How To Get a Vrbo Deposit Refund

iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and is not equivalent to the services of a licensed lawyer. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help, and does not offer legal services. Third party news articles mentioned on our website do not necessarily reflect the views of the company, or the current services that we offer.

Get a Vrbo Deposit Refund in No Time

Vrbo is an American company that specializes in vacation rentals.

Once you book your Vrbo stay and have fun at your chosen rental, something could go wrong, and you may end up damaging the rented property. This is why property owners put up a damage deposit, so they can safeguard from having to pay for guests’ mishaps.

Depending on the situation, you could be entitled to a deposit refund.

Vrbo Damage Deposit System

How does Vrbo damage deposits work? When you book your Vrbo vacation lodging, besides the rent price and the service fee, sometimes you also have to make a damage deposit. The exact amount varies from owner to owner.

There are three ways a property owner can ask you to leave a deposit for potential damage to the property. They can:

  • Demand to have your card on file
  • Request a refundable damage deposit
  • Offer property damage protection insurance

A Card on File

In case the property owner wants to keep your payment details on file, this is how the damage deposit works. The property owner doesn't have access to your bank info unless they submit a damage deposit claim with Vrbo. The owner has 14 days after checkout to determine whether there is any damage and file a claim to get your deposit.

A Refundable Damage Deposit

If the rental owner asks for a refundable damage deposit, you have to pay it at the time of booking. If they don't file a damage deposit claim, they will refund you after you check out. Your bank may also need some time to process this refund, and then you will be able to see the money back in your bank account.

Property Damage Protection

Sometimes you have the option to purchase property insurance while booking. If you damage something in the rented property, this insurance is supposed to protect you up to the paid amount. The owner has to assess the damage and determine whether you need to pay more.

Vrbo Deposit Refund Policy

When it comes to Vrbo’s refund policy, according to the company’s terms and conditions, there are a few types of refunds. They are:

  1. Cancellation refunds
  2. Service fee refunds
  3. Damage deposit refunds
  4. Travel and damage protection insurance refunds

You can find out more about other refunds on the company's Refunds page. We’ll focus on the damage deposit refund.

Vrbo Damage Deposit Refund Explained

Vrbo withholds the refundable damage deposit you paid while booking. If the property owner does not submit a deposit claim, you will get a refund. Vrbo gets to decide how long after the checkout that happens. The preferred option is available for you to see on booking.

If you damage the rented property during your stay, the property owner can claim a part of the amount or the whole damage deposit. They receive a notification via email on the day of your checkout so that they can check their property immediately and see if they should file a claim.

If the property owner files a partial deposit claim, then Vrbo will transfer the rest of your money back into your bank account.

Vrbo Deposit Refund Time

As long as you leave everything on the property as it was when you arrived there, the owner will not file a claim to get your deposit, and they will refund it back to you.

The owner can choose whether you'll get the damage deposit refund in seven or 14 days after you check out, and you’ll see this information when you book your stay. Your bank could also take five to seven days to process the transfer before you see the money in your account again.

The Property Owner’s Perspective

The owner has seven to 14 days to check out the property and file a claim. Then, they must pay you the deposit back.

In case you didn’t receive the entire amount, you can contact the owner directly to discuss what they deducted and why, as Vrbo states in its Paying for a Property section.

After you checkout, Vrbo encourages the owners to contact you. This way, the owner and the guests can discuss the next steps. If they claim you damaged something, you can talk to them about the evidence of damage and the estimated cost and, hopefully, come to an agreement.

Protecting Your Damage Deposit

It is rare, but sometimes the owner might wrongfully take your deposit, even if you didn’t damage anything during your stay. In that case, you should contact Vrbo directly, so it can deal with the issue at hand. Here’s how you can reach Vrbo’s representatives and customer support:

Contact MethodContact Details
Phone1-877-202-4291
Emailvrbomktg@gmail.com
FacebookVrbo’s Facebook page
InstagramVrbo’s Instagram page
TwitterVrbo’s Twitter page

Contacting the Property Owner

If you want to contact the owner directly, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your account
  2. Find your listing
  3. Tap on the Ask Owner a Question or Ask Manager a Question
  4. Fill in the form with your message
  5. Click on Send

Vrbo encourages owners to reply in 24 or 48 hours. If the owner doesn’t get back to you, you should contact Vrbo.

Get the Vrbo Deposit Refund With DoNotPay’s Assistance

All the information and rules about the Vrbo deposit refund can be confusing, and the refund process may seem like a lot of work. Not to worry—DoNotPay can take the reins here. This is how we can help you get your money back:

  1. Open DoNotPay in your
  2. Select File a Chargeback
  3. Provide your bank details
  4. Answer a few questions
  5. Verify your information
  6. Click on Submit

DoNotPay will draft a perfect deposit refund letter and get you your deposit back fair and square.

In case it gets ugly, DoNotPay can also assist you in suing Vrbo or the property owner in small claims court. Here’s how we dealt with suing Uber, United Airlines, and Frontier Communications.

DoNotPay Can Do a Lot More for You!

Dealing with annoying problems like getting a refund can be challenging, which is why DoNotPay was created. We can help you understand the Airbnb refund policy, get a bed bugs hotel refund, let you in on Booking.com or Marriott customer service hacks, and so much more.

See what else we can do for you by visiting DoNotPay in your . You can rely on DoNotPay when:

Fight for your rights