How refunds work

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Open your stay in My Stays.

2. 2

   Step 2: Look at the badge on your stay.

   It tells you where your money is.

3. 3

   Step 3: Read "Refund on its way".

   It means we owe you the money. Our team will send it. We email you too.

   

4. 4

   Step 4: Give it up to 14 days (two weeks).

   Our messages say "Refunds reach you within 14 days, usually in about 5."

5. 5

   Step 5: Look for "Refunded".

   It means the money has been sent. You also see a "Reference" number.

When do I get money back?

• You cancel before the free-cancellation time.
• The host says no, or does not answer in time.
• The host cancels your booking.
• Your caution deposit comes back after your stay.
• Your new dates cost less than before.
• You left early, and your host paid back the nights you did not use.
• You paid twice by mistake.

How much do I get back?

When you cancel in time, you get all you paid for the stay. That means your nights, the cleaning fee and the caution deposit.

A caution deposit is money you pay in case something gets damaged. If your host disputes it, our team decides how much comes back.

What is never paid back?

Paystack’s fee. That is the small fee Paystack added on top when you paid.

Paystack is the company that takes payments for stays. Its fee stays with Paystack.

How is it sent?

A person in the Cabans team sends it by hand.

It goes back to the card or account you paid with.

Then they mark it as sent, with a reference number.

The emails we send

We do not send another email when the money is sent. Your stay page then says "Refunded".

• When you are owed money: "A refund of [amount] is on its way".
• When your host pays back unused nights: "A refund for your unused nights at [home name]".

Read next

• Changing or cancellingHow to cancel a bookingCancel before the free-cancellation time. You get back all you paid for the stay, deposit too.
• Leaving and your caution depositHow to get your caution deposit backAfter you leave, the host checks the home and gives the deposit back. If they have not after 14 days (two weeks), ask us.
• PayingWhat is the Paystack fee?Paystack takes your payment. It adds a small fee on top of the price. You see the fee before you pay.
• Leaving and your caution depositHow to check outBefore you go, press "I am leaving". Your host checks the home and finishes your stay.

More about changing or cancelling

• How to change your dates or number of guestsPick new dates. Small changes happen at once. Bigger changes need your host to say yes.