Holiday accommodation cancellation policies guide

Even the most organised among us are booking summer holidays last minute this year, cautious about how coronavirus will impact local travel. What can help you feel more confident adding that trip to the cart is understanding accommodation cancellation policies.

Types of cancellation policies

When you book accommodation, you enter into a contract with your chosen provider which includes terms and conditions in relation to deposits, booking fees and cancellations.

Some example cancellation policies you might encounter include:

100 per cent refundable;

Free cancellation, or partial refund, by a certain date;

Flexible arrangements. For example, changing your booking dates;

Non-refundable.

On Airbnb for example, they have cancellations categorised by strict, medium and flexible, and you can filter your search accordingly. Cancellation fees would be considered excessive if they are anything beyond what your cancellation has reasonably cost the business.

How to COVID-proof your trip

Before committing to any accommodation booking, read through the provider’s terms and conditions. The conditions that are in place at the time you make the booking at the ones that apply to you.

For online bookings, terms and conditions should be easily available and identifiable.

Jump onto their COVID portal and check if you can visit without having to quarantine.

You could consider booking travel insurance at the same time as you book your accommodation, as some policies cover cancellations.

Who to call if you’re having a problem

If there are any disputes about cancellation, Mr Bird says it’s always best to try and resolve it with the provider first.

You can point to the relevant ACCC or Choice advice online with the relevant legislation.

If the terms and conditions changed after you made the booking, that is potentially an unfair contract.

If they don’t comply, you can escalate the complaint to your state-based consumer affair agency.