Guests
Booking places to stay
When guests are looking to book a vacation, they are always looking for the best deals. They want their money to go as far as possible to allow them the best experience their budget allows. This will mean prioritizing, based on their own groups preferences and needs. Some will go with budget accommodations to allow for grander or more frequent day trips, or splurging on gourmet dinners. Others will cook-in and stay put so they can rent a property that is so wonderful, they never want to go anywhere else. But many guests neglect the savings that come with booking direct with owners.
Booking direct means you save hundreds of dollars in service fees (up to $599 on Vrbo or up to 15% on other sites) and still get to stay at the best homes, but for less. The savings, coupled with a more personalized experience, mean guests can put that money to use on the extras that make a vacation unforgettable.
So why Houfy? People are justifiably cautious. Scams and scammers are real. Craigslist and even the major platforms, like AirBnB, have had difficulty (if they even tried) keeping the scammers at bay. But owners who list on Houfy are verified by a REAL person... each and every owner! Houfy is safe to use. You can use a credit card, and get the same online experience as offered by the other online vacation rental platforms. Only better!
Houfy connects guests to hosts so that you can talk directly, in real time to each other. They don't get in the middle of your transaction, but facilitate it. If you have a question, call or email directly... no platform to go through.
But what about reviews? Houfy allows owners to sync their reviews with all the major sites so you can see just how other guests rated their experience. And the reviews are all on one site! Keep in mind some of those reviews may be a reflections of those guests' experience with the platform, and not just the owner. And you can leave your own review too!
Shopping for the best price? You will find it on Houfy! Without the middleman, owners can offer a better price since you are not paying the service fee (a charge for using their platform) that doesn't have any real value. Sometimes an owner will take alternative payments, like checks, and pass the savings on processing fees to you. This can be offered right away or after a relationship has developed between parties.
What about the "guarantee" offered by the big online travel sites? What guarantee? Look at the owner's rental agreement for cancellation policies. This is what the big sites do! They offer trip insurance that you can purchase online or is often included in your credit card agreement! And if something happens before your stay to the home to make it impossible to stay, what is Vrbo or AirBnB going to do? They can't build you a new home, or relocate you to another property unless there are vacancies. Their "guarantee" is nothing. They can't find you another place to stay if there are no other places to stay.
And in the event they do, it may be miles from where you want to be or in a hotel or a less desirable property.
And as for "service" from the service fee? If you can't find the blender, will the customer service representative (who has never been to the home) know the location? With direct contact, you can get REAL service, faster!
Houfy is like the other online travel sites... Only better! Better price, better communication, better vacations! AND NO SERVICE FEES!
Time to Houfy! Book your next vacation through Houfy! And if the home you want isn't listed there, ask them "When will you Houfy too?"
We ask everyone who uses Houfy some information before they can book on Houfy.
Guests need confirm their e-mail address and phone number before they can make a reservation request.
Houfy's requirements for guests include:
- Full name
- Introductory message
- Agreement to house rules
Guests in some cases can pay on Houfy where hosts connected to their Stripe or Square account. In this case guests will require:
- Payment information
Guests are encouraged, but not required, to have a profile photo.
It is highly recommended for hosts to ask guests to provide ID before booking their space.
Favorites
One of the best parts of planning a vacation, is choosing where to stay! The favorites list feature helps you organize lists for all of your upcoming trips. You can also share these lists with your friends and family.
Create a favorite list
When you find a property you want to save, just click the heart icon on the listing, or follow these steps:
- Menu > Favorites
- Click Create a favorite list
- Give your list a name such as "Summer trip to Paris"
- Save
Save a property to an existing favorite list
- Find a property you want to save.
- Click the property's heart icon
- Click on the heart next to one or more of your lists
Share a favorite list
When it's time to share your list with family and friends:
- Menu > Favorites
- Click the list you'd like to share
- Copy and paste the browser url
- The recipient will be able to view the list without creating an account
Remove a property from a favorite list
- Menu > Favorites
- Select and click the favorites list you want to edit
- Click the heart on the property you'd like to remove
Delete a favorite list
- Menu > Favorites
- Find the list you want to delete
- Click the "X" in the top right of the image
- Click Yes to delete
Communicating with hosts
Save yourself the embarrassing predicament of being scammed. Read these tips below from some of the country's leading consumer advocates to help you avoid being taken advantage of by crooks.
Scammers are smart, crafty, and innovative. I have often thought that if they put as much thought and effort into a legitimate enterprise as they do into scamming people, they would find honest success.
1. Talk to the contact on the phone, NOT by text or email. You should be able to find them on Facebook, Linkedin, or other social or professional sites. Don't rely on text or email or messaging systems. Scammers don't want to talk to you. They can't answer questions about the house without research and it is hard to pretend they are someone else over the phone. And if they won't talk, walk away. Many sites like Expedia group sites (like Vrbo and HomeAway) and AirBnB don't allow you to speak with owners until you book. That is one reason they only allow using a credit card to book. It doesn't always protect you, but can help you recapture funds if you act fast.
Once you get connected, ask questions about the property you can see in pictures on the listing or on Google Maps. If the "owner" can't answer without hesitation, or puts you off (while looking it up online), be suspicious. Simple questions like, "How many can the dining room table seat?" or "How many burners does the stove have?" can be answered easily by the real owner, but maybe overlooked by a scammer. Ask several questions that you already know the answer to.
2. Pay with a secure method, like a credit card, that allows for dispute resolution. NEVER WIRE FUNDS. If the owner ask you to wire money to a bank. Run. To protect yourself, never give out your credit card number. Insist on using a 3rd party processor like PayPal or Stripe. But even scammers know this and use credit card processors. They just act quickly to move money from account to account so that the fraud can't be traced or the money recaptured. Check with your credit card company for their policies and do your checking up with owners as soon as you can connect. If they ignore your requests to talk, cancel and call the credit card company quickly to recapture the charge.
3. Use a legitimate site to book. Houfy verifies all hosts, but not all do. Even Vrbo and AirBnb don't always properly verify the owners. A new listing with no reviews and many unprofessional typos can mean that it hasn't been verified yet. Always be careful. Look at reviews, and judge if you believe they are legitimate or fake. Many rentals have a website or Facebook page too. Check the internet for the real site by searching by image. Right click on a picture and you may search everywhere the image shows up. If other sites have different owners listed, or different numbers, contact them all and alert them. Legitimate owners will get the fakes removed.
Avoid being scammed by a real owner, but a misrepresented listing. Reviews are essential in this. Everyone has heard of the shipping crate that was advertised as an AirBnB in Amsterdam. Close ups shots of nice bedding, with no outside shots, meant that it appeared to be a nice place to stay. But do you really want your "private bathroom" to be a porta-potty? Pictures can be deceiving. Look at them with a skeptical eye. And ask questions.
4. Most owners are real and their properties are too. But occasionally you may run into an unscrupulous owner who doesn't follow best practices. This means the owner may change pricing once you arrive and demand more money, try to put you in a different condo or home than was advertised, or change the terms of the rental. Having a rental agreement that lists the terms of the rental, amenities included and the address and/or condo number is essential to protect you. If they don't have one, or their listing doesn't specify the number, ask for verification BEFORE you finalize your reservation. Some owners of multiple properties or property managers have been known to use their BEST properties as bait. Be sure the property you are renting is the one you think you are renting. Of course, things happen and a property you rented may be unavailable due to accident or repair issues. But the honest owner or manager will always contact you immediately and offer either an upgrade, or refund with their explanation. If you feel scammed, notify the platform you used and leave an honest, factual review.
5. If it is too good to be true, than it is too good to be true. Use open records and internet searches to find the information you need to verify the address, identity, and quality of your prospective rental. But most of all, verify the good deal is still inline with the market. When a scammed guest showed up to our rental during prime rental season, they thought they had gotten the deal of a lifetime. They saw it listed for five times what the scammer was asking for. They communicated by text message with him and thought he was just a compassionate and caring person who wanted to do them a huge favor. They traveled 1,500 miles, across the country, to show up to a home that wasn't available. Their "good deal" meant they were out the money they paid, and ended up paying even more to find accommodations. Not a deal at all. They had a fake rental agreement, copies of emails through Craigslist, bank wire receipts, all brought with them due to a "gut feeling" as the scammer was no longer returning calls and the number was no longer in service. The police were unable to help. Do your homework and trust your gut.
If you are looking for a great vacation rental, for the best price, use Houfy. There are no service fees and you have direct communication with verified owners.
Yes. You can message a host on Houfy to ask them questions about their availability, their listing(s), and your specific needs.
To message a host without making a reservation:
- On houfy.com, go to the listing for the host you want to contact.
- Click Ask the host a question on the listing page.
- Enter the dates and number of guests for your trip. You can adjust this information before messaging.
- Write your message and click Send Message.
Make sure to review the listing page before reaching out to clarify anything you need from the host.
If you have not yet received a response, there are a few steps you may take:
- Verify that you received an inquiry confirmation email from Houfy. This will confirm that your inquiry was delivered to the host.
- Verify that you do not have any response messages in your email’s junk or spam folder.
- Adjust your email filter settings to allow for incoming messages from “@houfy.com”.
Alternatively, search for other properties on Houfy.
Messaging
How the guest can view, sign, attach id proofs and send the rental agreement
There are 2 ways the guest can sign, attach id proofs and send the rental agreement.
While booking
- The rental agreement is visible on the booking page
- Scroll down -> Sign
- Upload a photo or Take a photo
- Download or Submit
After sending the request
- Go to Reservation details
- Go to Policies & Rules
- Click on the rental agreement. It will open the rental agreement page where you can sign, upload ids and submit.
Reviews for guests
The owner of the review(guests) who posted a review about the property on Houfy are able to edit or delete the reviews.
Edit review:
- Right menu > Settings & Privacy
- Select Reviews from the left menu
- Go to the review and choose "Edit Review" from the dropdown
- Make changes to the review and click save
Delete review:
- Right menu > Settings & Privacy
- Select Reviews from the left menu
- Go to the review and choose "Delete Review" from the dropdown
- Confirm "Yes" to delete the review
Refundable Reservations
Guests can now opt in for refundable reservations on Houfy. This service is provided by Protect Group, a leader in refundable reservations
Protect yourself if something happens and you are outside the existing cancelation policy window.
Upgrade your booking and receive receive a 100% refund if you cannot attend and can provide evidence related to one of the many reasons in these Terms & Conditions, which you accept when you select a Refundable Reservation.
Should guests need to cancel their trip they can go here to file a claim:
Please also read the General Conditions of Refund here
- Illness / Injury
- Pre-existing Medical Condition
- Pregnancy Complication
- Death of Immediate Family
- Public Transport Failure
- Flight disruption
- Mechanical Breakdown
- Adverse Weather
- Home Emergency
- Theft of Documents
- Workplace Redundancy
- Jury Service
- Court Summons
- Armed Forces & Emergency Services Recall
- Relocated for Work
- Changes to Examination Dates
Frequently asked Questions:
1. With this option, can the guest cancel anytime up until check in date?
Yes, Guests can cancel anytime provided they give evidence under the terms of ProtectGroup
2. Who is this fee paid out to?
The insurance fee is collected by Houfy who pays ProtectGroup the (Travel Insurance) service provider.
3. Does the host have an option to turn off this feature?
Currently this option is not programmed. We will address this in the future.
4. Can all guests use this service?
Only guests booking a Houfy listing that processes payments on Houfy will be provided this option.
5. What if a guest cancels within the Host cancelation policy?
If a guest cancels within the host canclation policy, as per their policy the host will be have to refund the stay.
6. What if a guest cancels outside the Host cancelation policy?
This is where the refund terms kicks in. The host will no longer have to refund the stay and as long as the guest can provide evidence of one of the general conditions listed above to Protect Group they will be able to claim a refund.
Paying for a reservation
Yes, you will need to create a Houfy account to message hosts.
You can create an account by signing up with Houfy using your:
- e-mail address or
- facebook account or
- google account.
You will be required to verify your e-mail address and phone number to use Houfy's messaging system which includes inquiring and booking requests.
Houfy is similar to other platforms that require travelers to create an account before making a reservation.
- If your guest is already a Houfy member, he just needs to log in and will be able to continue with the reservation.
- If he's not a Houfy member, once he creates his account he will be able to continue with the reservation.
Pricing and Fees
At Houfy, we're dedicated to providing you with unique accommodations without the burden of unnecessary fees.
We're excited to introduce Houfy Connect, a new feature that brings even more properties to our platform through seamless integration with professional property management systems.
What is Houfy Connect?
Houfy Connect expands our property listings by including accommodations managed by our trusted software partners, such as Property Management Systems (PMS) and channel managers. This means:
- More Options: Access a wider selection of properties to find the perfect place for your next trip.
- Up-to-Date Information: Enjoy accurate availability and pricing thanks to real-time updates from professional management systems.
- Quality Assurance: Benefit from properties that are professionally managed, ensuring a high standard of service.
Understanding the Houfy Connect Charge
When booking a property with Houfy Connect, you might notice an additional charge labeled API Connection Fee in your total booking cost. Here's why:
- Essential Integration Costs: To offer these professionally managed properties, Houfy is contractually obligated to provide our software partners with an agreed percentage of the booking value. This charge covers that requirement and other costs associated with our API connections.
- Not a Service Fee: Unlike other platforms, Houfy does not impose platform service charges or commissions. The Houfy Connect charge is solely associated with properties connected through our software partners.
Why Houfy Still Offers One of the Best Deals
- No Platform Service Charges: Houfy remains committed to a commission-free model. We don't add hidden fees that increase your booking cost.
- Transparent Pricing: The API Connection fee is clearly displayed during the booking process. You know exactly what you're paying for—no surprises.
- Competitive Rates: Even with the API Connection fee, our properties often come at a significantly lower total cost compared to other platforms that add hefty service fees.
Your Benefits as a Guest
- Enhanced Selection: More properties mean more choices to suit your preferences and budget.
- Professional Management: Enjoy peace of mind knowing your booking is handled by experienced professionals.
- Great Value: Get the best of both worlds—professionally managed properties without the extra platform fees.
Our Commitment to You
We understand that fees can be a concern when booking accommodations. That's why we're transparent about the Houfy Connect charge and assure you it's a necessary cost to bring these additional properties to our platform. Our mission is to keep Houfy free from unnecessary fees while offering you more choices and value.
Cancellations
We understand when you as a guest may need to cancel. Please contact the host directly for them to cancel your reservation.
- Log in and select Trips
- Select details of the reservation you want to cancel.
- Please message the host directly.
Houfy facilitates communication between Hosts and Guests. Houfy does not take part in any transactions between Hosts and Guests. Each individual host on Houfy is responsible for refunds according to their own rules, policies and rental agreements.
My booking has been cancelled by the host but I have not been refunded. Please advise when my deposit will be refunded?
For Square connected accounts on Houfy the proces takes: 2-7 business days
The Square full refund time frame typically takes 2-7 business days. Once the refund is processed by the host and sent to the guest's card issuing bank, it can take another 2-7 business days (depending on the bank's processing speeds) for the refund to post to the guest's account.
For Stripe connected accounts on Houfy the proces takes: approximately 5-10 business days
After the host initiates a refund, Stripe submits refund requests the guest's bank or card issuer. The guest sees the refund as a credit approximately 5-10 business days later, depending upon the bank.
Houfy is not part of the transaction and does not hold any funds from guests or hosts.
