 We hear and read Las Vegas vacation rental complaints almost every day. They come from people who have had bad experiences when trying to rent vacation homes in Las Vegas. Many times they will find a vacation rental they reserved weeks ago is suddenly cancelled or they are switched to a different rental that is nothing like what was originally paid for.
 We find it shocking that anyone would take advantage of people in this way. It is difficult for us to understand the nature of someone who can overlook the people, families and businesses they impact with their actions. The people and companies who perpetrate this activity are criminals and they reflect negatively on an industry we are working hard to promote.
The growth of vacation rental complaints in Las Vegas has been substantial of late; no doubt owing to the nature of the economy, and people being pushed to take advantage of others in ways they might not consider under other circumstances. Nonetheless, theft is theft.
Las Vegas Retreats has created this vacation rental/corporate housing guide listing frequent Las Vegas vacation rental complaints, frauds and scams. We find the practices listed here to be objectionable and fraudulent. We believe that companies who engage in activities such as these do great harm to our entire industry. The overall goal of Las Vegas Retreats is to win you over and have you come back to us again and again. We certainly think the best way to do that is to give you exactly what you expect from any reputable business. We strive to prove it every single day. But even if you don't rent from us, we hope that this information will help to guide you toward a good experience.
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The Good Old Fashioned Bait & Switch |
 This is one we hear a lot. A customer books a specific house but is told at the last minute that the home is suddenly not available and a different "similar" home will used to replace it. Actually, the customer was likely booted because the home was never available, or became unavailable when a better booking came in later that happened to overlap the same dates. The smaller booking is dropped for the bigger one. Simple math, right? Sure. And it's also fraud. It amounts to deception and the taking of YOUR money under false pretences.
Though this is an age old practice, we now have ways to protect ourselves from shady "businesses" and by-owner rentals. This is the age of the Internet. It doesn't take long before bad business practices become known to the world.
A simple search of sites like complaints.com and vrwd.org will usually turn up the typical perpetrators, as will searching Google or Yahoo! for "las vegas vacation rental fraud". We also suggest checking with the Southern Nevada Better Business Bureau for a list of reputable Las Vegas vacation rental companies.
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 This particular scam has become quite popular in Las Vegas as of late. We are updating the information about this ruse as a new variation has taken hold.
Times are tough and everybody wants a bargain. But don't let your guard down just because something seems like a good deal. We work hard to offer excellent value at Las Vegas Retreats, and we understand that prices are driven by demand, howvever, nobody can offer homes for less than they cost to maintain.
Renting a home based solely on what appears to be the lowest price is a sure fire way to be had. Common sense tells you that the nightly rate must support not only the cost of the home itself but also the utilities, services, maintenance, furnishings and all of the other items that go into providing a turn-key property.
If a home appears to fall far outside of the cost of comparable properties, beware. The home may not look like the pictures or may not even exist at all. You are most likely setting yourself up for a major disappointment. Paying the few hundred dollars more to reserve a fairly priced home can be insurance against a vacation rental home disaster.
As with the Bait and Switch Scam, we suggest doing your research first. Do not send someone money without being sure in advance. There is no need to risk losing thousands of dollars by being sucked into something that is too good to be true.
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 One recent manifestation of online scams is the advertising of foreclosed and abandoned homes as "vacation rentals". The goal of this scam is to take your money and, literally, give you nothing.
The typical scam process here is that someone (the scam artist) who does not own the home will attempt to rent the foreclosed or abandoned home online by posting an online ad to a site like Craigslist. The scam artist will find subject homes by using online auction sites, where they will locate a property to "rent". The scammer then steals the auction site content to create their bogus vacation rental ad.
Once a scammer has the interest of a potential renter, they will ask for information such as credit card and identification information, etc., as one might expect when renting a home. The scammer will then process credit cards and deposit checks from the customer for the rental. The customer may not realize they have been the victim of a scam until they attempt to check in to the non-existent rental. Once they do, they are left without their money or anywhere to stay.
Obviously one way to avoid this problem is to ask to see the home in advance of making your commitment, but unless you live reasonably close to your destination, this is probably not practical. Nonetheless, ask if you can see the home first and take note of any resistance. In addition, Google the home address (which should appear on your rental agreement) to see if it is advertised for sale or on a foreclosure list. Lastly, free sites such as Craigslist are notorious for harboring these types of criminals. Be extremely diligent in your background research when considering a rental home from one of these sources.
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One of the best ways to avoid getting taken is to work with a vacation rental company that is both licenced and local. This is especially true at a time when many people and companies are being stressed financially by the current economy. Yes, it is tempting to take a chance to try and save money but not if the result ends up ruining your trip. A company who's viability depends on delivering the product that is promised is very motivated to make sure your stay runs as smoothly as possible. A great tool for uncovering those companies with consistent delivery is the Better Business Bureau. As an organization that is dedicated to consumer protection, the standards they set are both stringent and monitored. An accreditation with the BBB is an excellent endorsement.
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We hope that these tips are helpful and that you will remember to employ them in your quest for the perfect vacation rental home. If you would like to speak with someone at Las Vegas Retreats regarding best practices when in the research phase of renting a vacation home, feel free to call us at 888-887-0951. Whether you ultimately choose Las Vegas Retreats or someone else, we wish you the best of luck and happy travels!
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