Adam B.

AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID
AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID - I cannot stress this enough! Only use HomeAway if you want to pull your hair out and lose your money!

After a completely shambolic experience booking an apartment in Tenerife back in November for a trip in May2020, HOMEAWAY contacted me, explaining that the Apartment was 'no longer available' and that it was down to me to try and pursue the Owner (scam Artist) and if I have no luck, I then need to try and recover the fund through my own bank.

After months my bank kindly re-imbursed me for the owners part of the transaction but could not recover the so called service fee that had been taken by HOMEAWAY. Homeaway promised me in writing they would re-imburse me for their fee in January. They have not! I have now contacted them over 15 times for them to continue to say "our team of technicians are investigating the refund and this may take some considerable time".

This is a stalling tactic hoping that I will simply go away and forget the refund. I will not!

In summary,
1) HomeAway DO NOT vet owners and the properties they represent on their site (after investigating the so called 'Owner' in question I discovered he was just a scammer with no real trading credentials).
2) when you encounter any problems HomeAway completely expect you to sort it out yourself with absolutely no help or assistance from them whatsoever (would not even attempt to contact the 'Owner' on my behalf).
3) any promises they make to refund you for their fees are just stalling tactics, and cause further frustration.

Use Airbnb - they know what they're doing - they hold your money until you have entered the property - not like this lot who just pay random people your hard earned cash!

After months of stress I have now finally booked a replacement accommodation but it is far from what I wanted due to having less choice, time and money - thanks for nothing HomeAway! (and I mean nothing!)