frequently asked questions
Our help section provides many frequently asked questions as well as a method to contact us via our customer support Help Desk. Please start by scanning through the following topics:
traveler questions
Common Questions
- How do I view properties
- How do I inquire
- File a complaint about a property/owner
- Unsubscribe
- Protection against Abuse/Fraud
- Report Abuse/Fraud
- Nightly rate min. and avg. calcuations
owner questions
Available Subscriptions
Prices and Payments
- Prices
- Making Payments
- Auto Renewal Billing
- Refunds
- Payment Address
- Verifying payments
- Discontinue Auto-Renewal
Common Owner Questions
- How do I know the rentals are legitimate
- Find a listing by listing number
- List/Modify my home for me
- I can't see my changes
- I can't see my new listing
- Direct link to my listing
- Links to personal web sites
- My area does not exist
- Featured Rental
- Referral Program
- Restore a disabled listing
- Renters: Bounced Email
- Owners: Bounced Email
- Someone copied my listing text
- Save Message check box on inquiry form
Account Management
- Property name & headline tips
- Listing Guidelines
- Forgot Username or Password
- Transfer a listing
- Change Email address
- Community and Association Names
- Modify/Delete Listings
- Can't Register
- Change Username
Availability Calendar
Google Maps
- Can I remove the map
- Appearance of property addresses online
- Cannot move past map to make edits
- Location on map not correct
- How can I protect my privacy
New Owner Features (2009)
Photos
- Add or Change Photos
- My photos haven't changed
- Number of photos
- Photos from another website
- I can't see my photos
- My photos were copied
- More Photo Tips
Creating Deals
- Definition of a deal
- Cost of adding a deal
- Where to access deals
- Difference between freebies & savings
- How long can I advertise a deal
- Number of deals I can run
- Track my deals
- Scheduling Deals
- Difference between rental & advertise date
- Deal launch time frame
Spam and Internet Scams
Contact Us
questions & answers
Q: How do I know the rentals are legitimate?
A: Vacation Rentals now offers the HomeAway Rent with Confidence Guarantee (http://guarantee.homeaway.com) to protect you against listings that are not legitimate. To take advantage of the Guarantee, just register your trip and travel with confidence knowing your payments are protected.
Although the HomeAway Rent with Confidence Guarantee protects your payments, since the online service we provide for vacationers is comparable to that offered by a newspaper or magazine through which vacation homes are advertised, we still recommend that you take steps to protect yourself by requesting references and a list of past renters from the homeowners before agreeing to rent. If possible, we also suggest that you visit the property in advance.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Can I find a listing using the listing number?
A: To find a listing, enter the listing ID number in the search box on the homepage (www.VacationRentals.com) that reads "destination or listing ID." Then click the orange button that says Search.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Can you list or modify my home for me?
A: We cannot list or modify your home for you. To edit your listing, simply log in and click Edit on your owner dashboard next to the listing that you'd like to make changes to. If you require help with changes or photos, please see other questions in this FAQ.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I changed my listing or added/changed photos and I can't see them?
A: Since all our pages are cached in your browser or ISPs caching server you will need to click Refresh/Reload on your browser while viewing the
If you see the correct information on the owner dashboard page, your listing has been changed.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I added a new listing and I can't find it, where is it?
A: Since all our pages are cached in your browser or ISPs caching server you will need to click Refresh/Reload on your browser while viewing the
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How can I improve my property headline?
A: We have a few tips and suggestions:
- Check that you use correct spelling
- The use of symbols, numbers, or letters must adhere to the true meaning of the symbol
- Avoid excessive capitalization, repeated and unnecessary punctuation or symbols, and gimmicky repetition
- Change your title often to keep your listing fresh
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What are the Listing Guidelines?
A: We have a few guidelines; please take a moment to review them.
- An email address, phone number, URL or all caps is strictly prohibited.
- Listings that contain URL's (websites) and email addresses cause many problems for our owners and renters. When listings contain URL's, renters try to follow those links and get lost in the maze of pages, never to return to view other possible rentals. If every listing contained a link to a personal website, statistics show that listing views and inquires would drop by 40%.
- Listings that contain email addresses are prime targets for email collecting spiders that look for email addresses for mailing lists that they sell to spammers. This is how SPAM is sent. If email addresses are present in our listings we will get spidered by these email collectors which will slow down the site, lower the listing views and inquires, and cause property owners to be spammed.
- Each listing is for one property, ads for multiple homes or your company are not allowed.
- Your listing must be placed in the closest appropriate
region to your property. - Your listing must reflect accurate information about the property.
- Please do not copy information from another listing.
- All listings must be reviewed to ensure that they adhere to the guidelines specified in each section above. When building your listing, please double-check every field to ensure they don't include such items as, incorrect information, the characters < or >, ALL CAPS, email addresses, phone numbers or websites. These items will cause your listing to be rejected now or possibly deleted at a later time. Continual rejections may cause a complete loss of data.
- VacationRentals.com reserves the right to alter or permanently remove any listing that violates our guidelines or we feel could compromise the potential renter and/or our site's integrity without warning or notice.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What do I do if forget my username or password?
A: If you forget your username or password, you may obtain it by selecting the "Owner Sign In" link on the top of our home page and entering your email address into the third box below username and password and clicking the “Reset Password” button. Your username and a new, reset password will then be mailed to your email address, assuming you have previously registered with us, and the email address you enter is the same one you registered with.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I transfer a listing?
A:Please provide the listing number you would like transferred and the username for the other account. If you do not know the username for the other account, please provide as much information about the account as you can and we'll work with you to have the transfer done.
Our Customer Support team may need to contact you or the other party to ensure a proper transfer.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I change my email address?
A: To change your email address, simply log in to your account via Owner Sign In and choose "Contact Preferences" on the top right under "Main Menu". Then scroll down and click Change Listing Contact. Enter your password and security question answers and then enter your New Email Address and click Save Listing Contact Information.
A verification email containing a link will be sent to the new email address. The link must be clicked on to verify and save the change in your account. Note: If you have an AOL address the link may not be clickable. You must then copy the url link and paste it into the url window of your browser and press enter to make the verification.
The email address will not be changed until the verification link is clicked. Changing your email address will change it on all of your listings.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What is a good Community/Association Name?
A: Please try to omit terms like resort, estates, country club, golf club unless a single word is all that remains.
- do not abbreviate or use symbols
- be sure to capitalize each word, but do not use all caps
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I modify or remove my listing?
A: This is one of the best features of our site. You have full access to your listings 24 hours a day. You can modify any portion of your listing at any time, including the pictures. You can even choose a new regional area to list in if you feel your area is too specific or too general. Amazing flexibility, and you control all of it.
- To make changes simply click on "Owner Sign In", and log in with your username and password.
- To change the text portion of your listing click the "Edit" link next to the listing you wish to change.
- To change the photos on your listing click the "Photos" link next to the listing you wish to change.
- To change the contact information on your listing click the "Contact Preferences" located on the top of the main login screen. Contact information is applied to everyone of your listings when changed. If you missed any inquiries as a result of an email change, don't worry, we save all inquires and you can view them all on line by simply clicking on "Inquires" next to the listing you want to see which is also located on your owner dashboard after you sign in. You need to make any and all modification to your listings and your contact information. We do not modify owners’ information.
- To hide your listing from the public view, click Hide. To put it back on the site, click Show. If your listing expires while hidden (we can not “pause” subscription time while a listing is hidden), you may need to make a payment before you can restore your listing.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What can't I verify my email address?
A: We send a confirmation email to the email address you specify when you register with our service to be sure that your address is correct and that your ISP will successfully deliver your email from us. If you do not receive the confirmation email, be sure to check your spam settings on your email account. You may need to allow email from VacationRentals.com specifically. Also check your bulk or trash folder to be sure our email is not going there without your knowledge. You may also want to contact your ISP if you cannot receive the email. You can always resend the confirmation email by logging in to VacationRentals.com via the "Owner Sign In" link and click "Resend Registration Verification Email".
If you are receiving the email, but the link within the email is not click able, you can copy it to the "address" or "website" box in your browser to visit the link.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I change my username?
A: Usernames cannot be changed.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What is the Availability Calendar?
A: The Availability Calendar is a separate feature that can be used by registered users with paid listings. It provides a simple way to publish the availability schedule for any property. You must first register and get a username and password and list your home, then you will be able to add your availability calendar once you pay for your listing.
To view additional calendar How-To's and tutorials, visit the link below:
http://www.homeawayconnect.com/support.aspx
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I create an Availability Calendar?
A: A "Calendar" link is shown for each paid listing when you login via Owner Sign In. Note that you must submit your listing first and then go to Owner Sign In and log in to add a Calendar to the listing. Clicking the Calendar link will show a blank calendar along with a title. You can click on dates to make reservations.
To view additional calendar How-To's and tutorials, visit the link below:
http://www.homeawayconnect.com/support.aspx
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I just added a calendar to my listing and I don't see it?
A: Our listing pages are cached by your browser and internet caching servers and may need to be refreshed to see any changes. Try viewing your listing in your browser, and click "Refresh/Reload" on your browser. If this does not work, you may need to wait up to 24 hours (sometimes longer) for your ISPs caching server to get the newest page from our server.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How many calendars can I create?
A: One per listing.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Can I customize my calendar?
A: At this point, the appearance of the calendar, including size, colors, and length, cannot be changed.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I disable my calendar?
A: Calendars on listings used to be optional. However, our travelers have been very vocal about wanting to be able to see availability before booking, so calendars now appear on every listing and can't be removed. This is to encourage owners to use this feature!
While keeping a calendar up to date is not required, our research has shown that for most vacationers, it is a priority to easily identify properties that are available when they search for their perfect vacation spot. Here are links to two articles that explain the benefits of keeping an active calendar:
http://ownercommunity.homeaway.com/pages/Resources/Public_Pages/Landing/The_Benefits_of_Keeping_Your_Cal
http://ownercommunity.homeaway.com/tip/Resources/Public_Pages/Tips/Home_Owner_Tips/Effective_Advertising/Christine_Weighs_In_On_Keeping_C
If you still do not want to use the calendar feature, you can leave it blank.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Can I remove the map from my listing?
A: The new google map is now an integral part of VacationRentals.com listings and cannot be removed. You must enter your property's address in order to keep editing but don’t worry -- it won’t display anywhere on the site! Vacationers are much more likely to be interested in inquiring when they can see a map of the area. This feature is meant to bring more traffic to the site and more bookings to you!
Acquiring the addresses also helps us ensure that the property address/listing is valid, which helps keep the site safer.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Does my property's address appear on my listing?
A: No, your actual address will not be displayed anywhere on your listing. We only collect the address to verify that it is valid.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I want to edit my listing but when I click “edit” it takes me to the map page. What do I do?
A: When you log on and click “Edit,” the first page you will be taken to is the map editing page. If nothing needs to be changed, click the “Continue" button at the bottom of the page to skip past it. That will keep the same map information and take you on to the main editing page, where you can update activities and amenities. Click “Continue” even if you didn’t make any changes. You will then be taken to the page where you can edit your rates. You may be required to enter nightly rates, if you have not yet done so. Click “Finish” to save all changes.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: My map displays my property in the correct region, but it’s not in the right location. Can I move it?
A: If the address does not pull up the correct location of your property, log into your account and click "edit." This will take you to the maps page. Click on the house icon and drag it to where your home is located. Then click on the the continue button. On the next editing page, click Continue, even if you don't need to edit your amenities. You will then be taken to the rates editing page. You will be required to enter nightly and weekly rates if you have not yet done so. Click finish to save all your changes.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I do not want travelers to know my exact address or cross streets. How can I protect my privacy?
A: You are required to submit your property's address. However, there are two ways you can control your privacy by altering how travelers see your map:
Change the zoom level. Log into your account and click “edit,” which will take you to the map page. Click the white “zoom” button in the top left corner of the map, and then select the zoom level you like. If you are concerned about privacy, you may want to select the furthest zoom level. Travelers cannot see closer in than the zoom level you select.
Remove the home icon. To do this, log into your account and click “edit,” which will take you to the map page. Deselect the box next to the words “Show the house marker on my listing.” This will make it so travelers can only see a map of the general area; not where the home is actually located.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What is a deal - how does it work?
A: A deal is an incentive you can offer potential guests when advertising your home. It can be a free add-on you provide (a “freebie”) or a discount off of your regular rate (“savings”).
Q: How much does it cost to add a deal?
A: Absolutely nothing. Adding a deal to your listing is FREE. Adding deals is a great way to promote your property and get more inquiries.
Q: Where do I access deals?
A: Directly from your Owner dashboard after you sign in. Look for the "add a deal" button under the corresponding property for which you'd like to add a deal.
Q: What is the difference between 'freebies' and 'savings'?
A: A freebie is an extra service or product you provide upon your guests’ arrival. For instance, you may have access to free/reduced greens fees and choose to leave passes for them to use during their stay. Maybe you’ll offer fresh flowers in the house, a bottle of wine, or tickets to a show that’s in town. It’s up to you.
Savings are defined as a percentage or amount discounted off the regular rental rate (For example: Save $20 a night when they book during certain weeks, etc).
Q: How long can I advertise a deal on VacationRentals.com?
A: You can set a deal to run for 1, 2, or 4 weeks at a time. We also offer an easy-to-use copy feature. Just copy your expired deal and run it again when you’re ready, whether that’s in one month or one day after your original deal ended.
Q: How many deals can I promote on VacationRentals.com at one time?
A: You can add two deals per property at a time.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I track my deals?
A: Once you have created a deal, a ‘manage deals’ area is available on the owner dashboard. Each deal you create generates its own deals reference number that allows you to review the details of your deals, as well as give your potential guests a way to reference the advertised deal when contacting you.
Q: How far in advance can I schedule or run a deal?
A: We recommend you keep your deals fresh and relevant. If you would like to plan ahead, you can schedule a deal up to six months prior to the start of the offer and you can schedule a deal for a rental date that’s up to six months away.
Q: What is the difference between the rental date and the advertise date?
A: The rental dates are the dates the guest(s) will be staying in your property. The advertise dates are the dates the deal is displayed on your listing and highlighted in search results for your area.
For example, your deal (20% off) will be displayed on your listing from June 10- July 20 (advertise dates) and is valid for stays from August 4 – August 10 (rental dates)
Q: How long will it take my deal to appear on the site?
A:If you are running a deal that starts the same day, it will be live on the site as soon as you click 'confirm and preview' at the bottom of your add-a-deal page. If you are running a deal with advertising dates in the future, it will be published at the beginning of the day (12:00am) you have specified.
Q: How does the three month subscription work?
A: A three month subscription is ideal for short season renters! List your rental on VacationRentals.com for three months with one low payment. All you have to do is enter your contact information, property details, and make a payment by credit or debit card. (Click here to get started.) After you pay, your listing will immediately appear on VacationRentals.com for travelers to see. If you wish to continue service after the first three months, you don’t have to do anything. For your convenience, your subscription will automatically renew each term. However, you are not committed to list longer than three months. Cancel your subscription at any time if you don’t want to renew it and your listing will remain on the site for the rest of its current term. After your listing expires, you can reactivate it at a later time by making a payment.
See prices here.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do the one year and two year subscriptions work?
A: If you’re looking for the best value, one year and two year subscriptions are your best option. The one year and two year subscriptions feature great discounts for multiple properties and/or multiple years. If you’re a new VacationRentals.com advertiser, enjoy our 30-day money back guarantee, also only available for one year and two year subscribers! For your convenience, your subscription will automatically renew each term. If you don’t want to renew your subscription, you can cancel at any time. Upon cancellation, your listing will remain on the site for the rest of its then-current term. Remember that expired listings can always be reactivated by making a payment.
See prices here.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Is there a direct URL to my listing or do I have to navigate there every time?
A: Yes, there is a direct link to each property you list. You are more than welcome to access your listings directly by your listing id number. To easily find the ID of each or your listings, go to "Owner Sign In" and log in. If you forget your username or password, you may obtain it by entering your email address into the box above "Reset Password" and clicking the button.
The URL for your listing will be
www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/YourIdNumber.html
Make sure to put your ID number in place of YourIdNumber in the above URL.
For example, if one of your properties is listing id #920, the URL to your property would be:
http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/920.html
Your ID number will never change. And you do not need to navigate to get there. Try putting it in the address box of your browser to see that listing. Feel free to use the URL any way you wish.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Can I put my web page/link on my listing?
A: Our goal is to drive as much traffic to your listing as possible. We do not post URLs on listings; they direct users away from the site and make it difficult to accurately assess how both your listing and VacationRentals.com as a whole are doing.
We’re always considering making changes, which is why we ask for your URL during sign up. Please feel free to send your URL to travelers once they inquire!
We do offer our new Featured Partners Directory! This is a free directory where owners can list their personal URLs for their properties in exchange for a reciprocal link. You can view it here:
http://www.vacationrentals.com/featured-partners/partners.htm
If you’d like us to review your website to be a featured in this directory, please complete the submission form found here:
http://www.vacationrentals.com/common/submission.asp
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: My area does not exist, how do I
A: In order to
We will research your request and get back to you. Until a decision is made, we suggest you place your listing in the closest listed region.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What is featured rental and how do I become one?
A: Our featured listings are chosen at random and change over time. We currently do not have a program where you can request a featured placement, but we are considering adding that in the future.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Is there a referral program?
A: At this time we do not have a discount for referrals, however you will find our prices are very competitive and offer various discounts for multiple properties.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I accidentally disabled my listing, how do I restore it?
A: If you disabled your listing by clicking Hide, simply log in and click Show next to your listing to restore it. If your listing expires while hidden (we can not “pause” subscription time while a listing is hidden), you may need to make a payment before you can restore your listing.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: An email I sent to inquire on a property bounced back to me. What do I do?
A: If a message is returned to you undeliverable or an owner is not responding to inquiries, please contact us.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I responded to an inquiry from a renter and it bounced. Can you help me?
A: If a message is returned to you undelivered, we cannot provide you with the correct address to contact the person who sent the inquiry. Form-based inquiries ask the sender to enter an email address. There is no way to verify the validity of this address before sending the inquiry. It is up to the sender to ensure the email address provided exists and is typed in correctly. About 1 in 10,000 inquiries are undeliverable due to spelling errors in the email address. Sometimes it is possible to guess the address by checking for common misspellings (ex. Yahoo.con instead of Yahoo.com).
VacationRentals.com cannot locate the correct address for undeliverable email address provided by prospective renters.
Send yourself a test email just entering "test" in the message box and an email address other than the one you registered with in the "From" box and click submit. Make sure the address you put in the From box is not the same address you used to register with and is a real address. If you do not receive the test email, check your inquiry box on Vacation Rentals.com and see if it is there. If it is, make sure you have not blocked email from VacationRentals.com via your spam controls (AOL users can enter keyword "SPAM CONTROLS" to check this).
If you have checked all the above and still did not receive your test email, please contact us.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Another owner copied parts of my listing, what do I do?
A: If you believe that your work has been plagiarized, please let us know by clicking here.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Why is my contact information still appearing in the inquiry forms?
A: Please note than any time someone fills out the contact owner form once, the information is saved, so when they go to another listing, the contact form will already have the information filled in. This is because many of our travelers like to inquire about multiple listings for the same dates, and it prevents them from having to enter it over and over again every time they want to inquire about a property. As soon as they enter new inquiry information, that is then saved instead.
However, the information is only saved on the computer you are using -- it is not actually saved on the site and does not appear on anyone else’s computer. If you want that information to go away, just clear your cookies (you can find details about how to do this in your browser’s help section).
If you are looking at your listing on your computer and see information filled in, it means someone used your computer to send an inquiry on VacationRentals.com. Nobody but you (or someone else using your exact computer) can see it.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Can I see an example of some Vacation Idea Top 5 Lists (Don't Miss Lists)?
A: Check out an example of how to fill in the Vacation Ideas top 5 lists area. If you have advice for travelers about specific places, restaurants, or attractions, feel free to call them out. These will appear on your property page as a "Don't Miss List" for travelers.
Top things to do in Destin
1. Hang out at the beach!
2. Play a round of golf – more than 10 courses
3. Charter a fishing boat for the day
4. Don’t miss the fresh seafood at our restaurants
5. Go shopping and check out the factory stores
Top things to do on a budget
1. Soak up the sun at the pool
2. The beach is a 5 minute walk from our house
3. Rent a beach bike and cruise around town
4. Grill on the patio
5. Play putt-putt at the local course
Top things to do with a family
1. Build sand castles at the beach
2. Go on a dolphin cruise – they run daily
3. Our kids love the glass bottom boat tour
4. Go to the Big Kahuna water park
5. Rent jet skis for the day
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How does the new text editor work in the Edit section?
A:We've recently improved our text formatting features. Now text on your listing can be customized and stand out more!
You have increased control over the look of your listing by using the buttons above each section, such as B (bold) or I (italics).
To use a formatting feature, simply highlight the selected text and click on the button for the style you'd like to apply. You can now apply the following features to your text:
- Bold (Example)
- Italic (Example)
- Underlining (Example) and strikethrough (Example)
- Bulleting
- Example a
- Example b
- Numbered list
- Example a
- Example b
- Indent and outdent
Example:
Indent
Outdent (removes indent that you inserted)
We've also slightly changed the way you can add lines to your listing. To insert a blank line, press Enter once. To go to the next line and continue typing, press Shift+Enter at the same time.
Please familiarize yourself with the new formatting features and let us know if we can offer you any additional assistance.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What are the current rates requirements?
A: VacationRentals.com has added the ability for you to enter nightly, weekly, and monthly rates. Only 1 rate (nightly, weekly, or monthly) is required. While travelers prefer seeing all rates, it is up to you to determine what you would like to display. Simply leave any rate range fields empty on the rates page that you do not want to display and it will not be displayed.
- On the search results pages, any rate you enter will be displayed to the traveler.
- On your property page, any rate you enter will be displayed to the traveler.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I view properties?
A: To view a property, navigate to the area you are interested in starting on our front page. A list of properties will be shown along with several icons showing the most popular amenities for each property. Rates are also shown by default. Clicking the "Community" link will show the community/association for each property, if it was provided by the owner.
Clicking any column heading will sort the list by that column. To sort by community, you must first click "Community", then click it again.
Once you find a property of interest, click the title of the property to see the details for that property.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I contact owners to inquire about or reserve a property?
A: When you find a vacation rental home you are interested in, inquire about it by contacting the owner directly using the inquiry form on the right of the listing, or call their phone number (it’s usually listed underneath the inquiry form).
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How can I complain about a property or owner?
A: VacationRentals.com reserves the right to remove or not remove a listing based on the legitimacy and severity of the complaint. If you have a complaint about a property on VacationRentals.com – please report it here.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I unsubscribe from Vacation Rentals' marketing campaigns?
A: Vacation Rentals spends time researching the industry to provide travelers with insights on the travel industry. If you are a Traveler who does not wish to receive valuable Vacation Rentals news, special offers and other valuable marketing information, simply review our Privacy Policy or click the following link to change your Preferences.
If you have signed up as to receive deals emails via the “My Travel Profile” section of the site, go to the My Travel Profile tab, sign in and update your preferences.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What can I do to protect myself from Abuse/Fraud?
A: While abuse and fraud is not common in the vacation rentals industry, we recommend you take certain steps to protect yourself and increase the chance that your transaction goes smoothly.
Some vacation rental sites offer free trials or free listings, but these increase the chance of abuse and fraud because the owner is not verified by way of a financial transaction, listings are often copied from other sites and have errors and are out of date. It’s safer to use VacationRentals.com; as part of the HomeAway family of websites we devote significant resources to verify the legitimacy of our owners and their listings. We can also assure you that we investigate suspicious listings and remove listings for serious or multiple complaints.
We recommend that you request references, ask for a rental contract, and research the owner and property before your stay. You should also never wire money to owners via Western Union, Moneygram or other instant wire transfer services. If you do not feel comfortable working with a certain owner, move on to a different rental.
You should also register for the HomeAway Rental Guarantee...http://guarantee.homeaway.com/
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I report Abuse/Fraud?
A: If you are the victim of Fraud/Abuse from a listing found on VacationRentals.com please report it to us here.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How are the nightly rate minimum and average calculated on the search results page?
A: At the top of some of the search results pages, you will see a 'nightly rates from' and 'average nightly rate per bedroom' display. We've done our best to provide the most accurate rates in each area but have also tried to exclude the 'outliers' in order to provide more realistic averages and nightly rate minimums.
The exact calculations are based on:
- Nightly & weekly rates (7 nt/wk)
Rates we exclude:
- nightly rates greater than $1,499 and less than $30
- weekly rates greater than $3,999 and less than $350
- excludes studios and monthly rates
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Why do my photo changes show up when I log in but not on my listing?
A: Our listing pages are cached by your browser and internet caching servers and may need to be refreshed to see any changes. Try viewing your listing in your browser, and click "Refresh/Reload" on your browser (usually on top near the "address" or "url" bar). If this does not work, you may need to wait up to 24 hours (sometimes longer) for your ISPs caching server to get the newest page from our server.
If your photos appear on the "photos" page within "Owner Sign In," rest assured they are displayed on your listing.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I upload and change photos?
A: You have the ability to add 8 photos to your listing. To add or change photos, please sign into your account and click the photos link at the top of your property summary. To add or update a photo:
- Click on ‘upload photo now’ or ‘upload new photo’
- Find a photo on your local computer by clicking Browse
- Navigate to the folder where the photo is located, choose the photo you wish to upload and click Open to upload it. You will see a preview of your photo on the page
- Click on Finish at the bottom of the photos page to continue the listing process
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How many photos can I put on my listing?
A: Listings can have up to 8 photos. If you have more photos, feel free to email them to travelers who inquire.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Can I copy photos from another website to post on my listing?
A: Many other sites copyright your photos once you add them to your listing and thus they cannot be legally uploaded to our site without permission. You must obtain permission from the other site before uploading your photos to your listing.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I just added/changed photos and they are not showing on my listing. Where are they?
A: Our listing pages may be cached by your browser and internet caching servers and may need to be refreshed to see any changes. Try viewing your listing in your browser, and click "Refresh/Reload" on your browser (usually on top near the "address" or "url" bar) or press the F5 button on the top row of your keyboard. If this does not work, you may need to wait up to 24 hours (sometimes longer) for your ISPs caching server to get the newest page from our server.
If your photos appear on the "photos" page within "Home Owner Login", rest assured they are displayed on your listing.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: Another owner copied my photo(s) and put them on their listing, what can I do?
A: If you believe that your work has been plagiarized, please inform us by clicking here.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What are some helpful tips for my photos?
A:
- Maximum upload is 10240 KB.
- If your changes do not show up on this page or your property page, try clicking Refresh on your browser.
- Uploading can take several minutes. If using a modem ensure your photos are under 100K each or the upload will fail.
- Make sure you don’t have special characters or spaces in your file names (added)
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What are your prices?
A: We have 3 different subscription prices to select from when advertising your property on VacationRentals.com:
- 3 month subscriptions - $99
- Annual subscriptions - $199
- 2 year subscriptions - $358
Multiple listings do receive discounts. Please contact customer support for more details.
Prices are subject to change without notice.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How do I make a payment?
A: Our online payment system is simple and easy to use. To make a payment an owner must log into their account and click on "Pay Now," which is located just above and to the right of the listings located on the main login screen.
The payment term is selected for each listing and a method of payment is then chosen. Our payment system is built to accept US or International credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Eurocard/Mastercard, Discover, and American Express) and checks. Users can log in at any time and make a payment.
All payments extend the existing expiration date of the listing or the date the payment was received, whichever is LATER.
Any subscriptions made by credit card will be auto-renewed. Learn more about Auto-Renewal billing here.
You can make a payment by phone, if you like. You can call our billing line between 8am-5pm CST Monday through Friday at 1-866-941-6481. Please note that this line is for billing purposes only.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What is Auto-Renewal Billing?
A: Managing your vacation home on VacationRentals.com should be convenient and easy. That’s why we automatically renew your subscriptions when they are about to expire.
Auto-renewal billing applies to credit/debit card payments. All amounts are billed in U.S. dollars at the beginning of each renewal period and will automatically extended for successive renewal periods of the same duration as the subscription term originally selected, at the then-current non-promotional subscription rate. All charges will appear on your credit card statement as "VacationRentals.com LLC". Your VacationRentals.com subscription will automatically renew each term until cancellation.
To change or resign your subscription at any time, go to the Owner Dashboard and click Cancel Auto-Renewal for the property listing you would like to cancel; you'll enjoy subscription benefits until the end of your then-current subscription term. Your subscription won't be renewed after that term expires. In addition, you won't be eligible for a prorated refund of any portion of the subscription fees paid for the then-current subscription period.
You can reactivate any expired listing by paying for a new subscription.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What is your refund policy?
A: Vacation Rentals.com is proud to offer our "30 Day Money Back Guarantee" for one year and two year subscriptions (*Please note that this only applies to first time customers). If you are unsatisfied for any reason, a complete refund for the full amount will be issued up to 30 days after a payment for a one or two year subscription is made.
The "30 Day Money Back Guarantee" does not apply to three month subscriptions.
Vacation Rental listings usually receive more bookings during the beginning of the listing subscription due to more availability at that time. Seasonal vacation rental markets in many areas also cause bookings to concentrate in a limited timeframe. This usually happens at the start of the subscription. For these reasons, Vacation Rentals listing subscriptions were designed to allow owners to list their property up to their selected subscription duration.
Cancelling a subscription before the maximum duration does not result or entitle the property owner to a refund for any unused listing time. Natural disasters or sale of a home do not take precedence over the conditions above. No refunds are offered beyond 30 days after payment.
A refund may be requested by logging in to your account via the "Home Owner Login" link and selecting "Payment History". In the Payment History window is a Refund link you must click on to obtain a refund.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I want to mail you a check, what is your address?
A: In order to make a payment by check, you must log in via "Owner Sign In" and click "Pay Now" (see "Making Payments" in this FAQ for more information). When you click on "Pay by check," all the information you will need is displayed.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: How will I know when my payment is processed?
A: By Check: If you pay by check, please allow at least three weeks from the time it is mailed before it is processed. A notification by email is sent after each payment is processed. If you do not receive an email from us after 3 weeks, please contact us about the payment.
By Credit Card: If you pay by credit card your payment is usually processed immediately, but may take up to 24 hours. To find out if your payment has been processed please log in (using home owner login at the top of this screen) and check the status of your listing. If your listing is in a paid status and shows an expiration date, your payment has been processed. A notification by email is sent after each payment is processed.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What do I do if I prefer not to be auto-renewed (or auto-billed)?
A: To make it easy for our customers, all our subscriptions are auto-renewed. If you prefer to not be auto-renewed, go to the Owner Dashboard and click Cancel Auto-Renewal for the property listing you would like to discontinue the auto-renewal. By clicking cancel, you'll enjoy subscription benefits until the end of your then-current subscription term but will not be charged again. In other words, your subscription won't be renewed after that term expires. In addition, you won't be eligible for a prorated refund of any portion of the subscription fees paid for the then-current subscription period.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What is SPAM?
A: SPAM is an unsolicited commercial e-mail usually advertising a product or service. Usually, it is undesirable and is similar to "junk mail" received at your home or business via standard postal mail.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I received a suspicious email, what do I do?
A: Usually emails with poor grammar, spelling, odd use of capital letters and/or asking you to wire money or participate in an unusual bank transaction is a scam. The sender is usually attempting to obtain money, personal information or your email address. We recommend that you let us know you received this through our service and delete the message without responding. For further information about internet fraud and fake check scams, see fraud.org.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: I received a SPAM email, what do I do?
A: Unsolicited commercial e-mail (SPAM) is prohibited from being sent through our system. We apologize that it was sent to you. Please let us know what you received by contacting us. For further information about internet fraud and fake check scams, see fraud.org.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.
Q: What is a 'Renter Overpayment Scam'?
A: Scammers will send you an inquiry, which may seem legitimate, but at some point suggest they send you more than your rental fees and ask you wire back the difference. The check they send you will be a fake, but usually takes the bank several weeks to catch it. By then, you have wired the difference back and will be unable to recover what you have sent. In some instances, the bad check will even clear your bank initially. We suggest you insist on exact payment, however, if you do accept an overpayment, wait at least 30 days before returning any funds. If you receive a suspicious inquiry mentioning that a third party (a business, assistant, or someone who owes them money) is going to send an overpayment, we recommend that you delete the inquiry without responding. See fraud.org for more information.
If this does not fully answer your question please feel free to contact us by clicking here.