Choosing a cancellation policy helps set clear expectations for tenants and determines what happens if they cancel a confirmed booking.
You can choose a cancellation policy when creating or editing a listing, and you can update it for all your listings at any time.
You can set a cancellation policy when creating or editing a listing. You can even change it for all your listings at once.
Choose the cancellation policy that suits your listing
You can choose from two cancellation policies, depending on what works best for your rental business:
Strict Cancellation Policy
Flexible Cancellation Policy
The cancellation policy you select determines whether a tenant is eligible for a refund if they cancel their booking.
When does a new cancellation policy take effect?
Any changes you make to your cancellation policy will only apply to new conversations started after the change. This means:
New conversations will display and follow your updated cancellation policy.
Existing conversations will continue to follow the cancellation policy that was in place when the conversation began, even if you update the policy later.
Strict Cancellation Policy
The Strict Cancellation Policy gives tenants a short period after booking to change their minds.
A tenant can receive a full refund of the first month's rent if they cancel within 24 hours of the booking confirmation.
After the first 24 hours, the first month's rent is generally non-refundable unless:
The tenant has a valid cancellation reason under our Terms and Conditions described in paragraph 15 of our Terms and Conditions, or
You agree to issue a refund. In this scenario, HousingAnywhere will provide a refund of the first month’s rent to the tenant, minus the commission we would charge you for this booking.
Refunds and payouts for listings with the Strict Cancellation Policy
Tenant Cancels | Refund to the tenant | Your Payout |
Within 24 hours of booking confirmation | 100% of the first month's rent | No payout |
More than 24 hours after booking confirmation | No refund | 100% of the first month's rent, minus the commission fee |
Cancellation requests submitted within the 48-hour move-in window are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and manually investigated by our Cancellation Team before a final decision is made.
Flexible Cancellation Policy
The Flexible Cancellation Policy gives tenants more flexibility to cancel before their move-in date. This cancellation policy can encourage tenants to book your place. When tenants have a clear idea of what to expect, it reduces surprises that can have a negative impact on their experience.
Refunds and payouts with the NEW Flexible Cancellation Policy (for conversations started on or after 15th July 2026)
Tenant Cancels | Refund to the tenant | Your Payout |
Within 24 hours of booking confirmation | 100% of the first month's rent | No payout |
31 days or more before the move-in date | 100% of the first month's rent | No payout |
Between 30 and 15 days before the move-in date | 50% of the first month's rent | 50% of the first month's rent, minus the commission fee |
14 days or less before the move-in date | No refund | 100% of the first month's rent, minus the commission fee |
Cancellation requests submitted within the 48-hour move-in window are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and manually investigated by our Cancellation Team before a final decision is made.
Refunds and payouts with the previous Flexible Cancellation Policy (for conversations started before 15th July 2026)
Tenant Cancels | Refund to the tenant | Your Payout |
Within 24 hours of booking confirmation | 100% of the first month's rent | No payout |
31 days or more before the move-in date | 100% of the first month's rent | No payout |
Between 30 and 8 days before the move-in date | 50% of the first month's rent | 50% of the first month's rent, minus the commission fee |
7 days or less before the move-in date | No refund | 100% of the first month's rent, minus the commission fee |
For avoidance of doubt: For any conversation that started before 15 July, the previous Flexible Cancellation Policy will continue to apply, even if the booking was confirmed on or after 15 July.
Cancellation requests submitted within the 48-hour move-in window are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and manually investigated by our Cancellation Team before a final decision is made.
What happens to the Tenant Protection Fee?
The Tenant Protection Fee does not apply to you as a landlord. This is a one-time booking fee that HousingAnywhere charges tenants for bookings of listings outside the Netherlands. The fee is calculated as a percentage of the first month's rent.
The Tenant Protection Fee covers:
Access to the HousingAnywhere platform and booking service.
Customer support for any booking-related questions or issues the tenant may have.
The fee is generally non-refundable. However, a tenant may be eligible for a refund if they cancel their booking and provide a valid reason during the cancellation process, in accordance with paragraph 15 of the HousingAnywhere Terms and Conditions.
Need to understand how tenants cancel or how you can cancel a booking as a landlord?
If you'd like to learn how the cancellation process works from a tenant's perspective, see one of the following articles: