friday and I am looking to book for the Saturday coming up in like a day or two.

While I agree, the VRBO owner at this point has nothing to give OP. No roads lead to Sanibel, people are using boats and helicopters to get to the mainland.

Why should OP be forced to pay for ‘nothing’. This isn’t OP being upset that it’s going to rain a little or something like that.