We do understand that hosts & guests can have a change in plan due to unforeseen circumstances. In that case, we want to be fair to all parties involved. There are specific rules for cancellation depending upon the type of booking it is (regular or instant) and the time of cancellation (vs scheduled trip time).
GUEST CANCELLATION
Guests may cancel their trip through our site or mobile app, and the cancellation is effective immediately. The total amount refunded will depend on when the guest cancels the trip,
If the guest cancels:
If within 1 hour of the booking request is accepted, then full refund is provided to the guest including processing fees.
If more than 72 hours from the scheduled pick up time, then full refund is provided to the guest including processing fees.
If less than 72 hours from the scheduled pick up time, then no refund is provided to the guest. 80% of the trip cost is provided to the host.
HOST CANCELLATION
When hosts rent out their car through Drive lah and have accepted the booking (or have instant booking turned on), it is assumed to be available for the guest. For this system to work, guests need to have confidence that their booking is firm and that they will not be left without transport if the host suddenly change their plans.
If hosts cancel a booking, then:
the guest will be annoyed and unlikely to book your car again
we may charge the host in order to help compensate the guest for the inconvenience and for finding alternative transport (up to $40)
The following fees apply to bookings cancelled by hosts, including where the host fails to make their car or key available for a booking, because he is e.g. unreachable at the time of handover. 80% of this fees is passed on to the guest to make up for the inconvenience.
For regular bookings:
If host cancels within 1 hour of accepting the booking request, then there will be no charge.
If host cancels more than 72 hours of the scheduled pick up time, then a penalty of $20 is levied on the host. 80% of the levy will be paid to the guest in the form of credits.
If host cancels within 72 hours from the scheduled pick up time, then a penalty of $40 is levied on the host. 80% of the levy will be paid to the guest in the form of credits.
If a host wishes to cancel a booked trip anyhow, they must notify the guest via on-site messaging as soon as possible, and process the cancellation through the Drive lah website or mobile app. The cancellation is effective immediately, and the guest receives a complete refund plus possible charges.
All additional payouts to the guest as a result of the host cancellations will be paid in the form of credits.
For instant booking trips:
1. If host cancels within 1 hour of booking request sent and automatically accepted, then no charges to the host. However, for instant bookings made after 10pm, the host has until 9am next day to cancel without costs.
If the cancellation happens more than 3 times* in any given month, then a penalty of $40 will be charged.
*Only if the trip starts less than 30 days from booking time.
2. If the host requests cancellation for a valid reason such as poor reviews of the guest, then they need to inform Drive lah within 12 hours of the booking being confirmed. Post this, Drive lah will take a decision on whether the cancellation fees will apply or not.
80% of the $40 charge will be paid to the guest in credits.
CANCELLATION BY Drive Lah
In some cases, Drive lah may need to cancel a trip after booking to protect our users against fraud or for trust and safety considerations. Drive lah will notify both hosts and guests in the event Drive lah must cancel a trip. Where Drive lah must cancel a trip, guests will receive a full refund and hosts are generally not eligible for earnings.
Please note that for exceptional circumstances, Drive lah reserves the right to allow certain cancellations without any penalty to the guest or host. These circumstances are purely at the discretion of Drive lah and are meant to protect interests of guests & hosts.