Trust and safety
Cancellation policy
Plans change. These cancellation rules exist so both sides — hosts and guests — are protected when a booking doesn’t work out. Here’s how it all works.
How cancellation works
Whoever cancels a booking pays the other party a cancellation fee. The fee compensates for blocked calendar time and the inconvenience of a last-minute change. Payment processing fees are non-refundable regardless of who cancels or why.
Paid booking cancellation fees
Cancellation fees are based on how far out you cancel from check-in. The fee is a percentage of the total booking cost (nightly rate x total nights).
More than 30 days
20% of total booking cost
7–30 days
40% of total booking cost
Less than 7 days
100% of total booking cost (no refund)
If a guest cancels, the fee goes to the host.
If a host cancels, the guest gets a full refund of everything they paid, plus the host pays the guest a cancellation fee on the same schedule above.
Swap and house sit cancellation fees
Swaps and house sits use flat fees instead of percentages. The person who cancels pays:
More than 30 days
$50
7–30 days
$100
Less than 7 days
$150
For swaps
When one side cancels, dates are released for both properties.
For house sits
If a sitter cancels, the host can file for documented last-minute pet care costs on top of the cancellation fee. If the pet needs emergency care that makes the sit impossible, both parties can cancel without penalty with proper documentation.
24-hour grace period
Changed your mind right after booking? You can cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund with no fee — as long as check-in is more than 7 days away.
Mutual cancellation
If both the host and guest agree to cancel, no fee applies and neither account is flagged. Both parties confirm through the app. Mutual cancellations don’t count toward your cancellation history.
What happens if you cancel
We don’t want anyone to feel locked in, but repeated cancellations affect other people’s plans. Here’s how we handle it:
First time
You’ll get a formal warning, the cancellation fee is charged, your account is flagged for review, and there’s a 7-day hold on new bookings.
Second time within 12 months
Your account is suspended pending a manual review. You’ll need to pay any outstanding fees before reinstatement.
After that
Consequences escalate and can include permanent removal from kommu.
Extenuating circumstances
Sometimes cancellations are genuinely out of your control. We get that.
What qualifies
Serious illness or injury (with medical documentation), death of an immediate family member, natural disaster affecting travel or the property, government-imposed travel restrictions.
What doesn’t qualify
Change of plans or schedule conflicts, personal preference or dissatisfaction with the listing, flight cancellations or non-binding travel advisories, work conflicts, relationship changes, inability to arrange childcare or pet care.
Trip modifications
Plans shift — here’s how changes work once a booking is confirmed.
Extending your stay
Both parties agree, the extension is processed through the app at the same nightly rate, and the 90-night maximum still applies.
Shortening your stay
The host keeps the full booking amount. No refund for unused nights unless the host agrees. For house sits, a sitter who leaves early is responsible for documented pet care costs.
Changing dates
If both sides agree, no cost. If you can’t agree, the standard cancellation policy applies.
