If a host cancels a shortlet you booked on Cabans, they must tell you why. You get back everything you paid for the stay, including the cleaning fee and the caution deposit, and you do not need to ask. Paystack’s payment fee is not refunded. The refund reaches you within 14 days at most, and usually in about 5 days.
A cancelled stay is stressful, especially close to your trip. This guide explains what happens to your booking and your money, and how to find another place quickly.
What happens when a host cancels
A host can cancel a booking that is confirmed, or still waiting for their answer. They can only do it before you arrive, and before the check-in time. After that, the cancel button is gone.
When a host cancels:
- They must give a reason. Cabans will not let a host cancel without writing one for you.
- Your stay page shows it. You see that the host cancelled, their reason, and that your money is being refunded.
- You get two emails. One says “Your booking at” the property “is cancelled”. The other says a refund of the amount “is on its way”.
- The nights go back on sale. The host’s calendar opens those dates to other guests.
Your stay moves to the “Past” tab in “My Stays”, under “Cancelled, declined and expired”. Its badge reads “Cancelled · refund on its way”.
A host’s cancellation adds no charge for you, and you can book again straight away.
Your refund
Here is what comes back to you when a host cancels:
| What you paid for | Refunded? |
|---|---|
| The nights | Yes, all of them |
| Cleaning fee | Yes |
| Caution deposit | Yes |
| Extra you paid for a date change | Yes, what you actually paid |
| Paystack’s processing fee | No: it is not refunded |
How it is sent. The Cabans team sends your refund to the card or account you paid with. You do not need to fill in a form or share bank details.
How long it takes. Refunds reach you within 14 days at most, and usually in about 5 days.
How to follow it.Open the stay in “My Stays”. “Refund on its way” means the money is owed to you and being sent. “Refunded” means it has gone, and you also see a “Reference” number.
If your stay says “Refunded” but you cannot see the money, check with your bank first, and give them the reference number. If it still has not arrived, contact the Cabans team with your booking number. The full process is in how refunds work.
Finding another stay fast
Your refund and your new booking are separate. If you can, book your new stay now rather than waiting for the refund, because the dates you need may go. Then work through these steps:
- Search the same area first. Try shortlets in Lekki, Victoria Island, Ikeja or Abuja, or wherever you were going.
- Look for “Instant booking”. Your stay is then confirmed as soon as you pay, with no waiting for a host to accept. There is no search filter for this yet, so open each listing and check its badge.
- Check the calendar. Green dates are free. Pick your check-in day, then your check-out day.
- Read the cancellation line.A stay booked close to check-in may say “No free cancellation”. That is fine if you are sure; just know it before you pay.
- Hold your first choice.Press “Reserve” and your dates are held for 30 minutes while you pay. You can hold up to 3 stays at once, but release the ones you do not need.
- Pay online.You pay securely through Paystack. Paystack’s processing fee is added, and you see it before you pay. That fee is not refunded.
The quickest place to start is shortlets you can book online. If you want to keep your options open this time, look at shortlets with free cancellation too.
Cancelled, declined or cancelled by you: the difference
Three things can end a booking before you arrive. Your money is treated differently in each:
| What happened | When it can happen | Your refund |
|---|---|---|
| The host cancels | Before you arrive and before check-in time | Nights, cleaning fee and caution deposit |
| The host declines, or does not answer in time | Before the host accepts your request | Nights, cleaning fee and caution deposit |
| You cancel before your deadline | Until the free-cancellation time shown before you paid | Nights, cleaning fee and caution deposit |
| You want to cancel after your deadline | Not possible | None: the booking can no longer be cancelled |
So a host’s change of plan never costs you the price of your stay. Only Paystack’s processing fee, which you paid on top, is not refunded. Your own change of plan is only free before your deadline, which is why it pays to note it when you book.
If a host declines instead
Some homes show “Host confirms” instead of “Instant booking”. There, you pay first and the host then has a set time to accept. The checkout page tells you how long. While you wait, your stay says “Waiting for the host”.
Three things can happen next:
- The host accepts. Your stay says “Confirmed”, and you get an email saying the host accepted.
- The host declines. Your stay says “Declined by the host”, and you get an email that your booking was declined.
- The host does not answer in time. The request is declined for you, and the email says your booking was “not accepted in time”.
If it is declined, you are refunded in the same way as a cancellation. A decline happens before the stay is confirmed, so the property’s full address was never shown to you. That is normal: the address appears only once a booking is confirmed.
While you wait for an answer on an important trip, keep a second option in mind. That way a decline costs you minutes, not your plans.
Avoiding it next time
You cannot stop every cancellation. You can make one much less likely, and much less painful:
- Choose “Instant booking” homes when timing matters. There is no wait and no chance of a decline.
- Book early for busy dates. You get more choice, and more time to rebook if anything changes. See when to book a shortlet.
- Answer your host. Reply to their messages, and tell them your arrival time.
- Check the home fits. Guests, dates and house rules that suit the home give a host no reason to change their mind.
- Pay through the booking, not by transfer. When you pay a stranger by bank transfer and they cancel, getting your money back can be hard. On Cabans, if a host cancels, the Cabans team sends your refund.
For more on paying safely, read how to pay for a shortlet safely and shortlet scam warning signs.
If something goes wrong on arrival day
A host cannot use the cancel button once you have arrived. If you reach the home and cannot get in, or it is not what was promised, do this:
- Message your host from your stay page with “Message your host”, and say exactly what is wrong.
- Take photos or a short video of the problem.
- If the host has handed over the keys, use “Report an issue” under “Stay services” so there is a record.
- If you get no answer, contact the Cabans team with your booking number.
Keep calm and keep everything in writing. It makes the problem much easier for everyone to sort out.
Hosting yourself? Cancelling on a guest is hard on them, so keep your calendar up to date. List your short let and close any dates you cannot host before guests book them.
Frequently asked questions
Can a host cancel my shortlet booking?
On Cabans, a host can cancel a booking before you arrive and before the check-in time. They must give a reason, and you see it on your stay page. You are refunded, and you do not need to ask for it.
Do I get all my money back if the host cancels?
You get back everything you paid for the stay: the nights, the cleaning fee and the caution deposit. If you paid extra for a date change, that comes back too. Paystack’s processing fee, which you paid on top, is not refunded. The refund goes to the card or account you paid with.
How long does a shortlet refund take?
Refunds reach you within 14 days at most, and usually in about 5 days. Your stay page shows “Refund on its way” until it is sent, then “Refunded” with a reference number.
Will the host tell me why they cancelled?
Yes. A host cannot cancel a booking on Cabans without giving a reason for the guest. It shows on your stay page next to the cancellation.
What is the difference between declined and cancelled?
A host declines a request before accepting it. A host cancels a booking that was already confirmed or waiting for their answer. Either way, you are refunded and the nights go back on sale.
Can a host cancel after I arrive?
Not through the cancel button: it only works before you arrive and before check-in time. If something goes wrong once you are there, message your host from your stay page and contact the Cabans team with your booking number.
Related guides
Problems during a stay: who to tell · When to book a shortlet · How to pay for a shortlet safely · Is a shortlet caution fee refundable? · How to book a shortlet in Lagos · Shortlet check-out checklist
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