Owners Direct and HomeAway to Charge Booking Fee

[Stone Free]

From 1 June, Owners Direct and HomeAway are going to start charging travellers a service fee between 6% - 8% on bookings.

https://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/lp/building-for-the-future/service-fee

The HomeAway/Owners Direct group was acquired earlier this year by Expedia for $3.9 billion.

[Windermeregolfer]

Are they going to reduce the commission they charge property owners and therefore the rental price to the consumer should come down or are they double dipping?

[Stone Free]

As far as I am aware, the the traveller's service fee is going to be on top of the rental cost.  So if you pay to the owner £500 per week, Owners Direct/HomeAway are going to charge the guests an additional £39.90 which they will deduct from their credit/debit card. 

They are also going to allow owners to post reviews of how guests treat their property.  That should be interesting reading!

In addition, when the new Canarian letting laws are approved, owners will probably have to charge an additional 7% igic (local tax).

[KWC]

I take it the owners that have pre -rented their properties before this additional revenue grabbing move will honour the price agreed?

Anyone know ?

[Snowdrop]

Money grabbing - when owners annual renewals are up they should boycott the site.

[Elite of the forum]

We already have

[Joseph]

This was sold off before the new laws on letting property letting bites.When people see owners fined up to 30000 Euros for letting their property the system will collapse.Under the new system very few property ,s  are allowed to be let.

[Ivemovedon]

do you know something we don't ?