Abode-able bookings are for services rather than physical goods, so “returns” relate to cancelled or undelivered services. This policy explains when your 50% booking deposit is refunded, how cancellations and no-shows are treated, and how refunds are paid. It should be read together with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
1. 1. How deposits work
Every booking request requires a 50% deposit, paid securely through PayFast. The deposit reserves the vendor's time and is held until the service is completed.
The remaining balance is paid directly to the vendor on completion of the service, unless you have agreed otherwise in writing.
2. 2. Vendor declines or cancels
If a vendor declines your booking request or cancels a confirmed booking, your full deposit is refunded.
If a vendor repeatedly cancels confirmed bookings, we may suspend or remove their listing in line with our Terms of Service.
3. 3. Customer cancellation — 48 hours or more
Cancel at least 48 hours before the scheduled appointment and you receive a full refund of your deposit.
4. 4. Customer cancellation — under 48 hours
Cancellations made within 48 hours of the appointment receive a 50% refund of the deposit. The remainder compensates the vendor for the reserved time, which is difficult to rebook at short notice.
5. 4A. Rescheduling
You may reschedule a booking once free of charge, provided you do so at least 48 hours before the appointment. Each further reschedule costs R25, payable to Abode-able.
Bookings cannot be rescheduled within 48 hours of the appointment. The business must confirm the new time.
6. 4B. Abode-able service fee
Abode-able keeps a 10% service fee on each booking, deducted from the amount paid out to the business. Where a deposit is partly kept after a late cancellation, the 10% fee applies to the amount kept.
7. 5. No-shows
If you do not attend the appointment without notice, the deposit is non-refundable and is paid out to the vendor.
If the vendor does not arrive and cannot be reached, your deposit is refunded in full.
8. 6. Service not delivered as described
If a service was not delivered, or was materially different from what was listed, raise it with the vendor first using the contact details shared with your confirmed booking.
If you cannot resolve it within 7 days, submit a dispute through your Disputes page or email info@abode-able.org with your booking reference (AB-…), a description of the issue and any supporting evidence such as photographs or messages.
We acknowledge disputes within 2 business days and aim to resolve them within 10 business days. We may facilitate a re-booking or a full or partial refund, in line with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008. Nothing in this policy limits your rights under the CPA.
9. 7. Deposits during a dispute
While a dispute is open, the deposit for that booking is held and is not paid out to the vendor or refunded to you until the dispute is resolved.
If a dispute is not resolved within 30 days, we will release or refund the deposit based on the evidence available to us, and we will explain our decision to both parties.
10. 8. How refunds are paid
Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method via PayFast within 5–10 business days of approval.
We do not refund to a different account or payment method than the one used to pay the deposit.
11. 9. How to request a refund
Submit a dispute from your Disputes page, or email info@abode-able.org with your booking reference (AB-…) and the reason for your request.
You can follow the status of your dispute — Open, Under review, Resolved — on your Disputes page at any time.
12. 10. Contact
Email: info@abode-able.org.