Cancellation & Refund Policy
Clear, transparent rules governing booking cancellations, escrow protection, dispute resolutions, and automated refunds processed via Adumo Online.
⚖️Consumer Protection Act & Escrow Summary
Under Section 17 of the South African Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, consumers are entitled to cancel advance bookings subject to a reasonable charge. SpacePlug holds your payment in an escrow holding account until you have arrived at the space and verified the booking, protecting your funds until services are delivered.
1. Statutory Cooling-Off & Booking Cancellations (CPA & ECTA)
In South African law, while Section 44 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act ("ECTA") provides a general 7-day cooling-off period for online purchases, transactions relating to accommodation, transport, and reserved space facilities for a specific date or period are specifically regulated by Section 17 of the Consumer Protection Act ("CPA").
Section 17 grants consumers the right to cancel advance reservations, bookings, or orders, provided that the supplier may impose a fair and reasonable cancellation fee taking into account the notice period provided and the reasonable likelihood of finding an alternative booking.
2. Standard Guest Cancellation Schedule
Unless an individual listing explicitly specifies a stricter non-refundable event policy, the following standard cancellation terms apply to all bookings:
| Notice Given Before Check-in | Refund to Guest | Cancellation Fee Retained |
|---|---|---|
| 48 hours or more before start time | 100% Full Refund | 0% (Full refund credited) |
| Between 24 and 48 hours before start time | 50% Partial Refund | 50% retained for Host reservation lock |
| Less than 24 hours or No-show | 0% (Non-refundable) | 100% retained (Host payout minus platform fee) |
3. Statutory Exemption: Hospitalization & Bereavement (CPA Section 17(5))
In strict compliance with Section 17(5) of the Consumer Protection Act, no cancellation charge will be imposed if a Guest is unable to honor the booking as a result of:
- The death of the consumer or an immediate family member; or
- The unexpected hospitalisation of the consumer.
In such circumstances, upon submission of reasonable documentary proof (medical admission certificate or death notice) to support@spaceplug.co.za, SpacePlug will issue a 100% full refund of all amounts paid.
4. Host Cancellations
If a Host cancels a confirmed reservation at any time prior to check-in:
- The Guest is entitled to an immediate 100% full refund of all amounts paid, including booking fees and service charges.
- Alternatively, the Guest may elect to apply 100% of the funds towards booking another available space on SpacePlug.
- Hosts who cancel without verified extenuating circumstances are subject to platform penalties and listing deranking.
5. Escrow Protection & Check-In Dispute Window
SpacePlug safeguards your transaction through our escrow mechanism:
- Check-in Verification: When you arrive at the space, you have a 2-hour inspection window from the scheduled start time.
- Material Deficiencies: If the space is inaccessible, locked, materially misstated (e.g. photos do not match, missing critical advertised equipment, unsafe premises), you must report the issue via your "My Bookings" portal or notify support immediately.
- Escrow Freeze: Lodging a dispute immediately freezes payout release to the Host.
- Resolution & Full Refund: SpacePlug will inspect the evidence provided (photos/videos). If the complaint is substantiated, the Host payout is cancelled and a 100% refund is returned to the Guest.
6. Refund Processing & Turnaround Times (Adumo Online Gateway)
All approved refunds are processed directly through our South African payment gateway partner, Adumo Online (Pty) Ltd:
- Method of Reimbursement: In terms of banking rules, refunds are reversed back to the identical payment method used during original checkout (original credit/debit card, Ozow bank account, or OTT voucher reissue).
- Turnaround Time: Once approved by SpacePlug, the gateway instruction is submitted within 24 hours. Depending on the cardholder's South African clearing bank (ABSA, FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Capitec, Discovery Bank, or Investec), the funds reflect in the cardholder's account within 5 to 10 South African banking business days.
- Confirmation: An automated confirmation email containing the Adumo Gateway Reversal Reference will be emailed to the registered user.
7. How to Initiate a Cancellation or Refund
To cancel a reservation or submit a refund request:
- Log in to your account and navigate to My Bookings.
- Select the relevant booking and click Cancel Booking.
- Specify the cancellation reason. If cancellation qualifies for full or partial refund under Section 2 or Section 3, the refund calculation is displayed immediately.
- For escalated disputes or medical claims, email our support team directly at refunds@spaceplug.co.za with your Booking Reference Number.