HomeAway payment options --- a question...

[theo]

We've not used HomeAway.com before, but are considering it for a week's rental of a cottage during a planned trip. While looking at HomeAway listings, I see that accepted methods of payment apparently include MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover Card --- but not PayPal.

I'm curious why PayPal would be excluded as a payment method since (unlike direct credit card use), the payment is reliably provided but with the underlying account number not being revealed to the payment recipient. This seems (to me, anyhow) to be a desirable and practical security and privacy measure for anyone making a (four figure) payment to a complete stranger. The charge itself, more often than not, would likely be onto one of those above mentioned "approved" credit cards listed anyhow --- but without the payment recipient ever knowing or seeing the tenant's actual credit card account number (which certainly works for me).

So.....what am I missing here? Why would PayPal not be among available payment options, in addition to those four logo-identified credit cards?

 

[WinniWoman]

We have not used HomeAway.com before, but are considering it for a week's rental of a cottage during a planned trip here (i.e., within the continental U.S.).
While looking at HomeAway listings, I see that accepted methods of payment include MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover Card --- but not PayPal.

I'm curious why PayPal would be excluded as a payment method since (unlike direct credit card use), the payment is reliably provided but with the underlying account number not being revealed to the payment recipient. This seems (to me, anyhow) to be a desirable and practical security and privacy measure for anyone making a (four figure) payment to a complete stranger. The charge itself, more often than not, would likely be onto one of the "approved" credit cards listed anyhow --- but without the payment recipient ever knowing or seeing the tenant's actual credit card account number (which certainly works for me).

So........just what am I apparently missing here? Why would PayPal not be among available payment options, in addition to the four listed credit cards?

They do. See this link...https://www.homeaway.com/info/ha-guarantee/travel-with-confidence?icid=il_o_link_bwc_pdprightrail

 

[WinniWoman]

BTW- I have used Home Away several times and never had any issues with payment or the properties.

 

[Rene McDaniel]

I rented weeks at our beach condo on Homeaway and VRBO last summer so perhaps I can answer this one. The only one who will see your credit card number, PayPal etc. is Homeaway/VRBO (same company). They act as the middle man. The sad thing for owners is-- the person renting is billed & the company processes the payment immediately. But -- they don't release the funds to the owner until AFTER the rental actually begins -- which often allows them to hold the money and make interest off it for several months in the interim. So they make money on the money, the fees to the renter, the fees to owner, and if the renter uses a credit card (almost all do) they charge the owner the credit card fees, too. Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.

So, you pay Homeaway or VRBO -- that's the name that shows up on your credit card bill. Homeaway holds that money until the rental occurs. (I guess that can be handy if there is a cancellation, bogus rental, or things are "not-as-advertised".) Then after the rental begins, Homeaway processes a payment from Homeaway/VRBO (minus all fees) to the owner. Still it is a good service and I got all my summer weeks rented. In prior years I had used Redweek and it was much more painful dealing directly with personal checks from owners, contracts, and nervousness from people worried whether I was legit, or not. I totally get that. So having these companies be the middleman does have a lot of added value for both renter and owner.

 

[mtwingcpa]

The only one who will see your credit card number, PayPal etc. is Homeaway/VRBO (same company). They act as the middle man.

But if I'm not mistaken, the owner is NOT required to use Homeaway payment processing. They can use their own method instead.

For example, a few years ago I rented a unit via VRBO. The owner had his own credit card processing, which would have required me to disclose my card number to him. So I told him, no offense, but I'd rather arrange to send a cashier's check instead (and he was totally understanding of that).

 

[theo]

Thanks for the above input and clarifications. It seems that I was simply mistaken about there being no option to use PayPal on Home Away.
I misinterpreted the absence of any PayPal logo alongside the logos of MasterCard, Discover, Amex and Visa as indicating that PayPal was not even an available option. My apologies for not digging more deeply into all of the pertinent facts and details before posing my question.

P.S. I can certainly understand any owner being reluctant (at best) to have to wait for payment until the rental actually occurs.
In those owner shoes, I would frankly find that particular practice to be flat out unacceptable --- but to each their own choice.

I frankly shed no tears for "landlords", but it still seems that they are getting whipsawed by all of the assorted fees imposed by VRBO / HomeAway.
We have very little knowledge about (or participation in) those circles, but it seems to me that Airbnb will easily just "eat their lunches" if Airbnb can manage to refrain from imposing comparable (...and outright greedy, IMO) multiple "fees".

 

[jfbookers]

Thanks for the above input and clarifications. It seems that I was simply mistaken about there being no option to use PayPal on Home Away.
I misinterpreted the absence of any PayPal logo alongside the logos of MasterCard, Discover, Amex and Visa as indicating that PayPal was not even an available option. My apologies for not digging more deeply into the pertinent details before posing my question.

P.S. I can certainly understand any owner being reluctant (at best) to have to wait for payment until the rental actually occurs.
In those owner shoes, I would frankly find that particular practice to be flat out unacceptable --- but to each their own choice.

 

[jfbookers]

As a landlord of many years I am upset about Homeaway's policy change that attempts to collect a service fee up to 9% on top of the rent. My rentals are dramaticaly down. However you can still contact the owner and deal directly with paypal or other payment options. Paying homeaway to provide them with customers is upsetting. This took place when Expedia bought Homeaway and VRBO. Pure greed.

 

[Rene McDaniel]

......Paying homeaway to provide them with customers is upsetting. This took place when Expedia bought Homeaway and VRBO. Pure greed.

Agree with your comment "pure greed". But don't forget the even worse greed of RCI and Interval International:
If I have a $1,000/year maintenance fee on my timeshare week: a $200 exchange fee = a 20% fee for their service
Worse still, if I have a $500/yr maintenance fee for my deposited week: a $200 exchange fee = a 40% fee for their service.
It CAN be a good deal if your maint+exchange fee get you a week that has a higher value-- but not so great when it gets you LESS.

There is no shortage of greed out there. Sometimes you just have to pay whatever it costs, to get what you need. Just don't forget to do the math. So that at least you are saving money, compared to what you would have spent for a smaller, more cramped hotel room.

 

[Laurie]

But -- they don't release the funds to the owner until AFTER the rental actually begins -- which often allows them to hold the money and make interest off it for several months in the interim. So they make money on the money, the fees to the renter, the fees to owner, and if the renter uses a credit card (almost all do) they charge the owner the credit card fees, too.

They used to hold funds til after check-in, but no longer the case - now they pay the owner right away (deposits hit within 2 or 3 days). At least that's true for me - we have a couple of properties with VRBO.

 

[Paumavista]

We mainly use VRBO a couple of times a year. After contacting the owner we usually pay directly. Honestly, (as with most of the time share rentals we rent from owners) after talking with the owners I feel pretty confident sending a check or using my credit card directly. Hopefully this will save us some money in the future? with all the fees I'm reading about. I always shop the best price for value using VRBO, HomeAway, Tug, Redweek, Airbnb, a local agency, etc.