Koobo asks hosts and guests to communicate through the platform's messaging rather than moving to WhatsApp, Messenger or personal email. There are two reasons, and both work in your favour.
It creates a record
If a booking goes wrong, the messages are the evidence. What was agreed about check-in time, what condition the scooter was in, whether a guest flagged a problem during the stay or only afterwards. Koobo can see conversations that happened on the platform. We cannot see what was said in a private chat, which means we cannot use it to support your position.
Hosts who keep everything on Koobo consistently do better in disputes, simply because they can prove what was said.
It protects both sides from fraud
Off-platform conversations are where scams happen: fake booking confirmations, requests for deposits by direct transfer, guests or hosts who are not who they say they are. Payments made outside Koobo carry no protection and cannot be traced or recovered by us.
Bookings must stay on the platform
Beyond safety, this is a term of hosting. Any booking that originated through Koobo must be completed and paid for through Koobo. Hosts must not:
- ask a guest to cancel and rebook directly
- share contact or payment details in order to complete a booking elsewhere
- offer a better rate for booking off-platform
- request deposits or transfers outside Koobo
This applies to guests who have already booked, guests who enquired but have not yet booked, and repeat guests who originally found you through Koobo.
What happens if it is breached
Koobo may charge the commission that would have applied to the booking, plus a non-circumvention fee of up to 100% of that commission, recovered from future payouts, a stored payment method, or by invoice. Listings and accounts may also be suspended or removed.
What you can share freely
Once a booking is confirmed, practical details such as the address, directions, gate codes and arrival instructions are exactly what messaging is for.