According to British Columbia Lodging & Campgrounds Association (BCLCA), emergencies in B.C (Canada) such as the COVID-19 pandemic, flooding, and wildfires have increased cancellation requests made by members’ guests.
To address this, BCLCA tied up with legal firm Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP to put together a bulletin on cancellation policies.
As per the BCLCA’s newsletter, a solid cancellation policy and proper implementation can give members the advantage in responding to cancellation requests.
Inability to formulate or enforce strict policies could lead to guests having a legal right to cancel the agreement and receive a refund or result in disagreements, legal disputes, and unhappy guests.
Additionally, the British Columbia Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act (BPCPA) imposes diverse requirements on businesses.
In certain instances, BPCPA could give guests the option of canceling a booking and receiving a refund regardless of whether the member’s cancellation policy does not allow it.
The bulletin’s purpose is to give general information to members about the cancellation policies within British Columbia and provide guidelines regarding the best practices for their implementation.
For more information about the bulletin, click here.