How the marketplace works

Terms

Good terms should help users understand the real product contract: who is responsible for the stay, how payments move, what behavior is prohibited, and how disputes are handled.

What to do now

Use the right next step before the issue gets harder to untangle.

Bookings create commitments

Guests, hosts, and the platform each take on obligations once a reservation is confirmed.

Payments and refunds follow rules

Charges, payout timing, fees, and refund handling should be predictable before money moves.

Policies support trust

Terms work alongside reviews, safety policies, and anti-discrimination rules to keep the marketplace usable.

Recommended order

Three actions that keep the case clear.

  1. Review the sections tied most closely to your action: booking, hosting, payments, or disputes.
  2. Check how cancellations, prohibited conduct, and account enforcement are defined.
  3. If a real issue exists, pair the terms with the specific support path instead of reading them in isolation.
Guided reading

Practical guidance for this topic.

The terms every guest should understand before paying

Cancellation windows, fees, charge timing, and account responsibility are the basics.

The terms every host should understand before publishing

Fulfilment expectations, payouts, listing accuracy, and policy compliance matter most.

Why terms and support paths both matter

Terms explain the rule set; support paths explain what to do when a real case needs action.