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When a business cancels your booking

Sometimes things change on the business side. A restaurant has to close on a date you'd booked. A workshop gets archived because the host can no longer run it. An event is called off because of weather. When that happens, your booking is cancelled for you — you don't have to do anything, but you'll always know exactly what happened and any money you paid will come back to you.

Who is this for?

Customers with at least one upcoming booking. This page explains what to expect on the rare occasions when the business cancels you, and how to read the explanation they leave.

How you'll find out​

You'll get notified two ways at once:

  • In-app notification. A bell icon in the top navigation lights up. Tapping it opens the notification with the full message.
  • Email. A message arrives at the address you used to sign in, with the same explanation plus a link back to your booking detail.

We send both because schedules change at unpredictable times — you may not be online when the cancellation happens, but you should still know before you'd otherwise show up.

If the venue booked you in and you don't have an account

When you book by phone, by message, or at the door, staff enter the booking for you and record the email address you gave them. You'll get the cancellation email at that address with the same explanation — but no in-app notification and no link, because there's no account to sign in to. The email arrives in English.

Reply to the venue directly, or call them, if you want to rebook.

What the message contains​

Every cancellation message has three parts:

  • What changed. Plain language: "The event was cancelled," "The restaurant will be closed Saturday," "This service is no longer offered."
  • The owner's reason. A free-text explanation written by the business — for example, "Forecast shows heavy storms," "The chef is taking medical leave for two weeks," or "We're consolidating our menu."
  • What's happening with your money. If you paid anything (a deposit, a guarantee hold, a full event ticket), the message tells you the amount that's coming back to you.

The reason is shown verbatim — we don't edit or translate the business owner's words. If the message is in a language you don't read, the surrounding sentence ("Your booking was cancelled because:") will be in your selected language.

What happens to your money​

Most bookings on Furonto are protected by a guarantee hold, not a real charge. When the business cancels you, the hold is released and your card never gets charged. The released amount usually disappears from your statement within a few business days, depending on your card issuer.

If the business had charged your card already (for example, an event ticket paid up front, or a no-show fee captured against a previous visit), a full refund is issued to the same card. Refunds typically appear in 5–10 business days.

You'll see the refund status on your booking detail page in My bookings:

  • Refund processing — we've issued the refund to your provider; waiting for the bank to settle it.
  • Refunded — the refund is complete on our side and your provider's.

If the refund is stuck for more than 10 days, contact the business directly through their profile page — they may need to reissue from their dashboard.

Where the cancelled booking lives​

The booking doesn't disappear. It stays in My bookings with a Cancelled status pill so you can:

  • Re-read the owner's reason whenever you want.
  • See the refund amount and status.
  • Tap Book again to make a new booking at the same business — the form is pre-filled with your previous party size and notes.

If a service was archived (for example, the business removed "Sunday Brunch" from their menu), Book again will take you to the business profile to pick a different service.

When an event is rescheduled (not cancelled)​

If the business is moving the event to a new date instead of cancelling it, you'll get a different message — see When an event is rescheduled. You'll have a choice: keep your spot on the new date, or get a refund.

Frequently asked questions​

Can I cancel my own booking instead of waiting for the business?​

Yes — at any time before your booking starts, the Cancel button on your booking card lets you cancel yourself. The same refund rules apply (your guarantee hold is released, captured charges are refunded).

What if I disagree with the business's reason?​

The reason is what the business owner wrote — we don't validate or edit it. If you feel the cancellation isn't justified (for example, you've already arrived at the venue and were turned away), you can:

  • Reply to the cancellation email — it goes to the business directly.
  • Leave a review on the business profile so future customers see the pattern.
  • Contact us via the support link in the footer if you suspect abuse.

Will I lose my booking history?​

No. Cancelled bookings count toward your booking history just like completed ones. They appear in your stats on the home page and in any business's customer view of you (if applicable).

What if my refund doesn't show up?​

Refunds depend on your card issuer's processing time, not ours. Check your statement after 5 business days; if it's still missing after 10, see the booking detail page for the refund status. If our side says "Refunded" but your bank doesn't show it, contact the bank — we can't expedite their settlement.