Extenuating Circumstances Policy
Effective date: 05th January 2021
Overview
This Extenuating Circumstances Policy explains how cancellations are handled when unforeseen events beyond your control arise after booking and make it impracticable or illegal to complete your reservation. This Policy applies to reservations for accommodation.
When this Policy allows for cancellation, it controls and takes precedence over the reservation’s cancellation policy. Guests that are impacted by an event covered by this Policy can cancel their reservation and may receive, depending on the circumstances, a partial or full cash refund, travel credit, and/or other considerations based on the review of each case and recommendations by our specialized team.
Hosts that are impacted by an event covered by this Policy can cancel without adverse consequences, but, depending on the circumstances, their calendars may be blocked for the dates of the cancelled reservation.
All users, both hosts and guests, agree to absolve Homes & Cribs from any liabilities, damages or legal action when a reservation is cancelled according to this extenuating circumstances policy.
How it works
Below is a list of circumstances covered by our Extenuating Circumstances Policy. Before you cancel, check that your circumstance is included in the list below and that you can provide the required documentation where applicable.
It’s important to keep in mind that refund considerations are only available for extenuating circumstances that occur before or on the official check-in date and time for your reservation.
Our specialized team will review each case to confirm that you’re directly affected.
What events are covered
This Policy uses the term “Event” to refer to the following situations that occur after booking, are unforeseen at the time of booking, and prevent or legally prohibit completion of the reservation.
Changes to government travel requirements. Unexpected changes to visa or passport requirements imposed by a governmental agency that prevent travel to the destination. This doesn’t include lost or expired travel documents or other personal circumstances relating to a guest’s authorization to travel.
Declared emergencies and epidemics. Government declared local or national emergencies, epidemics, pandemics, and public health emergencies. This does not include diseases that are endemic or commonly associated with an area—for example, malaria in Thailand or dengue fever in Hawaii.
Government travel restrictions. Travel restrictions imposed by a governmental agency that prevent or prohibit traveling to, staying at, or returning from the Listing location. This does not include non-binding travel advisories and similar government guidance.
Military actions and other hostilities. Acts of war, hostilities, invasions, civil war, terrorism, explosions, bombings, rebellions, riots, insurrection, civil disorder, and civil unrest.
Natural disasters. Natural disasters, acts of God, large-scale outages of essential utilities, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other severe and abnormal weather events. This does not include weather or natural conditions that are common enough to be foreseeable in that location—for example, heavy rains occurring during rainy season.
Misrepresentation or false information about the hosts’ property. These may include posting false property details or offering to host a guest in a property other than the one listed and booked on Homes & Cribs occurring after a booking is made or on the check-in date / arrival of the guest.
Events that require documentation
Death of a host, guest, or their co-host, additional guest, immediate family member, or caregiver. You’ll be asked to provide one of these documents:
- Death certificate
- Obituary
- News article naming the deceased
- Police report
Unforeseen property damage, maintenance, and amenity issues to the Homes & Cribs listing that makes it unsafe to host guests, or that prevents guests from accessing basic amenities like running water. This doesn’t include planned renovations. You’ll be asked to provide all of the following documents:
- Proof that the issue is being fixed
- An estimate of when it will be fixed
- An invoice for the repairs being done
- Photos of the damage
What is not covered
Everything else. This Policy only allows for cancellations for the Events described above. Everything else is excluded. Examples of situations that this Policy does not allow cancellations for include: unexpected disease, illness, or injury; government obligations like jury duty, court appearances or military duties; travel advisories or other government guidance (that fall short of a travel ban or prohibition); cancellation or rescheduling of an event for which the reservation was made; and transportation disruptions unrelated to a covered Event like road closures, as well as flight, train, bus and ferry cancellations or rescheduling. If you cancel a reservation in these cases, the amount refunded will be determined by the cancellation policy that applies to the reservation.
What to do next
If we notify you or publish information confirming that this Policy applies to your reservation, please follow the cancellation instructions that we provide. When we have notified you or published information about how this Policy applies, you should have the option to cancel under this Policy by going to your Reservations page and canceling the impacted reservation. If you believe this Policy applies to your reservation, but we have not notified you or published information about the Event, please contact us to cancel your reservation or follow the cancellation instructions that we provide. In all cases, you should be prepared to provide documentation that shows how the Event has impacted you or your reservation.
If you have questions, please contact us.
Other things to be aware of
This Policy applies to all reservations with a check-in date on or after the effective or updated date.