Prompt and clear communication is essential to creating high-quality guest and host experiences on Vrbo. Effective January 1, 2025, Vrbo is setting timeframes for hosts sending access and check-in instructions and for responding to other questions critical to a guest’s stay (i.e. critical stay information). 

In this policy, you’ll find the following:

  1. How and when hosts must communicate access/check-in instructions to guests. 
  2. Critical information for a guest’s stay. 
  3. Host response timeframes for guest questions critical to a guest’s stay and concerns pre-stay and in-stay.  
  4. Actions that Vrbo may take.
 

1. Access and Check-in instructions

You must inform guests at least 72 hours before their scheduled check-in time when and how they will receive full property access instructions.

Examples: 

  • Explain to the guest the hours and specific process for how they will pick up a key from the office upon check-in and who to contact if outside of those hours. 
  • Explain in a message to the guest that they will receive the door code at 9 AM EST on the day of check-in.


2. Critical stay information

Critical stay information is any information a guest would reasonably expect to be able to safely complete a stay at your property. We recommend providing all critical information to a guest before their stay. Responding promptly to guest questions on critical stay information is essential to ensuring a high-quality guest experience.  

The following are examples of critical stay information guests may ask about:

  • Timeframe and plan for addressing problems with key amenities (e.g. utilities or guest health/safety/security/accessibility concerns.)
  • Health and safety information, and property security details (e.g. smoke detector concerns, door locks, and surveillance devices.)
  • Accessibility information (e.g. regarding stairs or uneven paving around the property.)
  • Specific instructions regarding service animals, if any are applicable.


3. Host response timeframes

You must answer guests’ questions about critical stay information in accordance with the timeframe below:

  • 5+ days pre-stay: answer within 24 hours
  • 1 - 4 days pre-stay: answer within 12 hours
  • On the guest’s check-in day and during their stay: answer within one hour for questions received between 8 am and 9 pm in the property’s time zone.  For questions received out of hours, answer as soon as reasonably possible and by 9 am the following day at the latest.

Note: You must provide a resolution to the specific issue/question or inform the guest when it will be resolved. Using an ‘automatic reply’ is not sufficient.

In addition, we recommend you provide appropriate critical stay information in your Welcome Guide, listing description, Reservation Manager, or through the Vrbo messaging platform. Providing an emergency contact number for guests is a good way to support these questions outside of your normal working hours.


4. Vrbo’s actions

Access and check-in violations
If a guest contacts us within 72 hours of their check-in time because they haven’t received check-in information or access instructions, we may take the following actions:

  • We will either provide the information if we have it or contact you for a resolution so the guest can proceed with their stay.
  • If you have not provided all the required access or check-in information to the guest in advance of the check-in time, and we have not heard from you according to the timeframes above, we may cancel the booking, refund the guest, and help the guest find somewhere else to stay.
Critical stay information violations
  • As noted above, when we become aware of a violation, we will either provide the critical information if we have it or contact you for a resolution so the guest can proceed with their stay. 
  • Depending on the nature of the violation and if we're unable to resolve the issue, we may cancel the booking, refund the guest, and help the guest find somewhere else to stay.  

Impact: In accordance with our Marketplace Standards and Partner-Initiated Cancellation Policy, if we cancel a booking because you didn’t provide critical stay information per the above, you may have to pay a cancellation fee and your listing may display lower in search results.