Can Vrbo Owners Delete Bad Reviews?

For many vacationers, it isn't enough to stay in a motel. A great alternative is to rent an actual home through HomeAway which is owned by Vrbo. As a client, you're urged to read reviews about the home you are considering. Therefore, homeowners want to know, ""

Homeowners can make a profit from having renters stay in their homes for a night, a week, or longer. The guest wins because they have access to an entire home, complete with a kitchen, laundry, multiple bedrooms, and more. The idea behind Vrbo is that everyone wins. However, considering the additional cost of renting a vacation home, renters pay very close attention to negative reviews.

If you're a homeowner who feels that negative Google reviews or are costing you, renters, discovering how to delete reviews on Vrbo can become very important. To help you, and your future renters, DoNotPay is here to help.

How Can I Delete My Review on Vrbo or HomeAway?

There are rules regarding what someone must go through when submitting a review. They are in place to protect users and HomeAway. HomeAway does not screen individual reviews unless there is a complaint from the property owner.

For someone to leave a review on a property, the traveler must be able to provide “satisfactory evidence of the stay.” This means they have:

A processing receipt from the HomeAway Mobile Hospitality Manager (the Vrbo platform)
Proof of payment, and possibly proof that they stayed at an alternative property due to unforeseen circumstances

The individual leaving a review must also:

Now own or manage this property in any way
Be able to prove their identity or email address to submit a review

How to Delete Bad Vrbo Reviews by Yourself

If someone has left a negative review for your property, or you left a negative review by mistake and want to know "How can I delete a Vrbo review I wrote", there are some relatively easy steps to follow. However, it will require you to contact customer support.

Step 1	Visit MyVR support and open a ticket.
Step 2	Add details about booking and why you want the review to be removed.
Step 3	Send your request. Vrbo will review and investigate it.
Step 4	Your request will be reviewed, and you will be notified of the verdict.

How Long Will it Take for Vrbo to Delete Bad Reviews?

There is no indication given of how long it may take for your removal request to be processed. It says only that the review will be deleted, or you will be provided with a response through email.

Vrbo clearly states on the HomeAway website that all users should know that contributed content, such as photos or reviews, could subject them to defamation claims. HomeAway does not take part in this legal action, but may remove contributed content if warranted after a Court Order demanding removal.

Reasons Vrbo Will Delete Reviews

Fortunately, learning is relatively simple. The problem comes when you discover Vrbo can deny your request to remove that review if it follows the content guidelines.

This means that the review:

Is submitted within one year of the stay on your property.
The reviewer has legal authority to post that content.
The reviewer must leave content that directly relates to its purpose (relates to the property and does not contain references to third-party websites).
Depicts the experience of that reviewer (not hearsay or based on someone else's experiences).
The reviewer does not reveal the actual physical location of the property.
The reviewer does not disclose actual rates they pay for their stay.
The reviewer cannot use content to attempt to force the property owner to refund money.

If a reviewer leaves any other type of content, whether photographs, videos, or reviews, then it will remain on your property's listing. To remove it, you may have to go through other processes. Again, it is always within your right to take that reviewer to court.

Can and Should You Disable Reviews on Vrbo?

, both good and bad, are not something that you can turn off, edit, or change unless they violate the content guidelines set by Vrbo. Therefore, you should represent your property in the most honest way possible.

You can effectively do this by:

Doing your part to provide 5-Star experiences
Being careful with your wording (It's not beachfront if your home is two blocks away from the beach)
Leaving clear instructions for the property (i.e., turn off alarm with this code, access internet with this code, etc.)
Ensuring guests have access to what they need (linens, pillows, beds, dishes, and more)
Responding to complaints or issues quickly once guests arrive
Urging guests to leave reviews regarding their stay

If presented with a negative review by a disgruntled guest, respond to their review with professionalism. It will ensure that, until the review process is finished, you have done your part to rectify the situation.

This means you should:

Not take it personally.
Thank them for their review and tell them what you will do to prevent this experience in the future.
Express things that the renter could have done to help you make their stay more enjoyable. ("You should have contacted me before your departure, and I could have…" Or "When you said the heat and air unit wasn't working, I sent a repairman, but you didn't answer the door.")

Vrbo Owners Can Delete Bad Reviews with DoNotPay

Negative reviews stand out. Most people will look for negatives before they look for positives. The easiest way to hide a negative review is to have many more positive ones. However, if you have a negative review, DoNotPay can attempt to help you have it removed.

The DoNotPay method is simple and effective. It has helped small businesses remove negative reviews from:

Yelp
Google
Amazon
Facebook

And many others. The process can help you as well.

All you have to do is:

Tell DoNotPay you have a negative review on Vrbo.
Provide the URL link for that review and upload a photo to help us identify it.
Indicate why you want to report the review, and also provide a detailed description.
And that's it! We'll report the review so that it gets investigated by the platform and taken down if they determine it's inappropriate.

DoNotPay will show HomeAway / Vrbo that the review is inaccurate or unfair.

DoNotPay Can Do More Than Remove Negative Reviews

As a small business, you know that having access to help matters. Therefore, DoNotPay can provide many answers beyond , and solutions that will help you in the big business world.

Some services provided by DoNotPay help businesses, and others are designed for more personal use. The most popular include:

If these services or others many services are appealing, you can join DoNotPay online. We're always available and ready to help!