Extenuating Circumstances
Effective date: March 20, 2023
Overview
This Extenuating Circumstances Policy explains how cancellations are handled when unforeseen events beyond your control arise after booking and make it impracticable or illegal to complete your appointment. When this Policy allows for cancellation, it controls and takes precedence over the booking’s cancellation policy. Customers affected by an event covered by this Policy can cancel their booking and receive, depending on the circumstances, a cash refund, services voucher, and/or other consideration. Providers affected by an event covered by this policy can cancel without adverse consequences but, depending on the circumstances, their calendars may be blocked for the dates of the cancelled booking.
What events are covered
This Policy uses the term “Event” to refer to the following situations that occur after booking, are unforeseen at the time of booking and prevent or legally prohibit completion of the booking.
Changes to traffic requirements: Unexpected changes to traffic imposed by a governmental agency preventing travelling to the Listing location. This doesn’t cover lost or expired travel documents or other personal circumstances relating to a Customer’s authorisation to travel.
Declared emergencies: Government-declared local or national emergencies, epidemics, pandemics, and public health emergencies prohibiting travel to the Provider’s location.
Government travel restrictions: Travel restrictions imposed by a governmental agency that prevent or prohibit travelling to or returning from the Listing location. This does not include non-binding travel advisories and similar government guidance.
Military actions and other hostilities: Acts of war, hostilities, invasions, civil war, terrorism, explosions, bombings, rebellions, riots, insurrection, civil disorder, and civil unrest.
Natural disasters: Natural disasters, acts of God, and other severe and abnormal weather events. This does not include weather or natural conditions common enough to be foreseeable in that location – for example, hurricanes or heavy rainfalls occurring during a stormy season.
What is not covered
Everything else. This Policy only allows cancellations for the Events described above. Everything else is excluded. Examples of situations where this Policy does not allow cancellations include unexpected disease, illness, or injury; government obligations like jury duty, court appearances or military duty; travel advisories or other government guidance (that fall short of a travel ban or prohibition); cancellation or rescheduling of an event for which the booking was made; and transport disruptions unrelated to a covered Event like road closures. If you cancel a booking in these cases, the amount refunded will be determined by the cancellation policy that applies to the booking.
What to do next
If we notify you or publish information confirming that this Policy applies to your booking, please follow the cancellation instructions that we provide. When we have notified you or published information about how this Policy applies, you should have the option to cancel the affected booking. If you believe this Policy applies to your booking, but we have not notified you or published information about the Event, please contact us to cancel your booking. In all cases, you should be prepared to provide documentation that shows how the Event has affected you or your booking.
If you have questions, please contact us.
Other things to be aware of
This Policy applies to all bookings with an execution date on or after the effective date.