For several months I have been unable to log into my account on my computer.
I called, and they told me to use another browser. I switched from Firefox to Chrome and it worked, for a few weeks.
I then switched to Opera and again, it worked for a few weeks.
On 10/1/22 I again called VRBO and they confirmed that others had the same problem and they asked me to send a screencast of my failed login attempts.
I emailed the link to the screencast immediately that same day:
https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c36nfIVtQ3O
As the video clearly shows, NO password or user name error, NO “fraud alert” error, NO error message whatsoever.
I can log in again and again and again and I always end up on the home page NOT logged in.
On 10/12/22 I finally got this email from Gary:
Subject: Vrbo 103972899 [ ref:_00DC0PxQg._5008b27X92Q:ref ]
Dear Christine,
Thanks for contacting Vrbo’s Fraud and Risk team. We’re sorry about the recent issue with logging in to your Vrbo account. We’ve unlocked the account and you should be able to log in now. If you’re still having trouble logging in, check these common causes before calling customer support.
- Verify the spelling of your email.
- Check if a previously saved password is auto-filling.
- Clear your web browser’s cache and cookies.
- Try logging in with a different web browser or device.
Thank you for your help while we worked on finding a solution to this issue.
Regards,
Gary
I immediately responded:
Hello Gary,
I didn’t contact the “Fraud and Risk team.”
For over a month I’ve not been able to log in and I contacted SUPPORT.
“We’ve unlocked the account” — my account was never locked and I’m not a fraud.
Did you watch the screencast I provided?
Christine
I received NO reply.
Yesterday I received an email informing me of a booking.
So, instead of wiring up my batteries as I had planned for one of the last beautiful warm days outside, I’ve been sitting at the computer TRYING to get into my account for HOURS trying to get this FINALLY fixed.
I managed to get to a chat at https://www.vrbo.com/en-gb/help — found the link in a web search after my FUTILE efforts to find chat support at the VRBO site.
Apparently, VRBO support is nothing but chaos and they keep NO records whatsoever. Despite providing Gary’s email and reference # and the ticket info, Lester managed to provide NO help.
Lester kept asking for a “screenshot.” WHY? I told him that the login screen will look the same for him. And I sent him the link to the screencast.
Lester made me clear the cache, and fortunately, I thought of using Chrome which I don’t normally use. Of course, it made no difference.
Then he made me change the password, which of course also made no difference since it wasn’t a password error, as documented in my screencast.
I didn’t get the email to change the password and he kept telling me to refresh my browser. Told him that I use an email client, but I guess he didn’t know that this meant that I’m not using Hotmail or Yahoo but software specifically designed to manage email on my computer.
Finally, I found the email in the junk. And then the chat had “disappeared.” I searched through my countless open browser windows and tabs and finally gave up:
The next chat with Christian B:
11:11
Start again
Virtual Agent
Hi, I’m the Vrbo Support Virtual Agent.
Virtual Agent
What can I help you with today?
need to get back with Lester
Virtual Agent
Your estimated wait time: 1-2 minutes. Would you like to continue?
Continue
Virtual Agent
Help is on the way! An agent will say hello shortly.
Virtual Agent
Get ready, you’re next in line with an estimated wait time of 1 minute
Virtual Agent
You’re being connected now.Christian B
This chat solution uses an automatic translation system to respond to you as quickly as possible. If you have a translation quality issue that prevents you from communicating properly with our agent, please let us know. Thank you for contacting customer service. My name is Christian how can I help you today?I need to get back to Lester who apparently chose to end the chat while I was resetting the pw. Or even better, the support manager
Do you save the chats?
And how do I get a copy?Christian B
Apologized for that, As much as I would like to transfer you to Lester but the system will not allow, But since you have me on the line I’ll be more than happy to help you.See, here’s the situation:
YOU get paid for typing to me.
I do NOT get paid.
Additionally, the fact that I have not been able to log in for several MONTHS left me unable to update the listing with new pics and info.
Additionally, I am EXTREMELY stressed over this.
So I’ll really appreciate you at least answering my questions:
Do you save the chats?
And how do I get a copy?Christian B
Unfortunately I don’t have the copy of the chat here, nut I will check here if there was case that was made. So to clarify the concerns, You cannot log in on your account, Right? Are you an owner ?Yes, could you please get a manager?
Christian B
Apologized for that, If you wanted to have our manager I suggest to contact our phone support team since we don’t have available here on our end. you can contact us via phone with our phone number 877-228-3145.No phone calls.
My blood pressure is about 200 / 130 and I’d probably dieChristian B
I do apologized, I know it’s very inconvenience to you and I do understand that.Since you can’t assist and my time has value, I will put this chat, and all my info on the web for your review.
Let my guests see why I’m going to have to HIRE an outside 3rd party and therefore add a $50 VRBO INCOMPETENCE fee.
Christian B
I’ll be more than happy to help you with you concerns. if you can give me a chance. I will check here what I can do.
Are you still there? Your chat session will automatically end in 2 minutes due to inactivity.
It looks like your chat has timed out due to inactivity.
I once again had been looking for the tab with the chat and couldn’t find it on time. I don’t see right and do not function well when I’m so incredibly stressed.
I have SO much to do. Need to finish cleaning, winter prep, fix stuff, … My guests pay a boatload of money and I take great pride in my work, everything needs to shine and work properly.
Just redid most of my roof at home, after summer leaks because I couldn’t get it done when I started in spring. Now the kitchen ceiling needs new sheetrock. I finally got the new 24 v solar panels in place and I was going to make the cables for the new battery bank today.
Not happening while I’m in these chats with imbeciles.
The email I received from Lester, PRETENDING that the issue has been resolved!
Vrbo 107412049 [ ref:_00DC0PxQg._5008b29hYg3:ref ]
Dear Christine,
Thank you for using our chat service!
We’re reaching out as we wanted to follow up on our conversation with an email to ensure your issue has been resolved, and to also provide you with your case number, as stated below:
Case Number: 107412049
To summarize, I have been able to sent the reset password link you just need to check it to your email address and then try to change your password in your end.
If you already changed your password you can try to access it within 24 hours to access your account.
Should you require further assistance with this case, please contact us again by chat or phone 24/7 and include your case number. Do not reply to this email, as this inbox is not monitored.
Regards,
Lester
Vrbo.com Support Team
[Link to brand-specific help center:Vrbo help
Stayz help
Bookabach help
WTF???????
Next, I couldn’t even log in on the phone anymore, got an unspecified error.
Couldn’t figure out how to take a screenshot on the phone. None of the options at the “official” Motorola support site worked. I restarted the phone, twice. Finally managed to take a screenshot, but have yet to figure out how to locate it on that idiotic “smart” phone. Web search got me NO help. I HATE HATE HATE having to use the phone and it is well documented how “smart” phones make users STUPID and create so much stress and confusion.
I don’t use the phone for anything but calls and GPS unless I absolutely HAVE to, such as for communications with guests when I’m not at my computer and it’s urgent.
Eventually, I got to log in on the phone and at least could send a message to the guest who booked yesterday.
So, I’m trying to determine how to proceed.
If I didn’t have my old dog and a little piglet to take care of, I’d seriously consider suicide. The daily frustration and stress are unbearable.
I can’t survive on $266 social security.
I HAVE to continue managing this rental for the estate until I can sell my formerly “forever” home next year and then live in a vehicle until I’m out of money and live in the desert like Elliot.
Been trying to get my property ready for sale, so much deferred maintenance. But I only have 24 hours/day and I’m continually dealing with ruthless corporations like VRBO who clearly consider their customers nothing but a source of PROFITS. They have no respect and couldn’t care less whether I live or die.
I HAVE to continue living in this misery created by VRBO and countless other corporations – unless I give up.
My options:
1) Submit this link to VRBO chat for a response from management.
2) Contact the various companies that offer 3rd party vacation rental management.
I almost signed up with Guesty recently and as I went to download their app, I read the HORRIFIC reviews. Apparently, Guesty is under new ownership and it can take DAYS before someone from support responds it has an overall awful rating and I stopped right there.
There are others offering short-term rental management, and if they don’t suck now, I am certain they will suck in the future. In my research, I found that they target the corporate business with multiple listings. I’m cannon fodder for these all corporations.
So I tried the chat again:
Virtual Agent
You’re being connected now.Andrea M
This chat solution uses an automatic translation system to respond to you as quickly as possible. If you have a translation quality issue that prevents you from communicating properly with our agent, please let us know. Thank you for contacting customer service. My name is Andrea how can I help you today?I’m trying to get through the day without suffering a heart attack or accident due to the extraordinary VRBO incompetence
So I summarized the issue on the web at https://repairthebrain.com/extraordinary-incompetence-at-vrbo-homeaway/
Please let me know whether there is anything else you need from me and I will await a response to my posting from your managementAndrea M
Thank you for the information. I’m glad to assist you today.thanks
Andrea M
Your live chat with the agent has ended.
13:15
Yup, that’s what they do. Just like Lester,
Next chat, with Rowel R:
Don’t have it in me to take the time to reformat the entire 29+ minute EXTREMELY frustrating chat, so here’s the screencast:
https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3XIrfVUhBB
Rowel refused to read the link to this page and he claimed that he could not view the screencast of my FUTILE login attempts provided previously numerous times.
Rowel apparently LIED about VRBO keeping the chats and support documents as he refused to review those records and clearly planned to continue my torture.
Rowel lied about getting errors when viewing my links and eventually admitted that HE was RESTRICTED from viewing the links — there was no error from my end such as a privacy setting.
Rowel then refused to read what I pasted from this post into the chat.
I repeatedly advised that my blood pressure was extremely high, but Rowal just wouldn’t let me go, pestering me for info already provided countless times.
If I have an accident or heart attack today, it’s on VRBO.
Going up on the roof now to work a solar, not a good thing to do when so incredibly stressed. But, it’s only me, I and myself here to do any work, so off I go.
Whenever I die, both VRBO and Airbnb GREATLY contributed to my early demise.
I didn’t get ANY work done today. It was too cold by the time I finally got outside.
I cannot understand why this is my average day. Whether it’s about the rental, having absolutely NO healthcare and having to research, learn and pay for everything myself, and constantly being defrauded and/or abused by corporations.
It’s a miracle that I’m alive today with my blood pressure often around 200 / 135.
12/28/22: I finally got back into my VRBO account after AGAIN clearing the cookies in Firefox.
Of course it didn’t take long for the next crisis. Got a booking over Xmas, my guests left yesterday and I tried to leave a review today.
2022-12-28 VRBO messages
- I will NEVER NEVER NEVER spam my guests with these requests for reviews.It’s a fantastic way to get BAD reviews. Nobody needs this spam and I’d rather have NO review than a bad review.
- Why is there no link for me to leave a review?I have to call every time to leave a review — this page has ALL guest info, our messages, the details of the booking with the charges, but there is NO link for me to leave a review!
- I called VRBO and was on the phone for 41 minutes. The guy continually LIED to me:– Claimed that I was sent an email with the review link. I checked my server spam, my email client’s junk, NOTHING.
— Claimed that he resent the link to me. As of now, over an hour later, I received NOTHING.
— Claimed that the email is the ONLY way for me to leave a review.
— I requested a supervisor and after some hold he told me that support would contact me in 3 – 5 business days. No way! I know they’re imbeciles, as described in my initial post above.
— I asked how I can change my email address to my gmail so I’d have independent verification of their incompetence and lies. He said I could do that in my account settings.
— During another hold, I tried that. No go. When he came back, he admitted that I can’t change my email and they would have to do that. I asked him to do it, but all he could do was submit the request. If you for some reason lose access to your email, you’re so screwed with VRBO. There are fields for TWO optional email addresses, but their function is literally NOTHING. I don’t get notifications there and I could not even verify my account with the alternate email on this call, I had to provide the primary email. So … what are these alternate emails for? Clearly, only to create more confusion and chaos.
— Miraculously, after more holding, he directed me to the dashboard with an “opportunity” to NOT “leave a review”, but “rate the guest”.VRBO support is now as bad as Airbnb has ever been.
