2/10 Terrible
pilar z.
12 June 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, listing accuracy
Disliked: Location
Asked to leave after less than 24 hours, paid in full for 3 days
Racial discrimination: On 5/28/2022, I checked in at the cottage and I parked on the street. A neighbor came out and started taking pictures of our vehicle and asked us if we were the caterers. There was nothing to indicate that we were caterers except race - I am Filipino. Not only was the neighbor’s comment offensive, it was also extremely poorly timed given that we had just come from a funeral viewing of a family member and were grieving the loss. I brought this up to the owner during our conversation about the house rules and she said, "Don't give me that, I am also brown." This comment was also offensive. It was confusing as well because we had not met face to face, so I did not know how she could know my racial background.
I read VRBO’s policy and it says that “Vrbo does not tolerate acts of harassment, violence, or discrimination. We expect all members of our community to demonstrate respect and tolerance in all interactions with one another, both online and offline. If you mistreat people, there’s no space for you on Vrbo”.
Non-disclosure of a smart device: Because of the owner’s offensive remark, I was concerned that she was watching me without my consent through the Ring camera on her door. I covered up that camera because I felt racially profiled and felt very uneasy about being watched without my consent. I was told by my husband that there were 2 other cameras on the property which were not disclosed to me. VRBO’s policy says that "smart devices which may not be activated remotely are allowed provided the guest is informed of their presence and given the option to deactivate."
The owner stated during a phone conversation on 5/29/2022 that because her remote camera activates every time someone obstructs it, she is asking me to leave the rental. I was not informed of the presence of the cameras nor was I given the option to deactivate such a remote device.
Emotional distress: The e-mail and phone interactions with the owner have caused me tremendous emotional distress in the midst of dealing with the loss of my brother and arranging his funeral. All I wanted was to find a place that would be a sanctuary for me and my husband at such a difficult time. The viewing was on Saturday, the funeral service was on Sunday and the cremation was scheduled for Tuesday. I paid for the place in full to check out on Tuesday.
I saw the email to vacate the house after I had just delivered the eulogy for my brother on Sunday.
pilar z.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022
