Cancellation Policies
Set a cancellation policy on your listing to define refund rules when guests cancel their booking. The policy determines how much of the booking amount is refundable and until when.
Available Policy Types
| Policy | Cancellation deadline | Refund | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flexible | 24 hours before check-in | 100% refund | Maximum bookings, budget properties |
| Moderate | 5 days before check-in | 100% refund | Balance between flexibility and security |
| Strict | 14 days before check-in | 100% refund | Peak season, high-demand properties |
| Firm | 30 days before check-in | 100% refund | Luxury properties, long-stay rentals |
| Non-refundable | N/A | No refund | Discounted rates, last-minute deals |
TIP
If the guest cancels before the deadline, they receive a full refund. If they cancel after the deadline (or don't show up), the booking amount is non-refundable.
Setting a Cancellation Policy
- Go to Listings → open your listing → Pricing tab
- Find the Cancellation Policy section
- Select one of the policy types
- Click Save
The policy applies per listing to all bookings made going forward.
Channel Manager Integration
When your listing is connected to OTAs via the Channel Manager, the cancellation policy is synced automatically:
| hejGuide policy | Channex sync |
|---|---|
| Flexible | 24-hour deadline |
| Moderate | 5-day (120-hour) deadline |
| Strict | 14-day (336-hour) deadline |
| Firm | 30-day (720-hour) deadline |
| Non-refundable | Non-refundable flag |
WARNING
OTA platforms (Booking.com, Airbnb) may have their own cancellation policy frameworks. The Channel Manager maps your policy as closely as possible, but the exact guest experience may vary by platform.
Non-refundable Rate
In addition to your main policy, you can offer a single non-refundable rate: a discounted price that can't be cancelled. Guests pay the full amount at booking in exchange for a lower price.
This rate is unified — the same offer applies to direct bookings and is synced to connected OTA channels as a separate non-refundable rate plan.
To enable it:
- Go to Listings → open your listing → Pricing tab
- Find the Non-refundable rate section
- Toggle it on and set the discount percentage
- Click Save
TIP
Non-refundable is the only discounted cancellation variant. There are no separate Moderate/Strict/Firm channel rate tiers — your single listing-level cancellation policy drives both direct bookings and the OTA base rate.
Choosing the Right Policy
- New hosts: Start with Moderate — it protects you while still being attractive to guests
- High-demand periods: Use Strict or Firm to minimize last-minute cancellations
- Low season: Consider a Flexible policy with a slightly higher price, or offer Non-refundable at a discount to lock in bookings
- OTA listings: Align your hejGuide policy with what you offer on Booking.com/Airbnb to avoid confusion
Processing Cancellations
When a guest cancels:
- Check the cancellation deadline against the policy
- Process the refund amount based on the policy rules
- Record the refund in the booking payments
- The dates become available again on your calendar
TIP
Even with a strict policy, you can choose to offer a partial refund as a goodwill gesture. The policy sets the minimum — you can always be more generous.
Related
- How Pricing Works — how pricing and policies interact
- Channel Manager — Synchronization — how policies sync to OTAs
- Refunds — processing cancellation refunds