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.

Friends of mine canceled their Florida trip that would have been right in the middle of the hurricane. VRBO said the only way they would get a refund is if they had insurance, thankfully they did. VRBO said no excuse, including mandatory evacuations would get a refund without insurance.

Makes you wonder how much of a kickback VRBO gets from the insurance companies.

This is a tough one.

On one hand, especially since COVID, I always read the refund fine print VERY carefully. We just had to cancel a trip after Christmas, and had strategically chosen a place which allowed cancellation up to 30 days prior to arrival for that specific reason--things happen. I am also very cognizant of hurricane season (was in Key West with a family I nannied for at that time during Katrina) and the dice roll that comes with travel during this time.

On the other hand, the likelihood is that the property is uninhabitable. I wonder if you could try to obtain an evaluation or assessment from their insurance company to support that it is not habitable as advertised if you do go the route of disputing.

Do you have a chase sapphire card? If you booked with it, this may be something they cover.

We use VRBO a lot. It sucks that you never know how the owner will handle something like this until it happens. We have had two incidents. First the road to the house was flooded and the house was inaccessible. The owner offered us a refund or rebook on another weekend. The second, the hot water went out the day before we arrived. The owner offered us a refund if they couldn't get it fixed.

I have learned to look really hard into refund policies. I was set to book a place for next summer but realized there was only 48 hour cancellation period. There is no way I can book a place months in advance and only have 48 hours after booking to cancel.

There should be class action against vrbo for breach of contract.

Anonymous wrote:
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. You are not cancelling the reservation in this case. They are in breach if they are unable to fulfill the contract. Do everything above, and let them know you'll be disputing this on your credit card and contacting your lawyer if the premises isn't as advertised.

I feel for them as they likely need any money they can get in this disaster, but they don't get to keep your money without delivering the goods or services they have advertised.

Anonymous wrote:I am on your side. They can't provide inhabitable accommodations on their side of the contract. They should refund.

+1000

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.

A) this is why I always take the trip and hurricane insurance, if offered
B) Dispute it with your credit card company. The vendor is incapable of providing you with the facility you paid for.
C) I would even go to small claims over this if necessary.

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.

Anonymous wrote:There are advantages to hotels I guess. I would call everyday to ask the management company for an update on whether I would be able to access my rental and how they are going to provide the amenities listed if there is no power and water. I would want "the plan" in detail. I think you are going to need to be a PIA.

That's probably the way to go. You can also reach out to local authorities to get written confirmation of whether non-residents are allowed to access the island. If you aren't permitted to go there and if the host can't provide acceptable accommodations, you should be entitled to a refund.

Hearing this and similar stories, I will probably purchase travel insurance on any trip to hurricane-prone areas during hurricane season in the future.

Dispute.

I decided to follow a short term rentals FB group for FL a few weeks back. Just curious about the market, pre storm.

What I’ve seen in the past few days has been disgusting. Everyone is keeping money and blaming the traveler for not having insurance and saying it’s their business and they can do what they want.

No way would I book and Airbnb/Vrbo anymore that doesn’t have cancellation clause for a few days out for check in.

I am on your side. They can't provide inhabitable accommodations on their side of the contract. They should refund.

There are advantages to hotels I guess. I would call everyday to ask the management company for an update on whether I would be able to access my rental and how they are going to provide the amenities listed if there is no power and water. I would want "the plan" in detail. I think you are going to need to be a PIA.

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/