 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 as well as some helpful tips.
By using the information provided below, it is our desire to help you be a well informed savvy consumer when choosing who to rent from. Of course the information below reflects well on our company. But that is only because we treat our customers fairly and respectfully, and we do not cheating our customers as conducive to our long term goals. It's like saying FAA regulations are unfair to airlines who don't fly safely or cheat customers.
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 entire point of our efforts 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 towards 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 booted 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 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 good deal. 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. Nobody can offer homes for less than they cost.
Renting a home based solely on what appears to be the lowest prices is a sure fire way to be had. There is a reason why that home has the lowest price. Though it may not be obvious from the pictures, the contract or the description, something is motivating the owner or manager to low-ball a property, and that usually is not something good.
Recently, many of the scammers who use this scheme will add "credibility" to the "realness" of the rental by offering to schedule a preview of the home. They believe that by suggesting the opportunity to see the home in advance, you will be more likely to fall for the ruse. Unfortunately, many find that the preview is "cancelled" at the last moment because the home has been "rented" or for other dubious reasons. Now the customer has paid the deposit, has no home and little hope of recovery.
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 in 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 or social security etc., as one might expect when renting a home. The scammer will then process and deposit checks and credit card payments from the customer for the rental. The customer will probably not find out about the 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. Quite simply, do not rent from anyone who is not willing to comply with that request.
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 Working with a company that has a large inventory of homes is a safer bet than renting from individual homeowners. Homes are not hotels. Should something happen to your rental home during your stay, a company with many homes is much more likely to be able to accommodate you than a private homeowner with one home.
At least in the case of Las Vegas Retreats, our homes are already priced competitively with by-owner rentals. The difference is that ours include 24 customer service and a inventory of homes to back up the quality of the product we deliver. Our customers literally get more for the same price.
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Will this Home Still Be Around? |
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 Many homeowners have made their homes available for rent to stave off foreclosure. But ask yourself, is this really who you want to send your money to? Are you really going to give thousands of dollars to someone on the brink of bankruptcy?
Be reasonable with your expectations. Nobody can stay solvent when they are giving everything away. As always it's caveat emptor, let the buyer beware. Again, try to avoid using only price as your criteria. Homes priced too low are likely in distress.
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Does quality really matter? |
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Travel studies show that vacationers are disappointed when accommodations are inferior to their own lifestyle. Don't risk feeling let down during your stay. Rent a home that reflects your own quality of life.
One of the main reasons why we are so successful at Las Vegas Retreats is because we only rent homes we ourselves would want to stay in. We probably only choose 1 out 10 homes that come to us as potential rentals. That's because we know that if our customers are happy with the product, you will keep coming back.
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When you're choosing a home, do you actually consider what will happen if you need help during your stay? Are you prepared to go it alone if something goes wrong? And even if you are a plumber, do you really want to spend your valuable time in Las Vegas fixing a broken water heater?
Renting from a company with 24 hour customer service is one way to ensure that you will get the help if you need it. And remember, the real value of customer service happens when you need it. It's easy to overlook when you don't need it.
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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.
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What About the Neighborhood? |
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Here's one you probably never consider. What do the neighbors think about having a vacation rental next door? Many times we see rentals advertised as a "4 Bedroom that Sleeps 20". Can you imagine being next door to a small home filled with 20 people? We can't either.
Our homes are generally limited to 2 persons per bedroom. We maintain good relationships with the neighbors so they wont be upset to see you!
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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. And whether you choose Las Vegas Retreats or someone else, we wish you the best of luck and happy travels!
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