A late cancellation leaves a meeting room empty for a time slot that another member could book. A booking cancellation policy charges the member a percentage of the booking price when they cancel at short notice. You decide how much notice is enough, in hours or in days.

A cancellation policy controls a booking only after you attach the policy to a resource rate. Each resource that uses that resource rate then follows the policy.

A cancellation policy charges a fee only through a resource rate. Create these items before you start:

A cancellation policy is a list of steps. Each step sets the cancellation fee for 1 period of notice before the booking starts.

The cancellation fee is a percentage of the booking price. For example, a 50% cancellation fee on a booking price of £40 charges the member £20.

Notice is the time between when a member cancels and when the booking starts. The first step covers the cancellations with the longest notice. Each later step covers cancellations closer to the start:

For example, a policy with these 3 steps charges more as the start time comes closer:

Each step that has a notice field also has a unit menu. In the unit menu, select Hours or Days. Each step has its own unit menu.

Use Days for long notice periods so you don't have to convert days to hours yourself. For example, select Days and enter 7 to require 1 week of notice.

Each policy holds 2 sets of steps. Active Member Conditions apply to members with an active membership. Non-Active Member Conditions apply to members without an active membership.

By default, the Same as Active Member Conditions checkbox is selected. With this checkbox selected, non-active members pay the same cancellation fees as active members.

A booking enters its cancellation window when its start time is close enough for a cancellation fee above 0% to apply. Members see a resource's cancellation fees when they book it.

Inside the cancellation window, a member cannot reschedule or shorten the booking on the Member Portal. Flex treats both changes as a partial cancellation. The member can still extend the booking and edit its guests, description, extras, and number of people.

A resource rate can charge a cancellation fee only after the policy exists. Create the policy and its steps for active members first.

To create a cancellation policy:

The steps now apply to active members. Choose the cancellation fees for non-active members before you save:

By default, non-active members pay the same cancellation fees as active members. For example, you can charge non-active members a higher cancellation fee for the same notice period.

In the Add Policy dialog:

The policy now exists, but no booking uses the policy yet.

To attach the policy to a resource rate:

Each resource that uses this resource rate now follows the policy. When a member cancels a booking for one of these resources, Flex calculates the cancellation fee based on the policy steps.

Learn how canceling or deleting a booking affects the cancellation fee →

These practices keep each cancellation fee predictable for members.

Can I set a cancellation notice period in days instead of hours?

You can set each cancellation notice period in days. In the unit menu next to the notice field, select Days. Each step of the policy has its own unit menu.

Can I let members cancel a booking for free?

You can let members cancel a booking for free when they give enough notice. Set the cancellation fee of the first step to 0%. The first step covers cancellations with at least the first step's notice period.

Can I charge non-active members different cancellation fees?

You can charge non-active members different cancellation fees in the same policy. Under Non-Active Member Conditions, clear the Same as Active Member Conditions checkbox. Then set the steps for non-active members.

Why did a member pay no cancellation fee?

A member pays no cancellation fee when the cancellation policy does not apply to that cancellation. The booking's resource rate may have no cancellation policy. An admin can cancel the booking and choose not to apply the policy. An admin can delete the booking. A deleted booking never applies a cancellation policy. The member can also cancel inside a step with a 0% cancellation fee.

Does the cancellation policy apply when an admin cancels a booking?

The cancellation policy applies to an admin cancellation only when the admin chooses to apply it. When an admin cancels a booking on the Admin Portal, Flex shows a cancellation summary. In the cancellation summary, the admin decides whether to apply the cancellation policy.

Can a member reschedule a booking inside the cancellation window?

A member cannot reschedule or shorten a booking inside its cancellation window. Flex treats both changes as a partial cancellation. To move the booking, the member must cancel it and book again. The cancellation fee then applies.

Can I edit a cancellation policy?

You can edit a cancellation policy on the page where you created it. Go to Settings > Calendar > Calendar & Bookings. Under Booking Cancellation Policies, select the policy.

Why do 2 meeting rooms have different cancellation fees?

Two meeting rooms have different cancellation fees when they use different resource rates. Each resource rate has its own cancellation policy.