Unfortunate 1st time VRBO customer experience with a filthy house and difficult owner. Description says events are done here, including weddings. The owner, Mark, told me that this is the perfect place for my wedding and to google his property, Bazinga House. Upon hiring a planner in November, she reached out to Mark to see if she can view property in person. He got upset and told her we need to rent a dumpster. Wedding size was 22 people, rental agreement was 28, accommodations can be for 36, therefore, no reason for dumpster. The day before check-in, Mark texted, demanding hundreds of dollars deposit to be paid that day saying it was for damage protection (I purchased damage insurance). I tried to talk to him (via text) inquiring why this had to be paid as I am not having more people in the house that what was in the rental agreement. He told me that I was lying and I shouldn’t worry about it because it's only a deposit and that he waived avenue fee, also hundreds of dollars, and sent me a personal link to pay on (illegally not on the VRBO platform violating the agreement with VRBO). None of which was in our rental agreement or in description of the house. Fee was paid as I already had vendors booked and house was non-refundable. Huge house was unsanitary, cabinets filled with mouse feces and urine, mold/mildew in most bathrooms, floors so dirty it turned feet black, outside walls, especially around the lights, were dirty and had spiderwebs around it in which we had to clean before the reception, and white picnic table had to be cleaned 3x before my decorator would place her white tablecloth on. The yard is not straight, the grass isn’t taken care of, and no landscaping at all. I didn’t mention anything to the owner during my stay because I just wanted my money back. About the refund, he told me that he was trying to salvage towels that, supposedly, my guests destroyed purposely. He finally sent my refund on 3/3/22, minus fees for the "damaged" towels. He is threatening me that he will go after me for damage to a golf cart, reassess the "waived" wedding fee, and involving his lawyer/legal action because some guests have left google reviews. I DO NOT recommend this house or working with this owner. Money was illegally taken, stolen and was threatened. A sign and form email says, “please enjoy this free gift” (a Bazinga cooler/bottle opener), none given(not that I want momentos). TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE! Wish I could add photos to show all!
