Cancellation and Refund Policy

1. Overview

Cancellation and refund terms are determined by the cancellation policy the Lister selects for each listing, which is recorded on the booking at the time of booking. The refund percentage applies to the rental amount charged at checkout (rental plus service fee); the security deposit hold is a separate authorization that is released (voided) upon cancellation regardless of the policy.

2. Cancellation by the Lister

If a Lister cancels a confirmed booking for any reason, the Renter receives a full refund of the rental amount charged at checkout, and the security deposit hold is released immediately. Listers are encouraged to keep their calendars accurate to avoid cancelling confirmed bookings.

3. Cancellation by the Renter

Renter-initiated cancellations are governed by the policy the Lister selected for the listing. Listers choose one of the following policies for each listing:

• Flexible (default): Full (100%) refund if the Renter cancels at least 24 hours before the rental start date with advance notice. No refund if cancelled within 24 hours of the start date.
• Strict: Full (100%) refund if the Renter cancels at least 72 hours (3 days) before the rental start date with advance notice. A 50% refund applies if the Renter cancels within 72 hours but more than 24 hours before the start date. No refund is issued if the Renter cancels within 24 hours of the start date.

If a Lister has not selected a policy, the Flexible policy applies by default. Refunds are processed to the Renter's original payment method and typically appear within 5-7 business days. Disputes regarding refunds should be directed to Rent Vibe support.

4. Late Return Fees

For non-housing rentals, the Lister may set a custom per-day late return fee when creating or editing a listing. If the Renter returns the item after the scheduled return (end) date, the Lister may record the actual return date through the Platform, and a late fee is calculated and added to the booking:

• If the Lister has set a custom per-day late fee, that exact amount is charged for each day the item is returned past the due date.
• If the Lister has not set a custom fee, no late fee applies.

Late return fees do not apply to housing rentals. Late fees may be collected through the direct damage charge process or deducted from the security deposit hold where one is in place. The per-day late fee in effect at the time of booking is recorded on the booking and applies regardless of later changes the Lister may make to the listing.

5. Booking Extensions

A Renter may request an extension of an active booking before the scheduled return date. Extensions are priced at the listing's per-day rate in effect at the time of the original booking, applied for each additional day requested. The Renter's existing security deposit hold (or damage waiver, if selected for housing) carries over to the extended period — no new deposit hold is placed. Extensions are subject to listing availability; if the requested extension dates overlap with another booking or a blocked date, the extension request will be denied. Payment for the extension is processed through Stripe at the time the extension is requested. If payment fails, no extension is applied and the original return date remains in effect. Late return fees apply if the item is not returned by the extended return date.

6. Refund Processing

Refunds are processed to the Renter's original payment method and typically appear within 5-7 business days. The security deposit hold (if any) is always released upon cancellation regardless of the refund policy, since it is an authorization hold rather than a charge. If you believe a refund was processed incorrectly, please contact Rent Vibe support through the Contact Us page.