Vrbo charges commission directly to the credit card on file in your Vrbo account.
Because the commission is charged outside of Hospitable, the person who initially pays the commission may not always be the person ultimately responsible for the cost.
This article explains how Hospitable determines commission responsibility and how reimbursements are reflected on owner statements.
Vrbo commission is charged directly by Vrbo and is not deducted from reservation payouts.
Understanding Who Initially Pays Vrbo Commission
Because Vrbo commission is charged to a credit card on file with Vrbo, Hospitable needs to know who that credit card belongs to so any necessary reimbursements can be reflected correctly on owner statements.
When you connect a new Vrbo Partner channel, Hospitable will ask you to confirm who owns the credit card used by Vrbo for commission charges when you begin reviewing your monthly statements.
To confirm the card owner:
Go to Your Business → Statements.
Review the list of newly connected Vrbo Partner channels.
Select who owns the credit card on file with Vrbo.
Click Confirm.
Statements page asking the user to identify who owns the credit card used by Vrbo for commission charges
Understanding Who Is Responsible for Vrbo Commission
The person who pays the commission is not always the person responsible for the commission.
Responsibility is determined by your Reservation commission agreement.
Vrbo commission is one of the host service fees associated with Vrbo Partner reservations. The other is the Hospitable service fee.
The credit card charged by Vrbo and the person responsible for the commission cost may be different.
How Hospitable Handles Commission Reimbursements
Because Vrbo commission is not deducted from the reservation payout, Hospitable automatically creates transactions when reimbursement is required between the property manager and owner.
These transactions ensure owner statements accurately reflect the commission responsibility defined by your agreement.
Example 1: Owner Is Responsible for Part of the Commission
Your credit card is charged by Vrbo.
Your agreement states that the owner is responsible for 50% of host service fees.
Hospitable automatically creates a transaction charging the owner for 50% of the Vrbo commission.
Example 2: Property Manager Is Responsible for the Commission
The owner's credit card is charged by Vrbo.
Your agreement states that you are responsible for 100% of host service fees.
Hospitable automatically creates a transaction reimbursing the owner for 100% of the Vrbo commission.
Transaction created to account for Vrbo commission responsibility on an owner statement
Annual Fee Plans
Hosts using Vrbo's Annual Fee model are handled differently.
Hospitable does not automatically account for annual subscription fees on reservation financials or owner statements. Only pay-per-booking commission is accounted for automatically. If you want to pass an annual fee through to an owner, create a one-time transaction for the fee.
Create an Annual Fee Transaction
When your annual fee is charged by Vrbo, create a one-time transaction to reflect it on the property.
Go to Your Business → Transactions → Add Transaction → Property Transaction.
Select the property.
Enter the annual fee amount.
Enter the date Vrbo charged the fee.
Select the appropriate transaction category.
Click Save.
Property transaction form used to record a Vrbo annual subscription fee
Choosing the Correct Transaction Category
Reimbursement
Use Reimbursement when:
The owner's card was charged by Vrbo.
You are reimbursing the owner.
This creates a credit on the owner's next statement.
Host Service Fees
Use Host Service Fees when:
Your card was charged by Vrbo.
The owner is responsible for the fee according to your agreement.
This charges the owner on their next statement.
Record the Fee Without Charging the Owner
If you want to track the annual fee for reporting purposes without affecting owner statements:
Create the transaction.
Disable Charge owner on statement before saving.
The fee will be recorded as an expense but will not appear on the owner's statement or affect owner payouts.
Disabling "Charge owner on statement" records the fee for your records only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this change what Vrbo charges me?
No. Vrbo charges the credit card on file in your Vrbo account according to your agreement with Vrbo.
Why am I being asked who owns the credit card?
Hospitable uses this information to determine whether reimbursement transactions are needed on owner statements.
What happens if the owner paid the commission but I am responsible for it?
Hospitable automatically creates a reimbursement transaction so the owner is repaid according to your agreement.
What happens if I paid the commission but the owner is responsible for it?
Hospitable automatically creates a transaction charging the owner according to the agreed commission responsibility.
Does Hospitable automatically account for annual subscription fees?
No. Only pay-per-booking commission is accounted for automatically. Annual subscription fees must be recorded manually if you want them reflected on owner statements.
Can I record the annual fee without charging the owner?
Yes. Create the transaction and disable Charge owner on statement before saving. The fee will be recorded as an expense without affecting owner statements or payouts.