Help centre
Help for hosts
Everything about taking bookings, in the order of your week. New to hosting? Start with the Host Academy.
Getting bookable
Set up your home, prices, dates and rules so guests can book.
- How to make your short let bookable onlineSet your home as a "Short Let". Give it a night price. Then tick "Take bookings online".
- How to set night prices for busy days and seasonsYour listing price is your normal night price. You can set a different price for some dates, or for one day.
- How to offer longer-stay discounts and free nightsGive guests a discount, or a free night, for staying longer. They get the one that saves them more, never both.
- How to choose your free-cancellation timePick how long before check-in guests can cancel for free. After that time, they cannot cancel.
- How to set your booking rules and instant bookChoose how guests book. Set the shortest and longest stay, the most guests and how far ahead. Then say yes yourself, or let instant book do it.
- How to open, close and block datesAll days are open unless you close them. Pick the dates you cannot host, and block them.
- How to add house rules, arrival steps, door code and Wi-FiWrite your house rules and arrival steps once. Guests see them when their booking is confirmed. They see the codes only after you check them in.
- How to sell stay extras to your guestsAdd things guests can buy while they stay, like water or breakfast. Tick which homes sell them.
Requests and decisions
See your bookings and answer guests who are waiting.
- How to use your Bookings page"Bookings" shows every guest in tabs. New requests, arriving, staying, leaving and past.
- How to accept or decline a booking requestA guest has paid and is waiting. Press "Accept booking". Or press "Decline", and they get back what they paid for the stay.
- How to cancel a booking as a hostIf you truly cannot host, cancel before the guest arrives. Say why. The guest gets back what they paid for the stay.
Arrival and the stay
Welcome your guest and help them while they stay.
- How to hand over keys and check your guest inWhen your guest arrives, give them the keys. Then press "Approve check-in". Only then do they see the door code.
- How to answer guest requests and bill extrasGuests can ask you for things. Press "Start", then "Mark as done". If they used extras, send them a bill.
- How to approve or decline a stay extensionYour guest wants to stay longer. Press "Approve extension" or "Decline". The stay is longer once they pay.
Check-out and the caution deposit
Finish the stay and settle the caution deposit.
- How to confirm check-out and add condition photosWhen your guest leaves, check the home. Add photos if you like. Then press "Confirm check-out".
- How to release a caution deposit or raise a disputeIf all is fine, give the deposit back. If something was damaged, raise a dispute with proof. Our team decides.
- How to refund unused nights when a guest leaves earlyA guest left early? The nights they did not use are not refunded. You can choose to give them back.
Your team and money
Let your team help you, and see how payments, refunds and payouts work.
- How to let your team manage bookingsAdd your team. Give each person a role with the right permissions. Then they can look after bookings for you.
- How guest payments, refunds and payouts workThe guest pays us through Paystack. After the stay, we pay you. We keep a 5% commission.
- How to see your earnings and payoutsOpen "Earnings". It shows what each stay earned and what we pay you. We pay you 7 days after check-out, or sooner.
Emails you get
Look for these in your store’s inbox. Each one tells you what to do next.
| When | The email subject |
|---|---|
| WhenA guest paid and is waiting for you | The email subject"New booking request for [home name]" |
| WhenA guest paid for an instant booking | The email subject"New confirmed booking for [home name]" |
| WhenYou did not answer a request in time | The email subject"A booking request for [home name] lapsed" |
| WhenA paid booking was cancelled | The email subject"Booking cancelled: [home name]" |
| WhenA guest asks to change dates | The email subject"Date change request for [home name]" |
| WhenThe dates were changed | The email subject"Dates changed: [home name]" |
| WhenOur team confirmed a booking | The email subject"Confirmed booking for [home name]" |
| WhenA guest has arrived | The email subject"[guest name] has arrived at [home name]" |
| WhenA guest is leaving | The email subject"[guest name] is leaving [home name]" |
| WhenA guest asks for something | The email subject"[guest name] needs [what they need] at [home name]" |
| WhenA guest wants to stay longer | The email subject"A guest wants to extend their stay at [home name]" |
| WhenA guest paid for extra nights | The email subject"Stay extended: [home name]" |
| WhenExtra nights were not paid in time | The email subject"Extension not paid: [home name]" |
| WhenYour payout is due | The email subject"Your payout for [home name] is due" |
| WhenYour payout was sent | The email subject"Your payout for [home name] was paid" |
| WhenOur team sent you a further payment | The email subject"A further payment for [home name] was sent" |
| WhenA guest asks for the deposit back | The email subject"[guest name] asks for their caution deposit back (booking #[number])" |
| WhenA guest replied about the deposit | The email subject"[guest name] replied about the caution on booking #[number]" |
| WhenOur team decided a deposit dispute | The email subject"The caution dispute on booking #[number] has been decided" |
Booking emails go to your store’s email, the store owner, and up to 10 team members who manage bookings.
Questions people ask
Where do I start?
Read how to make your short let bookable online. New to hosting? The Host Academy teaches you one step at a time.
Do my listing changes go live at once?
Some do, some wait. Our team checks these first: price, times, caution deposit, discounts, free nights and cancellation time. Your calendar, booking rules, stay information and extras go live when you save.
Can guests book without me saying yes?
Only if you turn on "Instant book". If it is off, you accept or decline each paid request. See how to set your booking rules.
How long do I have to answer a request?
You have 24 hours (one day). Or pick 2, 6, 12, 48 or 72 hours, or 7 days. If you do not answer in time, the request is declined. The guest gets back what they paid for the stay.
How do guests pay?
Through Paystack, a payment company. They can pay by card, bank transfer or USSD. Paystack adds a small fee on top. The guest pays it, and sees it before paying.
How and when do I get paid?
We pay you for each stay 7 days (one week) after check-out. If the guest presses "Approve payment", we pay you sooner. The Cabans team sends it to your account. See how to see your earnings and payouts.
Does it cost anything to take bookings?
Cabans keeps a 5% commission on what each stay earns. That is ₦5 of every ₦100. Paystack’s fee is paid by the guest, so it never comes out of your money.
Who sends refunds to guests?
The Cabans team sends every refund and emails the guest. Refunds arrive within 14 days (two weeks), usually in about 5. Paystack’s fee is not refunded.
Can I make a booking non-refundable?
No. Every short let has a free-cancellation time. You choose how long before check-in it ends. See how to choose your free-cancellation time.
What if a guest leaves early?
The unused nights are not refunded, unless you choose to. See how to refund unused nights.
Can a guest stay longer?
Yes, if you say yes and the nights are free. The guest pays for the extra nights first. See how to approve a stay extension.
Can I charge more per guest or at weekends?
There is no price per guest. For busy days, set a special day price. Or set a price for a group of dates. See how to set night prices.
Can I connect another site’s calendar?
No. There is no calendar sync. If you get a booking somewhere else, block those dates here straight away.
Can I cancel a booking?
Yes, before the guest arrives and before the check-in time. You must give a reason. The guest gets back what they paid for the stay.
Do guests see my door code before they arrive?
No. They see it only after you approve their check-in. We never email it.
Can I keep the caution deposit if something is damaged?
Raise a dispute and show proof, like photos. Our team reads both sides and decides. Nothing is kept until they decide. See how to release or dispute the deposit.
How long can I see a guest’s ID?
You can open it until 30 days after check-out. We keep it for up to 6 years after the stay, as data laws require. Then it is deleted.
What is the smallest bill I can send a guest?
₦1,000 (one thousand naira). We cannot take a smaller payment.
Can my team help me?
Yes. In "Roles & Permissions", give each person a role with the right boxes ticked. See how to let your team manage bookings.
Ready to host?
Still stuck?
Tell us what happened. If you have a booking number, add it. Our team will help.
Contact us