Cancellation charge

Understanding Travelnest cancellation fees

If you’ve been charged a cancellation fee and are unsure why, this article explains the reasons and outlines common scenarios where fees may apply.

Cancellation fees

A flat cancellation fee of £160 applies to each cancelled booking (Excluding VAT, charged in your account’s currency). This fee is charged at the time you request the cancellation on your Travelnest account. Unlike other platforms, Travelnest does not pass on unpredictable relocation fees from booking websites to you.

Why is there a cancellation fee?

We introduced the flat cancellation fee in January to make our process clearer and more predictable for hosts. Previously, we charged an admin fee and passed on any platform-specific charges, which often varied and caused confusion.

The £160 (plus VAT) fee helps cover:

• Channel booking cancellation fees
• Non-refundable channel commission
• Channel guest relocation charges
• Card processing charges
• Admin time and support

We truly don’t want anyone to have to cancel a booking. But when it happens, this fee helps offset the unavoidable costs we incur.

Common situations explained

Cancellations outside of your control

Even if a cancellation is due to unforeseen circumstances, Travelnest still incurs direct costs from booking channels. Unfortunately, we’re unable to waive the fee in these situations. If there were no direct costs, we would not apply the fee.

I made an error or have a double booking

To avoid double bookings, we recommend listing your property exclusively through Travelnest.

If you’re still listed on other platforms:

• It is your responsibility to keep calendars synced across all platforms.

• Per your Travelnest agreement, Travelnest bookings take priority over direct bookings.

• You can contact the other platform to request cancellation or a waiver of their fees.

Even when the overlap was unintentional, Travelnest still faces direct costs, so the cancellation fee will apply.

The guest cancelled — why was I charged?

If a guest initiates a cancellation but indicates that the host requested it, the booking channel will classify it as a host-initiated cancellation. 

When this happens:

• Travelnest is charged by the platform.

• The host cancellation fee is therefore still applicable

• Unfortunately, this is outside our control. Booking channels base their charges on the reason, not just the action, and this is part of the agreement for listing on their platforms.

I cancelled my agreement — why am I being charged?

If you’ve chosen to leave Travelnest, please note that existing bookings still need to be honoured. Cancelling your agreement doesn’t remove this responsibility.

Sadly, if you’re unable to fulfil confirmed bookings, the cancellation fee will still apply to cover the direct costs we incur. This is outlined in your hosting agreement.

I sold my property, I can't honour these bookings? 

We’re sorry to hear you’ve sold your property. In this situation, Travelnest still incurs cancellation costs for any active bookings, so the fee will apply.

If you knew you might sell or stop renting, we recommend blocking your calendar in advance. Once bookings are confirmed, cancelling them always results in direct costs to Travelnest.

How can I avoid this fee?

While it’s not possible to completely avoid the fee once a cancellation is processed, there are steps that may help reduce the need for cancellation:

Try Alternative Solutions

• Contact the guest to see if they can reschedule.

• Offer an alternative property or dates if available.

Consider Short-Term Rental Insurance
While we can’t recommend specific providers, this type of insurance can offer valuable protection, helping to cover:

• Cancellation costs

• Property damage

• Loss of income

FAQ

If I cancel a booking straight away, will that help?
Unfortunately not. Booking platforms apply their charges immediately, even if you cancel right away. This is why we still need to apply the cancellation fee.

If I offer the guest an alternative, can I avoid the fee?
First, thank you for trying — 100% do always offer either alternative dates or properties if viable first. However, do note that if the guest rejects the options you offer, sadly, the booking platforms will still charge their costs, and we’ll be forced to apply our cancellation fee.

What if I can’t afford to pay the fee?
We understand that cancellations can be unexpected. Please reach out to our Customer Support team here, and they will do their best to discuss options that may help.