A major booking issue is a problem serious enough that you could not reasonably use what you paid for. Where one is established, a refund may be issued regardless of the cancellation policy.
What qualifies
- You could not access the booking at all: nobody to check you in, keys unavailable, an unattended meeting point for an activity.
- The listing was materially different from its description: a different location, a missing feature you booked specifically for, fewer rooms than advertised.
- The place was unsafe or unsanitary: no power or water for an extended period, pest infestation, a genuine safety hazard.
- A rental was not delivered or not roadworthy, or an activity did not run.
- The host cancelled at the last moment, leaving you stranded.
What does not qualify
Minor discrepancies, weather that falls short of a force majeure event, a place that simply was not to your taste, or problems you did not mention at the time and only raised afterwards.
Report it while it is happening
This matters more than anything else in this article. An issue raised during the booking can be verified, and often fixed. The same issue raised a week after checkout usually cannot be, because the evidence is gone and the host has already been paid.
What to do
- Message the host first, through Koobo. Many problems are solved within the hour once the host knows.
- Document it. Photographs and video with timestamps, showing the actual problem.
- Contact [email protected] if it is not resolved. Include your booking reference, what happened, and your evidence.
Keep it on the platform
Use Koobo messages rather than WhatsApp. We can see what was said on the platform and use it to support your case. We cannot see a private chat.
What happens next
We aim to respond within 5 business days and will work with both sides. Outcomes range from a partial refund to a full one, depending on what was established and how much of the booking you were able to use.