Not every complaint is a major booking issue. The threshold is whether the guest can reasonably use what they paid for.
Situations that usually qualify
- The guest cannot access the booking. Nobody is there to check them in, the keys are unavailable, or the meeting point for an activity is unattended.
- The listing is materially different from its description. A different number of bedrooms, a missing feature the guest booked specifically for, or a different location entirely.
- The place is unsafe or unsanitary. No running water or power for an extended period, pest infestation, or a genuine safety hazard.
- The booking was cancelled by the host at the last moment, leaving the guest with nowhere to go.
- A rental is not roadworthy or not delivered, or an activity does not run at all.
Situations that usually do not qualify
- Minor discrepancies in a description, such as an activity running slightly shorter than advertised or a map pin being a little off
- Weather, unless it triggers an actual force majeure event
- A guest changing their mind, or the listing simply not being to their taste
- Issues the guest did not raise at the time and only mentioned after checkout
Why the distinction matters
Major booking issues can result in a refund to the guest even where the cancellation policy would not normally allow one, and can affect the host's payout. Ordinary dissatisfaction is handled through reviews and, where appropriate, goodwill from the host.
What Koobo needs
Whoever raises the issue should provide evidence: photographs with timestamps, messages showing what was agreed, and a clear account of what happened and when. Issues raised during the booking, while there is still a chance to fix them, are far easier to resolve than ones raised afterwards.
Report a problem to [email protected] as a guest, or [email protected] as a host.