What is the Cancellation Policy for Hosts?

We know that being a Host takes thoughtful planning and dedication, and we understand that sometimes, unexpected things happen that require a change of plans.

 

For Hosts needing to cancel a reservation, we are here to guide you through the process and ensure you have the clarity and support you need.

 

This article lays out our updated Host Cancellation Policy, covering important details such as:

• Updates to the Outdoorsy Host Cancellation Policies and how they affect Hosts 

• Updated Host decline reasons and system prompts designed to help manage listings

 

Our aim is to keep the booking experience smooth and positive for everyone. If you're a Host and need to cancel a reservation, here are the policies that will apply.

 

What is the Cancellation Policy and how are penalties determined?

The Host Cancellation Policy is simply a set of rules that determine whether a Host-initiated cancellation will accrue a penalty. Please note that penalties are determined by:

• The Cancellation category: Penalties are determined by the cancellation reason, which can be broadly classified as either Host-Fault or an Unavoidable Issue.

• Frequency: The number of Host-Fault or Unavoidable cancellations you make within a six-month rolling window also determines which penalty you will incur.

 

NOTE: Cancellations categorized as Guest-Related Issues (e.g., The Guest violated a policy) do not incur penalties as these are defined to be reasons outside a Host's control. 

 

What are the Host Cancellation categories and penalties?

Booking cancellations impact our Guests, so we categorize each cancellation reason. We do this primarily for record-keeping and to track common issues, allowing us to provide better support and improvements for both Hosts and Guests.

 

These categories also help us determine whether a cancellation will result in a penalty for the Host.

• Host-Fault Issues: These are cancellations with reasons where the Host is directly responsible.

• Unavoidable Issues: These are cancellations that are outside of the Host's control. 

• Guest-Related Issues: Reasons that are a result of the Guest's actions or provided information.

 

However, please note that only Host-Fault cancellation and Unavoidable Issues categories trigger actions on a Host's listing (Instant Book disablement, blocking of dates, etc.).

 

Host-Fault Cancellations and Penalties

Host-fault cancellations trigger the majority of penalties. To help you understand how these frequencies impact your account, we have provided the Host-Fault Cancellation Penalties table below.

 

Cancellation Count	Penalty Fee	Instant Book Restriction	Automated Review	Calendar Block	Email Warning
1st Cancellation	$50 deducted from next payout	None	No	Yes (Dates are blocked)	Yes (Email is sent to Host)
2nd Cancellation	$100 deducted from next payout	Disabled for 45 days (must be manually reactivated)	No	Yes (Dates are blocked)	Yes (Email is sent to Host)
3rd or Subsequent	$200 deducted from next payout	Disabled for 45 days (must be manually reactivated)	Yes (Public review is posted)	Yes (Dates are blocked)	Yes (Email is sent to Host)

 

Please note that Hosts also receive email communications for penalties triggered by a Host-Fault cancellation. Since we value transparency on the platform, for every penalty incurred, Hosts will receive a corresponding email notification.

 

Unavoidable Issues and Host Penalties

Unavoidable issues include reasons such as unexpected maintenance or accidents. While these do not incur tiered financial fees, the system takes specific actions to ensure your listing availability remains accurate. This also assists you in managing your calendar, preventing unexpected booking requests.

 

Cancellation Reason	Penalty Fee	Instant Book	Calendar Status
Unexpected Maintenance / Repair	None ($0)	Disabled	Blocked for the duration of the repair
Vehicle was in an Accident	None ($0)	Disabled	Blocked for the duration of the repair

 

What type of penalties can a Host incur?

Host cancellations may trigger various actions or penalties on your listing, including Instant Book restrictions, cancellation fees, automatic reviews, and blocked calendar dates.

 

The application of penalties depends on the specific scenario, the cancellation category, and the number of cancellations within a rolling six-month period.

 

To help you understand these actions and learn how to avoid them, we have prepared a detailed list of the possible consequences a Host may incur with their cancellations. Please refer to the sections below for more information.

 

Instant Book Restrictions

Depending on your Host-Fault cancellation reason, your listing's Instant Book can be disabled as a penalty. In case a second Host-Fault cancellation (e.g., I double-booked the vehicle, I need the vehicle for personal use) occurs within a rolling six-month window, the system will disable your Instant Book for 45 days. 

 

Following this period, Instant Book access will be made available to you again, provided that you manually reactivate the feature. Please note that this can be done easily via your Host dashboard.

 

Cancellation Fees

Unexpected cancellations do not always mean the Host will get penalized by fees. However, Host-Fault cancellations (e.g., double-booked, personal use) accrue cancellation fees, with amounts depending on the number of Host-Fault cancellations. Please note that the fee is based on the cancellation count in a rolling 6-month window, and not on proximity to the pickup date:

 

• 1st cancellation: $50 is deducted from the Host's next payout

• 2nd cancellation: $100 is deducted from the Host's next payout

• 3rd or subsequent cancellation: $200 is deducted from the Host's next payout

 

Automatic Booking Review

An automated review is a system-generated review on the booking posted to your listing when a 3rd or subsequent Host-Fault cancellation occurs in a rolling six-month window as a penalty.

 

We understand that sometimes, life happens, so please note that automated reviews:

• Do not affect your overall rating: this review will not contribute to your overall star rating, as it serves only as a record of the cancellation event.

• Are open to your responses: If you need to clarify anything about the cancellation, you can always respond directly to the automated review. This allows you to provide context to future Guests.

 

Blocked Calendar Dates

The blocking of a listing's calendar dates is performed by the system after either a:

• Host-Fault cancellation (e.g., I double-booked the vehicle, I need the vehicle for personal use)

• Unavoidable issue-related cancellation  (e.g., maintenance, accident)

The blocks get triggered for any reason that indicates the vehicle is unavailable due to an issue. This helps Hosts better manage their listings and avoid any duplicate inquiries or issues with requests coming in for the same dates.

 

We understand that your RV may sometimes be needed for personal use or simply needs maintenance, so we strongly suggest that you always keep your calendar and Instant Book settings up-to-date to make sure that all booking requests align with your current availability and rental preferences.

 

Do Hosts also get penalized for declining a booking request?

The short answer is NO, you will not be penalized for declining a booking request. We give Hosts full discretion over whether to accept a booking or not.

 

However, to help you manage your listing more effectively, we have updated our standardized decline reasons. Please note that selecting certain reasons may trigger automated prompts or system actions designed to help you update your settings and prevent similar requests in the future.

 

Please refer to the table below to learn more about the updated decline reasons and what each one means for you as a Host.

 

New Host Decline Reason	Action/Prompt for Host
I don't know enough about this Guest to allow them to book	No action required
The dates are unavailable	You will be asked by the system to update your listing calendar, in order to block requests that do not fit your availability
I'm not comfortable with a same-day/next-day request	You will be asked by the system to update your listing's availability block setting. This helps you avoid similar short-notice requests in the future
The requested pickup or drop-off times don't work	You will be prompted by the system to message the Guest about the times that work better
The Guest's trip details don't meet my requirements	No action required
Sub-option: Too many miles
Sub-option: Prohibited destination/event (e.g., festival)
Sub-option:  Towing not allowed
Sub-option: Boondocking not allowed
Sub-option:  Minimum Nights Not Met
The Guest's request violates my pet policy	No action required
I'm waiting for the Guest to respond to my questions	No action required

 

How does COVID-19 affect the Outdoorsy Cancellation Policy? 

To learn more about cancellation, check out our page on Outdoorsy’s Cancellation Policy.