Learn why Vrbo payment automations may not apply or collect as expected in Guesty, and how Vrbo limitations and non-instant bookings affect collection workflows.
Understand the issue
When you set up payment automation rules in Guesty, Vrbo applies unique requirements that impact how and when payments are collected. Guesty sends payment automation rules to Vrbo during the initial sync, but Vrbo, not Guesty, manages the actual collection. Payments are not charged directly from Guesty’s automation engine.
These limitations can cause:
- Authorization holds and security deposits not appearing
- Minor timing differences in scheduled payments
- Payment schedules not updating after reservation changes
- Inability to collect payments for additional charges
Recognize these limitations to understand unexpected payment behavior and take effective action.
How non-instant bookings affect payment automations
When a reservation is created with the "Reserve" status (not booked instantly), payment automations do not trigger. After the reservation is confirmed, collect payments for these bookings manually in Guesty. Instant bookings follow your configured automation rules as expected.
Note:
Vrbo reservations with the status “Reserve” do not trigger payment automations. After confirmation, manually create payment requests for these reservations.
Vrbo limitations and expected behavior
Review the table below to see how payment automations work with Vrbo. Because these behaviors stem from Vrbo’s system, you cannot apply retroactive fixes to processed payments.
| Limitation | Expected behavior |
|---|---|
| Security deposits and holds | Vrbo does not support security deposits or authorization holds via payment automations. Vrbo ignores any automation rules that include a hold or security deposit. |
| Hold and charge rules | If a rule is "Hold and Charge," Vrbo skips the hold and processes only the charge as scheduled. |
| Time units | Vrbo accepts only "days" as a time unit. If your rule uses hours or minutes, Guesty converts it to the nearest day, which may cause small timing differences. |
| Locked reservations | If you change a reservation (such as dates or price) after confirmation, the payment schedule does not update. Update payments manually as needed. |
| Collection limits | Vrbo does not collect payments above 100% of the original reservation amount. Collect additional charges manually. |
How to collect payments when the original amount changes
When you update a reservation directly in Vrbo, the changes may not sync with Guesty automatically. This can lead to differences between the Vrbo quote and the Guesty folio.
To resolve these differences, adjust the folio in Guesty to match the original Vrbo quote. If a price difference remains after adjustment (such as an overpayment or balance due), request payment manually outside of the automated workflow.
If you add fees after confirmation—such as a damage or cleaning fee—that increase the total above 100% of the original reservation, automated payments for the extra amount will not process.
Important:
Vrbo never collects more than the original reservation amount through automations. To collect extra fees, request payment manually outside of the automated workflow.
How rule changes affect existing reservations
If you activate Apply to existing reservations when editing a rule, confirmed Vrbo reservations do not update.
Follow the steps below to manage a specific Vrbo reservation:
Step by step:
- Sign in to your Guesty account.
- In the side navigation menu, click
Reservations. - Select the relevant Vrbo reservation.
- In the left submenu, click Payments.
- Click Edit payment to the right of the next scheduled payment.
See full details in the article Turning a scheduled payment into a recorded payment.
Prevent future payment issues with Vrbo
Follow these guidelines when setting up Vrbo payment automations to ensure smooth collection:
- Use days as the time unit for all Vrbo payment rules.
- Avoid using "Hold and Release" or "Security Deposit" actions, as Vrbo ignores them.
- Confirm that new or updated automation rules affect only future reservations made after the change.
Tip:
Check each Vrbo reservation’s status. If the status is “Reserve,” set a reminder to create and manage payment requests manually after you confirm the booking.