1. What this policy covers
Peacoqs carries three very different kinds of transaction, and they have different rules. Long lets and sales are handled in sections 3 to 7. Short stays have their own published cancellation policy, set out in sections 8 to 10. Peacoqs's own products — premium listings, notification credits and maintenance subscriptions — are in sections 11 to 13.
2. Money we hold, and money we never see
Peacoqs is not an escrow service, and this determines what we can do for you:
- If you paid by card or transfer through the Peacoqs checkout, the payment was processed by Paystack or Flutterwave and we have a record of it. We can refund it under this policy.
- If you paid a landlord, agent or host directly — bank transfer to their account, or cash — that money never passed through Peacoqs. We can help you make contact and we will investigate a report of fraud, but we cannot refund money we never received. In practice most Nigerian rent is paid this way, so please check which applies to you before relying on this policy.
- Refunds are processed by hand today. We do not have automatic refunds, and any timescale in this policy is the time we take to act on a request, not an automated reversal.
- Where a refund is due, Peacoqs absorbs the payment-processing charge rather than deducting it. What the policy says you get back is what you get back.
3. Inspections and viewings
Scheduling an inspection through Peacoqs is free. We do not charge a viewing fee and we do not collect one on a lister's behalf, so there is nothing for us to refund if a viewing falls through — either side can cancel a requested or scheduled inspection at any time, at no cost. If an agent or lister asked you to pay them before a viewing and then did not show up, that payment never passed through Peacoqs and we cannot recover it. Tell us anyway, at support@peacoqs.com with the appointment reference: charging for viewings of property that is not available is a pattern we act on, and repeat offenders are removed.
4. Rental applications before payment
Submitting an application costs nothing. Either side can cancel a pending application with a reason at no charge. Nothing has been paid, so there is nothing to refund. Remember that applications are competitive: approving someone else's application will automatically close yours (Terms, section 8).
5. Cancelling an approved application before payment
If a landlord approves your application and you have not paid yet, you can still cancel free of charge. The landlord may also cancel at this stage, in which case the property goes back on the market.
6. After you have paid for a long let
Once rent, caution or move-in fees have been paid, what happens depends on how they were paid:
- Paid through Peacoqs, and the landlord cancels or the property turns out to be unavailable: you are refunded in full, including any fee we charged. Tell us at refunds@peacoqs.com and we will act within 5 working days.
- Paid through Peacoqs, and you cancel before you have moved in: we will contact the landlord and seek a refund on your behalf. What comes back is what the landlord agrees to release, less any charge they are contractually entitled to keep. We will tell you the outcome in writing. We do not guarantee a refund, because we are not the party holding the money.
- Paid through Peacoqs, and you have already moved in: rent already paid for a term you have begun is a matter under your tenancy agreement and the tenancy law of the state where the property is. Peacoqs cannot reverse it.
- Paid directly to the landlord or agent: this policy cannot help you recover it. Ask them in writing, keep the evidence, and report it to us at safety@peacoqs.com if you believe it was fraudulent.
7. Caution fees at the end of a tenancy
A caution fee is a deposit against damage and unpaid charges, held by the landlord. At the end of the tenancy the landlord should return it, less documented deductions, within the period your tenancy agreement specifies — commonly 14 to 30 days. Disputes can be raised with us at support@peacoqs.com and we will mediate, but we do not hold the money and we are not a substitute for a rent tribunal or a court.
8. Cancelling a short stay
Every shortlet listing runs one of three cancellation policies, chosen by the host and shown on the listing before you book. The tier is fixed at the moment you book: if a host changes their policy afterwards, your booking keeps the terms you agreed to. Two rules apply to all three tiers — the refundable security deposit always comes back in full, and the cleaning fee is refunded whenever you do not take up the stay, because the turnover never happened. The tiers are:
- Flexible — cancel more than 24 hours before check-in for a full refund of the accommodation charge. Cancel inside 24 hours and the first night is charged; every remaining night is refunded.
- Moderate — cancel more than 5 days before check-in for a full refund. Between 5 days and 24 hours, half the accommodation charge is refunded. Inside 24 hours, the accommodation charge is not refunded.
- Strict — a full refund only if you cancel within 48 hours of booking and at least 14 days before check-in. Otherwise, half the accommodation charge is refunded if you cancel at least 7 days before check-in, and none inside 7 days.
- In every tier, once the stay has started the accommodation charge and cleaning fee are not refundable. Talk to your host.
9. When a host cancels a short stay
If the host cancels your booking, you are refunded in full — accommodation, cleaning fee and security deposit — whatever tier the listing runs. The tier prices your flexibility, not the host's. Hosts who cancel confirmed bookings repeatedly may have their listings removed.
10. Security deposits on a short stay
A security deposit is held against damage, not against a change of plan, so a cancellation never consumes it. After check-out it is returned in full unless the host raises a documented damage claim, with evidence, within 14 days. If a claim is raised you will be told what it is for and given a chance to respond. Peacoqs will mediate; we do not adjudicate.
11. Premium listings
Premium placement is bought by the day and delivered immediately, so it is not refundable once it is live. If an outage on our side materially reduces the exposure you paid for, we will extend the boost by the time lost.
12. Notification credits
Credits are prepaid and non-refundable once bought, because they are spendable immediately. They do not expire. Credits are only ever debited when a message is actually accepted for delivery by the email or SMS provider; if a send fails at our end, the credits are returned to your balance automatically. In-app and push notifications never cost credits.
13. Maintenance subscriptions
Maintenance subscriptions are billed monthly. You can cancel at any time and the plan runs to the end of the period you have paid for. We do not pro-rate part months. If we fail to deliver a contracted service call within the agreed window, that call is credited back.
14. Failed or duplicate payments
If a payment is taken twice, fails after your account was debited, or is otherwise wrong, email refunds@peacoqs.com with the transaction reference. We will investigate with the gateway and refund verified errors in full within 7 working days of confirming them.
15. How refunds are paid
Refunds go back to the original payment method wherever the gateway allows it — card refunds typically arrive in 5 to 10 working days, transfer refunds in 3 to 5. Where the original method cannot be credited, we refund by bank transfer to an account in your name that you provide.
16. Disputes and chargebacks
If you think a charge is wrong, please contact us before raising a chargeback with your bank. We respond to refund requests within 2 working days. Raising a chargeback while a request is open may pause it until the bank's process concludes.
17. Contact
Refund requests and questions: refunds@peacoqs.com.
Questions?
Reach our team at refunds@peacoqs.com.