When confirmed plans change, either if you’re hosting or travelling, it’s rarely a pleasant experience. Our cancellation policy aims to be both firm and fair, never punitive. It’s such so that your experience is reliable and pleasant.

If your trip is cancelled less than 24 hours in advance, we provide look to find you a replacement home within the community. If it cannot be found, we will cover two nights in alternative accommodation up to the value of £250 per night

1. If you’re about to host and your guest cancels:

• They cancel more than 8-weeks before their stay:

  • Credits: You will not keep the credits.

• They cancel less than 8-weeks before their stay:

  • Credits: You will keep the credits.

2. If you book a stay and you cancel

If you book a stay and you cancel, cancellation penalties may apply. The penalty amount varies based on how long before the stay you cancel. The penalties are never meant to be punitive. They are in place to ensure that cancellations are not taken lightly and you and our members have the most reliable experience possible.

• Cancelling more than 8-weeks before your stay:

  • Credits will not returned.

  • Booking fee: There are two options. Either you can choose to be refunded all the money you paid when you confirmed your stay, minus a 10% cancellation fee. Or, you can choose to receive a Keybento voucher of this sum to be used for your future bookings, in which case the 10% cancellation fee will not be charged.  

  • Cleaning and add-on services will be fully refunded.

• Cancelling between 4-8 weeks before your stay:

  • Credits will be returned. However, if you had made a previous cancellation in the past 12-months, the credits will not be returned. 

  • Booking fee: 50% of the total booking will be refunded, minus a 10% cancellation fee. You can also choose to receive a Keybento voucher of this sum to be used on future bookings, in which case the 10% cancellation fee will not be charged.  

  • Cleaning and add-on services will be fully refunded.

• Cancelling less than 4 weeks before your stay:

  • Credits will not be returned.

  • Booking fee will not be refunded.

  • Cleaning and add-on services will be fully refunded only if cancelled more than 1 week before the stay.

3. If you committed to host but you cancel:

• Cancelling more than 8 weeks before the stay:

  • Credits: You will lose your credits.

  • Cancellation fees: You will not pay any cancellation fees.

• Cancelling less than 8 weeks before the stay:

  • Credits: You will lose your credits.

  • Cancellation fees: A cancellation fee of £150 will apply.  

4. If your host cancels your booking:

• Replacement home: We will try to find a replacement home that fulfils the basic criteria of your cancelled stay. If a replacement home cannot be found:

  • Credits will be returned to you and you will receive a 100% refund of the booking fees, including cleaning and add-on services. 

  • Compensation: If the cancellation happens less than 2 days (48-hours) before your stay, you will receive a cancellation guarantee of £500 total to cover 2 nights in alternative accommodation.

  • Policy breach: If, however, the stay has been cancelled by the host because of your behaviour or any breach of policy (e.g. inappropriate behaviour towards the host, disrespect of the home), no refunds will be given.

Automated review and repeat cancellations

An automatic message will be published on your profile detailing that you cancelled the stay and how long in advance.

In the event of repeated cancellations, we as Keybento will review your standing as a member of the community and in some cases terminate your account.

Force majeure and life

KeyBento will consider instances of force majeure and unfortunate life events on a case by case basis. A cancellation due to force majeure is defined as a cancellation independent of the will of the host and the guest due to an exogenous and exceptional factor preventing the completion of the stay. For example: a pandemic, a climatic problem (fire, flood), strike, etc. An unfortunate life event can include death of a loved one, major illness, etc. 

Fraud

Any abuse of this policy will be considered fraud and will result in being flagged in databases used by hotels and rental platforms, possibly compromising future travel.