It’s important to know that Hosts should never cancel for any reason that violates our policies, including our Nondiscrimination Policy and Accessibility Policy.
Valid cancellation reasons
We understand that cancellations are sometimes unavoidable due to circ*mstances outside of the Host’s control. If a Host has to cancel for a valid reason, we’ll work with them and help their guests find another place to stay, without the Host incurring cancellation fees or other consequences from canceling.
Valid cancellation reasons include:
- Circ*mstances beyond the Host’s control, such as major damage to a listing, emergency repairs (like a gas leak or a burst pipe), or serious personal illness that prevents hosting
- Proof that a guest intends to break one of the house rules included in the Listing details, have an unauthorized party or otherwise violate our Party and Events Policy
- AMajor Disruptive Event, such as declared public healthemergencies or government travel restrictions
If a Host uses Instant Book, they may be able to cancel for additional valid reasons without consequences under certain circ*mstances. Some examples include:
- The guest makes it clear they’ll likely break one of the Host’s house rules, like bringing a pet or smoking
- The guest has several unfavorable reviews or a lack of profile information that concerns the Host
Hosts will be able to cancel Instant Book reservations onlinefor these reasons in most cases, but sometimes they may have to contact us to cancel without consequences. Otherwise, fees and consequences will apply. If a Host cancels a large number of Instant Book reservations, they may be required to turn off Instant Book.
To cancel in one of these situations, a Host may be required to submit proof. For example, they might be asked to provide photos, videos, and other documentation in the case of emergency repairs, or a letter from a doctor in the case of serious personal illness.
If a Host cannot honor a reservation—regardless of the reason—it’s their responsibility to cancel in a timely manner to allow their guest time to adjust their plans. If the check-in time is within 24 hours, the option to cancel online won't be available—the Host will need to contact us.
If a problem stems from an API software provider and the Host needs to cancel a reservation as a result, the Host must provide evidence of the API software provider’s outage or incident for consideration when requesting a fees and consequences waiver.
If you’re not sure if your situation qualifies, contact us before you cancel, and find out more about our cancellation fees.
