Writing house rules and a cancellation policy
- Write rules as ‘please do this’ rather than ‘don't’, and say what happens if they're broken.
- A cancellation policy needs the date fees start, how date changes work and what happens if you cancel.
- Show the same wording in three places: the location page, the quote and the booking confirmation.
Most post-shoot disputes start with ‘we didn't know that rule existed’. Showing the rules early, in the same words, more than once is the surest prevention.
What house rules should cover
| Topic | Sample wording |
|---|---|
| Billable time | Time runs from arrival to departure, setup and wrap included; booked time is charged even if you finish early. |
| Shoes | Please wear clean shoes reserved for the shoot indoors and on the cyc. |
| Smoking | No smoking indoors; please use the marked area in the yard. |
| Putting back | Please return furniture and props to their places after the shoot. |
| Damage | Damage to the space or props is charged at cost. |
| Cleaning | The 30 minutes after each shoot are for cleaning and sanitising. |
| Sound | Please discuss shoots with sound recording before booking. |
| Scouting | Please arrange scouting visits in advance. |
Add conditions specific to your space: load-in limits (vehicle size, power), pets, fire, smoke or water. If there's a bathtub or basin, attach a condition such as ‘water by advance request’.
Two cancellation styles
A sliding scale raises the fee a little each day (for example 20% at 4 days, 40% at 3, 60% at 2, 80% the day before, 100% on the day). Guests accept it easily, and you still hear about late cancellations.
Bands split the period into a few blocks (for example full refund up to 7 days, 50% from 6 to 3 days, no cancellation from 2 days). Simple to explain, but hard on guests who have just passed a boundary. For the guest's view, see how to read a cancellation policy.
Every cancellation policy needs
- How days are counted — days before the shoot date, and from what time.
- Date changes — whether a change counts as cancelling, and how many free changes are allowed.
- Host cancellations — if you cancel (for example because of a facility fault), the guest gets a full refund.
- Force majeure and weather — how typhoons or heavy snow are handled.
- Refund method and timing — how and within how many days you refund.
Same words in three places
- The location page, so anyone can read it before booking
- The quote email, next to the price
- The booking confirmation, with the payment instructions
ROKE translates each listed host's rules into Korean, Japanese and English and sets them out under ‘House rules’ and ‘Cancellation’ on the location page.
Sample wording generalises the house rules published by places listed on ROKE. Taking bookings or payments online can bring obligations under Korea's e-commerce law, so have your terms and refund policy reviewed by a professional.
