How to Shut Down Your Neighbors VRBO (Doing This Worked!)

Is your neighbor’s Vrbo starting to drive you crazy? The constant parties, excessive cars on your street, and not to mention the influx of strangers in the neighborhood it’s enough to drive someone mad! Have you started to wonder exactly how you can shut down your neighbor’s Vrbo?

You can shut down a neighbor’s Vrbo by first complaining directly to the owner of the Vrbo. You should also file a complaint against the property through the Vrbo website. As a last resort, you can report the Vrbo to the police if the property is not abiding by municipality laws.

There are so many things to figure out before you start the process of shutting down your neighbor’s Vrbo. We have laid out exactly what you need to do, so get out your notepad, and get ready to shut that place down! 

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How Do You Shut Down a VRBO?

Shutting down a VRBO should first start with discussing the issues you are having with the VRBO owner directly in a non-confrontational manner. If you don’t know who the owner is, you can file a complaint through the VRBO website which will go directly to the owner.

If your owner continues to ignore your requests to moderate the disturbance, you can check with local municipal laws and laws of the community to discover if the rental is in coordination with the law or not.

If it is not, you have more grounds to get it to shut down by reporting the rental to your city or community, especially if the rental is not following the Vrbo noise rules.

Can I Stop My Neighbor From Running a VRBO?

As a neighbor, you do have the right to stop your neighbor from running a VRBO- especially if it is causing you a great disturbance and the Vrbo noise rules are constantly being ignored. The process might take some time but your sanity and safety are worth fighting for. 

If your neighbor is violating municipality or community laws with their VRBO, you can report them to either your municipality or to your HOA. They will take further action to shut down the VRBO.

If your neighbor’s VRBO is in compliance with all the laws, you can still report them to the police as a private nuisance.

When anything interferes with your enjoyment of your property, it is considered a private nuisance. This can be excessive noise from the VRBO, excessive cars, or garbage left on your property from parties.

The police will take this seriously and begin an investigation.

How Do I Get Rid of Short Term Rentals in My Neighborhood?

Start by checking if your neighborhood has any laws regarding short-term rentals and if the rentals are in compliance with these laws. If they are not, you can report them to your municipality or HOA. If they are in compliance, you can report them to the police as a private nuisance. 

A private nuisance is when someone is causing interference to your enjoyment of your own property either by excessive noise, excessive traffic around your property, generally feeling unsafe, etc. The police will take your complaint seriously and start an investigation into the issue. 

If you are dealing with an Airbnb and not Vrbo, check out what you need to do to get an Airbnb shut down, instead! The process is a little different. 

You might also enjoy our post on How to Shut Down Your Neighbors Airbnb

How Do I Deal With a Noisy VRBO?

If you know who owns the VRBO, speak to them directly about what is concerning you. It is possible that they are unaware of what is going on at their VRBO when they’re not around. If this does not work, you can involve your municipality, HOA, or the police.

Everyone who rents from a VRBO must follow VRBO noise rules. These noise rules are implemented to ensure the neighbor’s of the VRBO is not being disturbed. If they are not being followed, it is up to the owner to deal with the noisy renters. 

However, you may end up in a case where the owners are indifferent about what goes on at their rental home.

This is when you need to report the VRBO to your municipality or HOA and complain about the noise levels that are causing you a disturbance. 

You are also entitled to reach out to the police as excessive noise can be considered a private nuisance. The VRBO owners can be charged with this as they are responsible for everything that happens at their VRBO.

This will likely get their VRBO shut down indefinitely. 

Can Neighbors Complain About VRBO?

As a neighbor affected by a disturbing VRBO, you absolutely have the right to complain. VRBO has a page designated for complaints. The complaints get sent directly to the owner of the rental. VRBO does not mediate disputes but does take them seriously. 

If complaining directly to the owner does not solve anything, you can complain to your municipality or to your HOA. Your municipality will have a website that has a place to submit noise complaints and here you can discuss the issue of the VRBO. 

If all this fails, you can report your neighbor to the police. A rental that is causing constant disturbance to you and your other neighbors is enough for the police to start an investigation and solve the issue. 

How Do I Report a Neighbor on Vrbo?

To report a neighbor on Vrbo, go to Vrbo’s main home page. At the bottom, click “help”, then “contact us” at the bottom of that page. Choose “I’m a traveler”, and then choose “email”. Here you can send an email to Vrbo regarding the rental you are complaining about.

If you do not know the rental property ID, you can write in the address instead. This email will be sent to the complaints center on Vrbo and they will forward the complaint to the owner of the rental- unless you specify that you don’t want the email forwarded.

Vrbo does not mediate a dispute but they do take them seriously.

Filing this complaint will give you a foot in the door if you need to further this issue with your municipality or the police as it will show that you took the proper steps in order to resolve the issue. 

Can You Anonymously Report a Vrbo?

You can anonymously report a Vrbo through Vrbo’s complaint form but you have to specify that you don’t want Vrbo to forward the email to the owner. In this case, Vrbo will receive the complaint but they will not contact the owner- they will be simply informed of the situation.

Because Vrbo refuses to mediate disputes, they will only receive the complaint. It is then up to you to find a way to contact the owner and speak about the issue directly with him.

If you want Vrbo to send the complaint, then your name will appear on the complaint and will not be anonymous. 

How Do I File a Claim With Vrbo?

It is difficult to file a claim with Vrbo if you are not a renter or the owner of the Vrbo. If you are a renter, then you can file a claim with the traveler’s insurance you purchased at the time of your booking. If you are the owner, then you can file a claim through Vrbo’s 1M liability insurance.

However, if you are a neighbor who has been directly affected by Vrbo, then filing a claim isn’t possible. You would have to go through the police and potentially sue the owner of the rental if you would like to claim any money. 

Can I Sue My Neighbor for Running a Vrbo?

You can definitely sue your neighbor for running a Vrbo if they are not abiding by municipality laws and/or if the rental is causing such disturbance to you that it is interfering with the enjoyment of living at your home. 

Some municipalities and HOA have specific laws and regulations that determine if a short-term rental is allowed. If your neighbor is breaking these laws, then this is grounds to possibly sue them. 

However, it is more likely that you can sue your neighbor for private nuisance. Something is considered a private nuisance when someone is causing so much disturbance that it is interfering with another person’s enjoyment of their own property.

Therefore, if your neighbor’s Vrbo is so annoying, for whatever reason, that you no longer feel comfortable living where you live, then this is considered a private nuisance and will be taken seriously in the courts.

You might also enjoy our post on How to Shut Down a Neighbor’s Party?

Can You Sue a Vrbo Owner?

You can indeed sue a Vrbo owner either for breaking short-term rental laws or for private nuisance. Check with your municipality laws first to see if short-term rentals are allowed in your area and if there are specific regulations- for example, there can be a short-term rental every 500 meters. 

Additionally, you can sue a Vrbo owner for private nuisance if the Vrbo is causing you extreme discomfort in your own home.

A few reasons how that may happen:

• Excessive noise from parties or gatherings
• Lots of cars on the street or on your yard
• Violence during parties
• Excessive garbage on your yard after-parties
• People who make you feel unsafe
• Dogs in the neighborhood creating more noise when reacting to the parties 

You should first file a report with the police and let them start an investigation. Then, find yourself a lawyer and start working on a lawsuit together. 

Do You Need Permission to Do Vrbo?

You don’t necessarily need permission to do Vrbo but you need to make sure that you are allowed to have a short-term rental in your neighborhood. Some cities don’t even allow short-term rentals in general, so always check with your city to see if this is allowed.

If your city does allow short-term rentals, you then have to check with your neighborhood and/or HOA. If you live in a development, it is likely that your HOA will have strict guidelines about how you can operate a short-term rental.

Failing to do your due diligence may result in getting your Vrbo shut down since you are breaking laws, and worse, you could get sued, fined, or even jail time. 

Where Is Vrbo Not Allowed?

The following cities have implemented restrictions on short-term rentals such as Airbnb: Calabasas, California; New York City, New York; San Francisco, California; Honolulu, Hawaii; Las Vegas, Nevada; and New Orleans, Louisiana. 

In many of these cities, it is against the law to rent out any property for less than 30 days, some even 90 days. If hosts choose to ignore these laws, they will be exposed to penalties and fines. 

Are Vrbos Legal in Residential Areas?

Vrbo’s are legal in residential areas but it all depends on the laws of your area since the same laws don’t apply to every area. Check with your city’s laws on short-term rentals to determine if a Vrbo is legal.

If a Vrbo is legal in your city, you then have to dig deeper and find out if they are legal in your neighborhood. Your community could have specific rules about short-term rentals that you must follow or you will get in trouble with the city. 

Pros and Cons of Vrbo in Your Neighborhood

Pros

• Travelers will increase the local economy as they dine in at local restaurants and shop at local stores
• You have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world
• Positive tourism could increase the worth of your area increasing property value

Cons

• Strangers will be constantly in your area which may make you and your family feel unsafe
• Unwanted noise from travelers on vacation
• Disturbances could decrease property values
• Tourism can increase the cost of living

Vrbo Contact Information

If by chance you still have questions or want to file a complaint directly to Vrbo, we have provided Vrbo’s contact number and Vrbo’s contact email address down below.

Vrbo Contact Number

To get in touch with Vrbo right away, call +1-877-202-9331.

Vrbo Contact Email Address

To get in touch with Vrbo by email, you have to send an email through their help center here and click “contact us”. They will send you an email back and you will now be able to communicate this way. 

Related Questions

Is Vrbo Bad for Neighborhoods?

In some cases, yes, Vrbo can be detrimental to neighborhoods- the excessive partying and amount of cars on the street, the random strangers always in and out, the violence it could bring to a neighborhood. But in other cases, the tourism Vrbo brings to a neighborhood can really put it on a map and increase the local economy.

It all depends on the respect the renters show the neighborhood when they stay in a Vrbo. If the Vrbo turns into an ultimate party house, they yes, unfortunately, that neighborhood is going to lose value and respect in the city.

But, if the Vrbo is not suitable for parties, and more so for quiet travelers just looking for a place to rest their head after a long day of sightseeing, then the Vrbo could positively affect the tourism of that area and in turn the local economy!

What Happens if You Get a Noise Complaint in a Vrbo?

When you receive a noise complaint while staying in a Vrbo, this means that your neighbor is likely being disturbed by the amount of noise you are making. This is your first warning to tone it down. If you don’t you will be paid a visit by the police.

Staying in a Vrbo does not protect you from fines. If you received a noise complaint, then the police have already been called and it is your responsibility to turn the noise down. If you continue the noise disturbance, the police will come and likely fine everybody in the Vrbo. 

Final Thoughts

Indeed, it is disappointing when your neighbor’s house turns into party central and you start to lose sleep because of other people’s vacations. 

But don’t lose hope- there are lots of options to have that irritating Vrbo shut down and hopefully, you are now ready to take on the big task.

Stand your ground and take back your peace and sanity!