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Ad hoc fee requests for Vrbo bookings with Hospitable as Merchant of Record

Problem statement

When Hospitable is set as Merchant of Record for Vrbo bookings, hosts lose the ability to request ad hoc fees (such as late check-out charges, pet fees, or other guest-requested services) both in Vrbo and in Hospitable. Vrbo removes the option to send payment requests once Hospitable becomes MOR, and Hospitable's "Send or request money" feature only works for Direct bookings, not OTA bookings like Vrbo.

Current workaround

Hosts must ask guests to pay outside the platform using third-party payment methods like Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal.

Impact

  • Payments are fragmented across multiple platforms instead of being centralized in Hospitable
  • Guests prefer to keep all payments within the booking platform for trust and convenience
  • Manual tracking of external payments creates extra administrative work
  • Increases friction in the guest experience

Proposed solution

Enable hosts to send ad hoc payment requests to guests for Vrbo bookings where Hospitable is Merchant of Record, similar to how "Send or request money" works for Direct bookings.

Unlock

Hosts would be able to collect all guest payments—including ad hoc fees for services like late check-out—directly through Hospitable, keeping the payment experience seamless, centralized, and professional for both hosts and guests.

Status: Completed2 comments

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Comments2

  • Copper Pretzel

    •

    Jul 20

    •

    Merged request

    •

    5 votes

    Ability to Request Additional Payments on Vrbo Bookings

    Problem Statement

    • Hosts cannot send payment requests for extra fees or additional charges on Vrbo bookings
    • The "Send or request money" feature only works for Direct bookings, not Vrbo
    • Hosts need to manually follow up with guests for additional charges (cleaning fees, damages, extra services, etc.)

    Current Workaround

    • Manually messaging guests outside Hospitable to request additional payments
    • Using external payment methods (Zelle, PayPal, etc.) to collect extra fees

    Impact

    • Time-consuming manual follow-up with guests
    • Risk of not collecting additional fees owed
    • Inconsistent guest experience compared to Direct bookings

    Proposed Solution

    • Enable the "Send or request money" feature for Vrbo bookings within Hospitable
    • Allow hosts to send payment requests for additional charges directly through the platform

    Unlock

    • Hosts can seamlessly collect additional fees for Vrbo bookings without leaving the platform
    • Improved cash flow and reduced administrative overhead
    • Consistent payment experience across all booking channels
    • Andrew Schorr

      Team•

      Jul 20

      Thanks, Michael. This is in progress, we should have it out soon!