A cancellation policy for Vrbo owners isn’t a good idea; it’s required! It guarantees that all parties are on the same page. It not only gives visitors all the information they need about their reservation but also protects you in case your guests don’t show up.
Hosts are often left empty-handed if they do not have a solid cancellation policy. As a result, vacation rental owners should do their homework and plan ahead of time.
Lodgify is a vacation rental software that gives hosts the tools to boost reservations and make the most of their time. We understand how important it is to get included on listing sites, particularly when you’re just starting. That’s why we’ve compiled this Vrbo tutorial to assist you in navigating their features.
If you’re a Lodgify client who wants to connect to Vrbo through API, please contact our customer care team to seek cancellation policy adjustments. For further information, please visit Link Lodgify and Vrbo.
Please see our blog post for details on how Vrbo is coping with cancellations during the Covid-19 outbreak: How to Manage and Protect Your Vacation Rental From Coronavirus.
Cancellation rules for hosts on Vrbo
As a homeowner, you must choose the cancellation policy for your rental property. When you initially post your house on Vrbo, you have six choices. The following policies are among these options:
- No refund policy: This is the most stringent of all the policies; reservations at your holiday property are non-refundable.
- Strict (60-day) cancellation policy: If guests cancel at least 60 days before their check-in date, they will get a full refund.
- Firm (60/30-day) cancellation policy: If guests cancel at least 60 days before their check-in date, they will get a full refund. They receive a 50% refund if they cancel at least 30 days before check-in (excluding the service fee). The booking will be non-refundable after 30 days.
- Moderate (30/14-day) policy: If guests cancel at least 30 days before their check-in date, they will get a full refund. They receive a 50% refund if they cancel 14 days before check-in (excluding the service fee). Cancellations made less than 14 days before check-in will not be refunded.
- Relaxed (14/7-day) policy: If guests cancel their reservation at least 14 days before check-in, they will get a full refund. Customers who cancel at least 7 days before check-in will get a 50% refund (excluding the service fee). Cancellations made fewer than seven days before the check-in date will not be refunded.
- Custom policy: Some Vrbo homes might have their cancellation policies. Guests may view these rules directly from the property page, with various conditions and costs. To minimize misunderstanding, hosts should state their own rules in the property description.
You’ll have to think about which solution is ideal for your home. Although stricter cancellation rules may protect you as an owner, prospective guests prefer more flexible cancellation alternatives. Finding a happy medium that helps you and your visitors is ideal.
How to cancel a reservation for a visitor
While canceling a guest’s reservation is never desirable, there may be times when you have no choice. Here are the steps you must take:
- Visit the Vrbo owner login page.
- From the drop-down menu, choose the reservation you wish to cancel.
- Go to your Inbox
In the All Messages drop-down option, look for the guest’s name.
Select Cancel Booking from the drop-down menu.
- In the drop-down box, choose the reason for the cancellation.
- Click Continue after reviewing the return amount.
- Click Confirm after reviewing the refund amount.
It’s vital to understand that you may be eligible for a cancellation waiver based on your reason for canceling. However, the cancellation will hurt your ranking metrics if you do not acquire a waiver.
How do you approve a cancellation request from a guest?
If a visitor wants to cancel a reservation and you need to approve it, follow these steps:
- Check your visitors’ My Trips area to see whether they’ve requested the cancellation.
- Click on the Inbox
- Filter your chat in the All Messages drop-down menu
- Click on the listing that the visitor wants to cancel
- Click on Confirm cancellation after selecting the guest’s name.
How to change the cancellation policy on Vrbo
Follow these steps if you want to amend your cancellation policy for any reason:
- Select the listing you’d want to alter or change from your Vrbo Dashboard
- Click on the Settings option and then the Rental Agreement and Cancellation Policy button.
- In the Cancellation Policy section, choose whatever policy you want to use and save your changes.
Is it possible for Vrbo owners to refuse to provide refunds?
Depending on the cancellation policy selected by the Vrbo owner, guests may be eligible for a reimbursement on their canceled reservation. As a result, proprietors may opt to give no refunds and set their cancellation conditions.
Due to inclement weather, Vrbo has a cancellation policy.
If visitors have to cancel due to a natural catastrophe such as a hurricane, flood, or storm, they should call the owner as soon as possible. After that, the owner and the visitor must devise a solution, such as a refund or reschedule the stay later.
Due to COVID-19, Vrbo has a cancellation policy.
When it comes to COVID-19 cancellations, there are a few best practices that hosts should be aware of. Vrbo suggests the following:
- Make your holiday rental’s cancellation policy flexible or moderate. Because travel limitations are constantly changing, visitors are more inclined to book hotels with flexible cancellation policies.
- If travel restrictions directly impact your listing, you may block your calendar or hide it. Keep current with local rules and regulations so you don’t have to cancel passengers at the last minute.
It’s essential to learn about insurance and how to safeguard your property now that you know more about Vrbo’s cancellation policies.
