Vrbo policies leave property owners at risk, lawsuit alleges after out-of-control party caused $30K in damage

The owners of a house northwest of Winnipeg that was ransacked during an out-of-control house party in February are suing a vacation rental company to cover the costs of the damage.

The homeowners, Inderjeet and Tarwinder Singh, are seeking just over $30,000 in damages from Expedia Canada, the parent company of the rental company Vrbo, alleging the company's policies are negligent and leave property owners like them at risk.

"It seems Vrbo … allowed and encouraged those criminal activities [the partygoers] did that night," says a statement of claim filed in Manitoba Court of King's Bench on March 24.

None of the allegations in the claim have been proven in court, and a statement of defence hasn't been filed at this time.

CBC News has requested a comment from Expedia and Vrbo.

RCMP were called to the Singhs' property in the rural municipality of Rosser on the night of Feb. 24, when the lawsuit alleges 100 people attended a party at the home. The maximum capacity for the home listed on Vrbo was six guests.

Two teens who were assaulted, and a third who suffered an overdose, were taken to hospital following that party, police have previously said.

Others were hurt at the party, but didn't need to go to hospital, according to RCMP.

Investigators have determined the party was announced on the social media app Snapchat and that many people who attended didn't know each other.

Police found liquor bottles littering the ground inside the home and around the property, and significant damage to the home.

The lawsuit alleges the cost to repair the damage, including broken walls, locks and shattered windows, was nearly $17,000, while over $12,000 worth of items were stolen.

The owners say they also had to do a deep cleaning to remove blood stains throughout the house.

They say Vrbo has refused to pay them for the damage, and instead told them to contact the guest who booked the house for payment.

That guest hasn't responded to the Singhs' messages about covering the damage, the court filing says.

"Expedia is a billion-dollar worldwide company, [and] should have safe policies to protect the citizens rather than earning commissions only," the Singhs said in the statement of claim.

The Singhs say they cancelled all future bookings on Vrbo after the party.

The competing vacation rental company AirBnB has policies that are more comprehensive, and that company takes steps to prevent bookings that are at higher risk for parties and incidents, the lawsuit says.

Liability insurance through Vrbo doesn't cover damage to the listing caused by guests. Vrbo hosts are directed to buy additional insurance through a third party for coverage beyond their liability insurance.

"Vrbo just want[s] to earn money by any means, not worrying about safety," the statement of claim alleges.