Refund Policy

1. Overview & Payment Protection

HireALocals connects travelers with independent local hosts for private guided experiences. To protect both travelers and local hosts, when online payment is completed through our authorized payment processor (Safepay), payments are processed securely. Local host payout occurs only after the booked experience has been completed and the booking and settlement are eligible for payout under HireALocals operations.

2. Refund Eligibility

A traveler may be eligible for a refund under the following circumstances:

• Host Cancellation or Non-Attendance: If a confirmed Local host cancels the booking prior to the scheduled start time or fails to provide the booked experience at the designated meeting point without prior mutual agreement, the traveler is entitled to a 100% refund of all amounts paid (including service price and HireALocals 12% platform fee). Where practical and mutually agreed between traveler and host, a free reschedule option may also be coordinated instead of a refund.
• Pending or Declined Booking Requests: When a traveler sends a booking request, no payment is processed until the local host explicitly reviews and confirms the booking. If a request is declined, cancelled before confirmation, or expires without host response, no charge is levied.
• Unpaid Booking Cancellation: Any booking that has not yet been paid can be cancelled at any time by the traveler directly from the booking dashboard without any cancellation charge or refund required.
• Mutual Cancellation Coordination: If the traveler and host mutually agree in writing (via in-app messages) to cancel a paid booking before the experience commences, the cancellation must be submitted to HireALocals Support for coordination. The refundable amount is reviewed and determined for that specific case, and any approved refund is then processed through the approved Safepay refund workflow.

3. Cancellation and Refund Coordination

Because local hosts allocate their personal time and decline other traveler inquiries once a booking is confirmed and paid, paid bookings cannot be cancelled via silent one-click self-service. All cancellations of paid bookings must be submitted through HireALocals Support (Contact & Support or email support@hirealocals.com) with the booking reference number. This ensures that:

• The local host is promptly notified so they can unblock their schedule.
• Platform booking ledgers and payment records remain strictly synchronized.
• Refunds are initiated through the official payment processor merchant channel.

Please review our complete Cancellation Policy for additional details on notice periods and host communications.

4. Payment Processing & Refund Method

All approved refunds are credited back directly to the original payment method utilized during checkout (via Safepay). For security and anti-fraud compliance, HireALocals does not issue cash refunds or redirect refunds to alternative third-party cards or accounts.

5. Refund Processing Time

Once a refund is approved by HireALocals, it will be submitted for processing through Safepay within 7–10 business days. After the refund has been submitted, the time for the amount to appear in the traveler's account may vary depending on the payment method, card issuer, bank, and applicable payment-network processing times.

6. Service Issues & Dispute Resolution

If a traveler encounters a substantial issue during an experience (such as material deviation from the confirmed itinerary, safety concerns, or unprofessional conduct), travelers are encouraged to notify HireALocals Support within 48 hours of the scheduled completion time. Reporting an issue within 48 hours helps HireALocals investigate and resolve the matter promptly while communication records and availability details are fresh. This 48-hour window serves as recommended guidance to enable timely investigation, rather than an automatic forfeiture of customer rights. Our support team will review the timeline, messaging history, and host feedback to reach a fair and objective resolution.

7. Exclusions

Refunds will not be issued for:

• Experiences successfully completed where no material issue was reported.
• Traveler failure to arrive at the agreed meeting point without notifying the host.
• Circumstances outside the control of the host (such as personal travel delays or weather conditions, unless mutually agreed to reschedule).

8. Contacting Support for a Refund

To request assistance or inquire about an existing refund, please contact:

HireALocals Support
Email: support@hirealocals.com
Contact Form: hirealocals.com/contact
Include your Booking Reference ID (e.g. Booking #123) in all correspondence.