Reference
Cancellation
HauntStay sells two kinds of booking with different cancellation rules: experiences (tours, investigations and events) and overnight stays. For both, each host chooses one of HauntStay’s published cancellation levels for what they offer, and it is shown to you before you pay. It is fixed onto your booking when you book, so a later change to the listing does not change your refund.
Experiences: the four levels
Every one of these refers to the experience price — what the host charges, plus any equipment, kits or add-ons you chose. The service fee is separate and never comes back; it’s described below.
| Level | 7 or more days before | Under 7 days, 48 hours or more | Under 48 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flexible | Full | Full | Half |
| Moderate | Full | Half | None |
| Strict | Half | None | None |
| Non-refundable | None | None | None |
- Flexible
- Full refund of the experience price up to 48 hours before your visit, then 50%. If you cancel, the service fee is not refunded.
- Moderate
- Full refund of the experience price 7 or more days ahead, 50% inside 7 days, and no refund inside 48 hours. If you cancel, the service fee is not refunded.
- Strict
- 50% refund of the experience price 7 or more days ahead, and no refund inside 7 days. If you cancel, the service fee is not refunded.
- Non-refundable
- The experience price is not refunded if you cancel, at any point. If you cancel, the service fee is not refunded.
Most hosts leave this at Moderate, which is what applies if a host never changes it.
If the host cancels, or we do, you are refunded in full — the whole experience price and the service fee — whatever the date, including inside 48 hours, where the terms above would otherwise return nothing. Those terms cover cancellations you choose to make.
The service fee
HauntStay charges a service fee for bookings made through HauntStay. Your exact service fee is calculated for your booking and shown separately before you pay. The total on a listing is what you pay; underneath it the host’s own rate is shown separately, so you can see what each part costs before you go anywhere near a card.
The host receives their rate in full. The fee is ours, and it is the only thing HauntStay takes from the price.
If you cancel, the service fee is not refunded. A month ahead or an hour ahead, the fee stays with HauntStay. It pays for taking the payment, holding the date against everybody else who wanted it, and the messages either side of the visit — work that a cancellation uses more of, not less.
That rule is the same under all four levels, and it is separate from them: the levels decide what happens to the host’s price, and a generous one still does not return the fee.
If the host cancels
For an experience, you get the experience price and the equipment back in full — whatever level the listing was set to and however close to the date it happens. The host’s chosen terms govern your cancellation, not theirs.
The service fee is included in what you are owed back too. It is withheld when you call off a booking, not when one is called off on you — HauntStay absorbs it here rather than passing it to the host, who is usually cancelling because something went wrong with the building rather than with their intentions.
The same applies to a cancellation made by us, if we ever have to step in. For an overnight stay, the same rule means the nights, the cleaning fee, any extras and the service fee.
Moving your date instead
Booked the wrong date? Message the host — they can move your booking to another available night at no charge. Rescheduling costs nothing and does not count as a cancellation.
Two smaller things
Once it has started, it can’t be cancelled. After the start time has passed the option is gone, at any level.
You can never be refunded more than you paid. If you only paid a deposit, the percentage is worked out on the full experience price, and the refund is capped at what you paid, not counting the service fee.
Overnight stays
Stays use their own four levels, measured in days rather than hours. Each host chooses one for their listing; the level shown before you pay is fixed onto your booking, and a later change to the listing does not change it. A stay refund covers the nights, the cleaning fee and any extras you chose.
- Flexible
- Cancel at least 7 days before your check-in date for a full refund of the nights, cleaning fee and extras, or at least 48 hours before for 50% of them; after that, no refund. The service fee isn't returned when you cancel.Full refund if cancelled 7 days or more before the check-in date; 50% refund if cancelled 48 hours or more before the check-in date; otherwise none.
- Moderate
- Cancel at least 14 days before your check-in date for a full refund of the nights, cleaning fee and extras, or at least 7 days before for 50% of them; after that, no refund. The service fee isn't returned when you cancel.Full refund if cancelled 14 days or more before the check-in date; 50% refund if cancelled 7 days or more before the check-in date; otherwise none.
- Strict
- Cancel at least 30 days before your check-in date for 50% of the nights, cleaning fee and extras; after that, no refund. The service fee isn't returned when you cancel.50% refund if cancelled 30 days or more before the check-in date; otherwise none.
- Non-refundable
- Non-refundable: if you cancel, nothing is returned — not the nights, the cleaning fee, the extras or the service fee.No refund at any time.
- Days are counted to midnight at the start of your check-in date, in the property’s time zone.
- If you cancel, the service fee is not returned. If the host or HauntStay cancels, you are owed a full refund, including the service fee.
- A stay can be cancelled online only before your check-in date begins at the property. Once it is under way, contact HauntStay support.
- A refund that is due is started when the booking is cancelled and shown as in progress until our payment provider completes it. Card refunds can take several business days to appear.
- You are never refunded more than you paid.
Stays booked and paid for on HauntStay also carry the stay booking terms, which you accept before paying.
This page explains how the refund system behaves. It is a summary for reading; the agreement itself is the Terms of Service (and, for stays, the stay booking terms). Questions about a specific booking go to support@hauntstay.com.