Cancellation Fees
Our cancellation policy is simple: if you cancel, you lose your booking fee.
The Rule
If you cancel a confirmed booking, your booking fee is forfeited. The other party's booking fee is always refunded.
This applies to both sitters and hosts, regardless of timing. The only exception is an admin-approved emergency cancellation.
Fee Summary
| Scenario | Canceller's Fee | Other Party's Fee | Reputation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cancellation | Forfeited | Refunded | Hit |
| Emergency (approved) | Refunded | Refunded | No impact |
| Emergency (denied) | Forfeited | Refunded | Hit |
When Hosts Cancel
- Host's booking fee is forfeited
- Sitter's booking fee is fully refunded
- Listing is re-activated for new sitter
- Host's completion rate is affected
When Sitters Cancel
- Sitter's booking fee is forfeited
- Host's booking fee is fully refunded
- Listing is re-activated for new sitter
- Sitter's completion rate is affected
Real-World Examples
Sitter cancels a 2-week free exchange sit
Outcome: Sitter forfeits their booking fee. The host's booking fee is refunded.
Standard cancellation rules apply. Since this is 14+ days before the sit, the sitter can self-cancel directly through the app.
Host cancels 3 weeks before a sit
Outcome: Host forfeits their booking fee. The sitter's booking fee is refunded.
Since it's 14+ days before the sit, the host can self-cancel directly through the app.
Host cancels 5 days before a sit
Outcome: Host forfeits their booking fee. The sitter's booking fee is refunded.
Within 14 days of the sit, the host must contact support. Same fee outcome.
Sitter has a medical emergency and cancels
Outcome: Both parties refunded if emergency is approved by admin.
The sitter submits an emergency cancellation request with medical documentation. If approved, no fees are forfeited; the recorded outcome remains factual history.
Key Points
- Cancel = lose your booking fee (simple and clear)
- The other party is always refunded
- Emergency cancellations with documentation can be fully refunded
- Your completion rate is public as part of your reliability record