Vrbo: deposit not returned

A refundable damage deposit returns automatically within 7 or 14 days of checkout unless the host files a claim; contact support after 14 days.

BCredibility B · last verified 2026-10-12 · 87% official or government sources

What does this mean?

Grade B (good: mostly official pages; check the flagged values before relying on them). 87% of 15 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.

All Vrbo contacts Open in the interactive directory JSON

Collect

reservation ID
deposit amount
checkout photos
host messages

Steps

Wait the release window plus bank processing time (five to seven working days).
If 14 days have passed and the host has not filed a claim, contact Vrbo support.
PhoneVrbo traveler customer support (US, English and Spanish) +1-877-202-4291
If the host claims damage, ask for the itemized amount and photos in writing through Vrbo messaging.

More contacts for this issue

OnlineVrbo customer service (chat; routes you to the right agent and number)

MailVrbo Customer Support mailing address (guest Terms of Service) Vrbo Customer Support, 11920 Alterra Pkwy, Austin, TX 78758

Facts you can cite

Deadline
Depending on the host's account settings, it can take up to 14 days after checkout for the refundable damage deposit to be released to the original form of payment; the bank may take another five to seven working days.
Source: help.vrbo.com, verified 2026-10-12

Tips

Company tip
Vrbo warns of fake Vrbo phone numbers in search ads; confirm the number on vrbo.com's Contact Us page or in your account before sharing booking or payment details.
Source: vrbo.com, verified 2026-10-12

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

Customer service
PhoneVrbo traveler customer support (US, English and Spanish) +1-877-202-4291
Message the host first; Vrbo expects you to ask the host for a refund before asking Vrbo.
Written complaint
OnlineVrbo customer service (chat; routes you to the right agent and number)
Card or bank dispute
Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)
Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)
State agency
Your state’s attorney general. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).
Arbitration
MailNotice of Dispute (certified mail, before arbitration) Legal Department/Dispute Resolution Provision, Expedia, Inc., 1111 Expedia Group Way West, Seattle, WA, 98119
Notice of Dispute, 60 days, then individual AAA arbitration.

Watch out

vrbo.com returns HTTP 429 to automated fetches.
Vrbo expects guests to ask the host for a refund before asking Vrbo.

Let your AI agent handle this

Escalate Anything is a free, open-source MCP server for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI, Codex and other AI apps. Your agent gets this playbook, keeps a case log with reference numbers and follow-up dates, and drafts each message for you to approve.

1. Set it up (needs uv):

uvx escalate-anything setup

2. Ask your agent:

Vrbo has not returned my [amount] deposit. Use Escalate Anything to get it back.

Source code, other install options and the Claude Code plugin