Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
What is Vacation Rentals PR?
Vacation Rentals PR is a bridge that unites people and places in Puerto Rico for the lowest fees possible!
What is a Host?
A “Host" is anyone who signs up for Vacation Rentals PR in order to rent out their space.
What’s a Guest?
A Guest is anyone who Signs up for Vacation Rentals PR looking to book a stay at one of our Host's spaces.
How it works
Through Vacation Rentals PR we bring together people and places. We’re not a travel agency, we are facilitators for everyone who loves to travel, meet new people, and have all kinds of adventures. Let’s say you want to visit Puerto Rico, but instead of staying at a typical hotel, you’d rather have a personal and intimate experience, as if you were a local. That’s what we’re here for. We hook you up with people who have an extra room to spare, an empty vacation home, or a really unique place they’d like to share.
Is it safe?
Yes. We review all property listings prior to publishing them on our website. A listing that doesn’t meet the Vacation Rentals PR standards will not be published. We also provide reviews and recommendations that allow for firsthand commentary from people who have stayed at the property. We suggest that all our hosts provide as many pictures and information as possible to facilitate the decision-making process for every guest. We withhold payment to hosts until 24 hours after the guest checks in.
What’s different about Vacation Rentals PR?
Your average travel platform is not afraid to overcharge you for your stay. At Vacation Rentals PR we provide a platform that helps you book a place while saving tons of cash on booking fees while providing the same level of security and features you have come to expect when booking a holiday.
Who can host on Vacation Rentals PR?
Anyone with a cool place in an awesome location in Puerto Rico, (including Culebra and Vieques) can be a host! It’s free to sign up and to list your space. Whether it’s a spare room in your house, a secluded cottage in the mountains, or an ocean view apartment you can host it here.
How is pricing determined on Vacation Rentals PR?
Since Vacation Rentals PR is an online marketplace, each host decides what to charge for their listing. When a reservation is booked, we charge the guest a small convenience fee to cover the cost of running the site. Hosts are currently charged a 3% fee for listing their place with us. For more on Taxes, Fees, and Other Charges, check the subsection below.
Pricing and Payment Methods:
We accept PayPal, Visa, American Express & Mastercard.
Is the payment processing secure?
Yes. All payments are processed through encrypted connections.
How are refunds processed if a booking is cancelled?
Refunds are processed according to a host’s Cancellation Policy. If you are eligible for a refund, the payment will be transferred on the same day that we confirm your cancellation. Depending on your provider, it may take between 3-5 business days for the payment to appear in your account.
What if the guest asks to pay me on the spot?
If a guest asks to pay you in cash, you should respectfully decline. Our payment system is secure. Keeping all transactions through our system guarantees that you will be paid in full for every reservation that you complete. It also helps ensure our cancellation policy so that you are protected from last minute cancellations and allows us to better assist you through customer support.
Costs, Fees, Taxes, and Other Charges:
Cleaning Fees.
Cleaning fees may or may not be required by a host.
Hosts may require a cleaning fee to ensure their listing is nice and tidy after guests check out. Cleaning fees are automatically added to each guest's reservation and are not returned to the guest. If, as a host, you do not want to include a cleaning fee, please enter 0 on the cleaning fee space. We recommend explaining in your house rules that you expect guests to keep the place clean. Cleaning fees are included during the upload process of a listing or may be added or removed in the “Your Listings” tab on your dashboard. Click the edit button on the listing you wish to change and enter the amount you wish to charge in the cleaning fee space.
Taxes. How do I collect taxes for my reservations?
Your state may impose a tax or taxes on the rental of rooms or rental fees. We expect all our hosts to abide by their local laws, agreements, tax authorities, and any other applicable regulations. You are responsible for managing your taxes and regulatory obligations. Vacation Rentals PR will collect the required Occupancy Tax for Puerto Rico and pay that amount to the host automatically. It is the host's responsibility to account for these taxes and report them in accordance with Puerto Rico's local laws and requirements.
Please contact a tax professional or city compliance department for advice about your tax status and responsibilities.
Guest Service Fees
*This fee covers costs to run the vacationrentalspr.com platform and to provide a number of services, such as customer support before, during, and after your stay.
Vacation Rentals PR charges a fee “Service Fee” to the Guest based upon a percentage (6%) of applicable Property Fees.
The Guest Booking Fee (service fee) is non refundable if a guest cancels a reservation. If a host cancels for any reason, the total amount of your booking, including the Guest Booking Fee (service fee), will be refunded.
Property Host Booking Fee
We charge a 3% fee for our hosts in Puerto Rico.
Issues and complaints:
What should I do if I am not happy with my guest’s behavior?
If you are not happy with your guest’s behavior, we urge you to speak to your guest and try to solve the issue. If you cannot solve the problem, please contact our customer support department and we will investigate the situation as soon as possible.
How do I file a complaint if I have encountered a problem?
If you have any complaints, please contact our customer support team explaining your reasons and we will respond to you as quickly as possible.
What should I do if I have a problem when my guest arrives and cannot resolve it in person?
We encourage all Vacation Rentals PR users to try to solve issues between hosts and guests in person. However, if that is not possible, please contact our customer support department at support@vacationrentalspr.com and we will try to solve the problem with you.
What should I do if I have a problem when arriving at my accommodation?
If you have any problems when arriving at your accommodation, please contact your host and try to resolve the issue. If that is not possible, please contact our Customer Support Team and we will try to solve the problem with you.
What should I do if I encounter problems with a host?
If you have a problem with a host, we urge you to try and resolve it directly with the host. If for any reason you cannot resolve the situation with them, please contact support@vacationrentalspr.com and we will assist you. If you feel it’s necessary to make a cancellation, it must be submitted via email to our customer support department.
What if my guests cancel the booking?
We have different cancellation policies available for you. Each one has different implications for you and your guests. Please visit our Cancellation Policies subsection below for more information. Guests may cancel at any time by clicking the cancel button next to the booking they wish to cancel, in the Your Trips section of the Dashboard. Cancellations are refunded according to a host’s Cancellation Policy. Guests must receive a cancellation confirmation email in order for their cancellation to be honored. If you have cancelled a booking and have not received a confirmation email, please contact customer support. The booking service fee is non-refundable for all cancellations made by guests. Cancellations made by guests before a booking is confirmed by the host are refunded in full, including the Vacation Rentals PR service fee (guest fee).
What if I need to cancel a booking I’ve already confirmed?
If for any reason you are unable to honor a previously confirmed booking, please contact our Customer Support department at support@vacationrentalspr.com and we will advise you further.
What if the host cancels?
If you want, we can reimburse the cost of your reservation.
Hosts do not get paid until after the reservation takes place. We take reliability very seriously. Although we understand that some emergency situations are inevitable, if a host displays a pattern of canceling or not showing up, they will be removed from the site. Our customer support department will personally assist you in finding a replacement in the case of cancellations.
What if the host is late or does not show up?
If your host requests a reschedule and you do not wish to change the date or time, or are unable to do so, you will be refunded in full.
Cancellation Policies:
At Vacation Rentals PR there are 3 types of tour cancellation policies. Each host chooses the policy that best fits their needs.
Flexible – Traveler must cancel 1 full day (24 hours) prior to check-in (or 3:00 p.m. if not specified) on the day of check-in. Traveler receives a 100% refund, minus fees. If you cancel with less than 24 hours of anticipation, there will be no refund.
Moderate – Traveler must cancel 5 full days prior to check-in (or 3:00 p.m. if not specified) on the day of check-in. Traveler Guest receives a 100% refund, minus Vacation Rentals PR Service fees. If you cancel with less than 5 days of anticipation, there will be no refund.
Strict – Travel Guest must cancel 7 full days (1 week) prior to check-in (or 3:00 p.m. if not specified) on the day of check-in. Cancellations requested with 7 or more days in advance receive a 50% refund, minus Vacation Rentals PR Service fees. If you cancel with less than 7 days of anticipation, there will be no refund.
Cleaning fees will be refunded if the guest did not check-in.
Vacation Rentals PR service fees are non-refundable.
For complaints from either party, please notify Vacation Rentals PR customer service within 24 hours of check-in.
Vacation Rentals PR hopes to mediate any disputes if necessary, and reserves the right to have the final say in all disputes.
Reservations are not officially cancelled until you click the Confirm Cancellation button in the dashboard.
Guest Refund Policy, safety cancellations, or extenuating circumstances may supersede the Cancellation Policy.
For a Service Fee Refund, you need to cancel your reservation within 24 hours from the time the booking request was accepted.
This refund will be credited to the original form of payment as long as the reservation you want to cancel is eligible for a refund under the cancellation policy the host selected for that property.
Trust and Safety:
How does Vacation Rentals PR ensure trust and safety?
We use a secure payment system, authentic reviews, and social connections to help reinforce security in our marketplace. We also provide our users with the tools they need to flag hosts or other guests and contact hosts beforehand. We withhold payments to the host until check-in.
We also personally verify the existence of locations and submit each listing to a rigorous confirmation process.
How can I protect myself as a host?
Make sure to screen the profiles and reviews of all your potential guests. Remember to read any reviews left by other hosts. If their profiles don’t have enough information, feel free to ask inquiring guests to complete their profiles before booking with you or answer any questions you might have.
How can I protect myself as a guest?
Make sure to screen the profiles and reviews of all the hosts you are considering. Remember to read any reviews left by other guests. If their profiles don’t have enough information, feel free to ask possible hosts to complete their profiles before booking with them or answer any questions you might have. You can also search the site for hosts with a strong reputation. Make sure to keep all your communication within the Vacation Rentals PR website. Use the messaging system to learn about your hosts and to clarify any questions about the price and amenities for the listing.
Do you offer traveler’s insurance?
Vacation Rentals PR does not offer traveler’s insurance. However, traveler's insurance is an affordable option that can help keep you protected in case of injury or emergency during a trip. Some policies even cover lost baggage and travel delays. Check with your local insurance provider for options. Remember to contact the local police in case of an emergency or if you feel threatened in any way.
Why is it necessary to keep all communications and transactions on Vacation Rentals PR?
It helps keep you safe. Vacation rentals have always been somewhat of a gamble. At Vacation Rentals PR we use our review and communication systems to help ensure the safety of both guests and hosts. By keeping a complete record of communications and transactions, we can give better assistance through customer support. Our review system, which we keep 100% accurate, helps us guarantee we only list good quality properties. Our payment and cancellation policy ensures the safety of funds in the event of last minute cancellations.
How does Vacation Rentals PR verify user information?
As a marketplace, we do not perform background checks on users, although we do reserve the right to do so within our discretion. However, we provide a number of features to build trust and safety on the site.
What scams should I watch out for?
Make sure to read reviews and note whether a host or guest has been flagged. Any requests to make or receive payments outside of the Vacation Rentals PR system should be respectfully declined. All legitimate payments on Vacation Rentals PR will take place within our website.
How does Vacation Rentals PR help avoid fraudulent hosts?
We only pay your host 24 hours after you check-in or complete your experience; therefore any problems are addressed before the payment is actually transferred.
Profile pages, reviews, and the flagging system also help identify fraudulent hosts which are promptly removed from our website.
If profiles don’t have enough information, feel free to ask possible guests or hosts to complete their profiles before booking with them or answer any questions you might have.