Avoid additional FEES and get the best rate on your next vacation rental : You don’t mind paying a few extra hundred dollars on your next vacation rental, do you? According to HomeAway & VRBO you don’t. They have actually said that “travelers don’t mind paying a service fee”. I’m not sure what reality they are living in, but it is not even close to a real world reality.

All major vacation rental websites now require additional booking or traveler service fees when you book online through them. This means that you will pay more than the posted rental rate for a home.

In August 2017 HomeAway & VRBO rolled out a new Service Fee that they are charging to travelers who book through their websites. While they say the fee will range between 5% and 15%, they calculate the fee based on the rent and any other fees charged (cleaning fees, etc.). It is not assessed on taxes or security deposits. So, if the rental rate is $3,000 and there is another $400 in fees for cleaning, linens, pet fees, etc., the Service Fee will be based on $3,400.