How the StaySavr web-app works

StaySavr was created by owners and is run by volunteer owners. The costs of running the site are very low and therefore there is no need to charge for StaySavr's core features. If we develop further in the future, then there may be optional features that will be chargeable.

The aim of StaySavr is to retain the ability for owners to advertise in a fair and free manner. The aim is not to make money!

Members are expected to play their part in letting guests know about StaySavr. This is the main way that our publicity works!

Absolutely not. There is no way that VRBO can tell which owners are StaySavr members. We have several layers of defense on our server preventing any methodical collection of our data. We feed incorrect data when we detect an attack. Even with the complete and correct data, there is no way to tell a member's data apart from the data that we gather by research.

We have no lawyer's opinion on this. We have not engaged a lawyer at all, as doing so would multiply our costs at least 10-fold. That illustrates how little money has been spent on creating StaySavr!

So, all that I'm saying here is based on my limited knowledge of law and the opinions that have been given to me by other members.

Often, when people first see what StaySavr does, they think that we have hacked the VRBO web server. No. We haven't. We couldn't and we wouldn't!

But, perhaps we make it look as if we have interfered with their server. This is because StaySavr works in a user's browser. There are plenty of precedents for browser extensions working against the interest of the web publisher. Consider Ad-blockers (the most popular category of browser extension). Ad-blockers reduce the ability of the publisher to make money out of their websites. Neither the creators nor users of ad-blockers have been subject to law suits. Creators and users are not considered to be law breakers either. Everybody is free to use Ad-blockers. We believe that the same is true for StaySavr. It does indeed work against the interest of VRBO, but it uses legally collected information to better-inform users.

Obviously, each country has its own laws and I can't say categorically that in your country, our actions are legal. However, we don't know of any law anywhere preventing us from revealing owner information to those who wish to rent.

We are not so good on regulations! It's hard to say which country StaySavr is based in (I am in one country, other contributors are in other countries, the server is in yet another country etc). Therefore it is hard to know which country's regulations apply. If StaySavr was a registered business, it would have to have a home country. However, StaySavr is just a project, created and run by a number of individuals. It has no legal status, no accounts, no head office, no board of directors etc. It is a project like (for example) the Firefox browser which is created and maintained freely by volunteers around the world. Most countries have regulations governing collection and use of data. In many countries, the kind of data stored by StaySavr would require some kind of registration. We have not registered because to do so would reveal the identity of at least one of our volunteers.

VRBO don't see it quite like that. They sent an email threatening legal action soon after StaySavr started. They claim that we publish misleading information about VRBO and they accuse us of "tortuous interference". There are a number of reasons for not taking these threats seriously. We have asked for clarification of where we show misleading or defamatory information, but they have not responded. We also know that they are absolutely unwilling to mention "StaySavr" in public, and thus we know that they will not carry out this threat even if they could find out who is behind StaySavr.

VRBO's threats were directed only at the creators / owners of the StaySavr web site. They have not indicated any threat against users of the browser extension. Also, they (or anybody else) are unable to detect use of the browser extension.

VRBO's relationship with owners is different. Owners are subject to the terms and conditions imposed by VRBO. Again, VRBO make no specific mention of StaySavr in their T&Cs because they can't use that* word! But they do require their advertisers to not say anything defamatory about VRBO and to not encourage guests to book outside of the VRBO platform. If you join StaySavr, then I would guess that you are doing so in order to encourage guests to book outside of their platform, so you would be in breach of their T&Cs. They would therefore have absolute right to remove your listings from their sites.

In practice, there has been little removal due to breaches of T&Cs. Certainly it does happen. I know one owner who was removed due to using the word "Exgreedia" in a facebook post. They are very sensitive to damaging memes. Out of the many hundreds of StaySavr members, I am not aware of any who have had their listings removed due to their membership of StaySavr.

StaySavr is 90% defence and 10% functional. Right from the start, we realised that we will be under attack and it is our duty to protect the identity of members. There are 3 layers of defence preventing VRBO from seeing which owners are members. We constantly test the defences and monitor usage of the site and app. Although VRBO are continuously trying to gather data from our site and to degrade our service, they are having absolutely no success.

* Expedia/VRBO will not mention StaySavr in any communication. If questioned about it, they will say that they have never heard of it. This is the stance that we expected. Expedia's market valuation of 22 billion USD is based on an expectation of future earnings. Those earnings depend on their ability to keep buyer and seller apart. Expedia has no other value. Imagine the reaction of shareholders if Expedia revealed that their business model (both hotel booking and the VRBO business) was vulnerable to a look-up service that allows direct contact between buyer and seller. I suspect that their stock would halve in value overnight. This is why they are keeping so quiet and must continue to do so.

All this and more is explained in our 3 Welcome email messages which you will receive, starting two days after you join.

You can't. You have misunderstood something. StaySavr is not a listing site. It is not a place to advertise

StaySavr exists to provide guests with a way to contact owners directly regarding properties that are listed on VRBO sites.