ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — Apollo Beach resident Heather Blackmon and her husband booked what appeared to be the perfect getaway for their grown daughters and grandchildren in Englewood, south of Sarasota. They fell in love with the pictures of a beachfront home listed on VRBO.
The couple booked the house for four days in May. But excitement over the get-together turned to disappointment when they found the railing and steps missing on the lower deck of the house, leaving about a 10-foot drop to the ground below.
“They had put two lawn chairs together and then caution tape, and that was it," Blackmon said.
“We were all in shock,” she added. Blackmon worried about the safety of her grandkids, one just three years old. The family left the next day.
The host refunded one night, a little more than $700, of the planned three-night $2,300 stay.
Blackmon said she tried contacting VRBO multiple times, but they did not help with the rest of the refund.
After hearing the family's story, ABC Action News asked VRBO to review the claim and the property listing. The company responded in writing:
“Thanks for reaching out and raising Ms. Blackmon’s concerns regarding her stay. Our Health and Safety team investigated this property and agree with her concerns regarding the deck’s safety.
To ensure Ms. Blackmon and her family have a good experience with future Vrbo bookings, we are issuing a one-time refund of $1,597.16 for her stay. We have disabled the property for now and our Health and Safety team is working with the host to educate on [sic] safety and communications regarding their property.”
Blackmon said VRBO emailed her as well.
“I immediately got an email saying that they were going to give me a full refund,” she said.
Anytime you book a rental property, make sure you read the reviews to see what others are saying about their stay. The Blackmons said the home they rented had no prior reviews.
