Refunds and Cancellations

Plain-language summary. A taxi ride never costs anything to cancel. A rental is always free to cancel before the company confirms it, and free in good time after that; how long "good time" is depends on the company's choice, shown before you book. Money you paid a driver or company in cash is refunded by them. Money you paid Ryde by card (a taxi fare, a tip, or a rental reservation fee) is refunded by Ryde to the card you used.

1. Rides

1.1 Before a driver accepts: cancel for nothing. A request nobody accepts within 5 minutes ends by itself, and costs nothing.

1.2 After a driver accepts: you may cancel. Please tell the driver, who has started the trip to you. Ryde charges you no cancellation fee for rides.

1.3 If you are not at the pickup. Once the driver has arrived they wait at least 5 minutes, then may end the ride as a no-show. There is no fee for a no-show ride. It is recorded on your account.

1.4 If your driver goes quiet. If the driver's phone has not been heard from for some minutes after accepting, the app lets you cancel and find another taxi, at no cost.

1.5 A cash fare is paid to the driver and any refund comes from the driver. A card fare paid in the app is refunded by Ryde to the card you used, and so is a tip paid by card. A card hold on a cancelled ride is released. If a driver charged you wrongly, tell us with the ride details and we will take it up with the driver.

2. Rentals

2.1 A booking the company has not yet confirmed can always be cancelled for nothing. A request the company does not answer within 6 hours is declined automatically, and costs nothing.

2.2 Once the company has confirmed, cancelling is free until the free time of the company's choice runs out, and one day's rate for that vehicle after that:
(a) Flexible (Ryde's own rule, and every company's unless Ryde lets it choose another): free more than 24 hours before handover;
(b) Moderate: free more than 72 hours before handover;
(c) Strict: no free time once the company has confirmed.

2.3 An Instant book listing is confirmed the moment you book, so its free time starts then. The choice that applies to your booking is the one shown when you booked, even if the company changes it later.

2.4 No-show: one day's rate.

2.5 These amounts, and the company's choice, are shown on the booking screen before you commit. The fee is worked out on that vehicle's own daily rate.

2.6 If the company cancels or declines, you owe nothing. The app tells you, with the company's reason.

3. The reservation fee (card payment, once live)

3.1 When you pay online to hold a vehicle, you are charged Ryde's reservation fee, not the rental. The company collects the rest of the rental, any extras and any deposit in cash at handover.

3.2 The fee is what makes a company hold a vehicle for you. It is not refunded if you cancel, and the booking screen says so before you pay.

3.3 The fee is refunded in full if the company cancels or declines, cannot give you the vehicle you booked, or if Ryde cancels the booking.

3.4 The fee is not a deposit and does not reduce what you owe the company.

3.5 A refund of the fee goes to the card you paid with.

4. Deposits

4.1 A company may hold a refundable deposit (BZ

00.00 by default, or the company's own amount), in cash at handover, or, where Ryde lets companies choose, as a card swipe on the company's own card machine. The booking screen says which. Ryde never holds a deposit. The handover and return records in the app are the record of condition.

4.2 When the vehicle comes back, the deposit is settled line by line. Each amount the company keeps, such as hire still owed, its published late-return fee, missing fuel, new damage, or its published cleaning or smoking fees, is recorded in the app with its reason and shown on your receipt. The rest is returned to you: in cash, or for a card swipe by the company releasing or refunding it on its card machine.

4.3 If what you owe is more than the deposit, the app shows the difference, and you settle it with the company.

5. Extras and cover

5.1 Extras and cover are the company's own, paid to the company. If you paid for something the company did not provide, the company refunds it.

6. If something goes wrong with a vehicle

6.1 A vehicle that will not start, or breaks down through no fault of yours, is the company's to fix or replace. Call them first; the app can send them where you are.

6.2 If they cannot get you moving and you lose the use of the vehicle, you are entitled to a refund of the value of the time lost. If the company will not settle it, tell us.

7. No licence, no vehicle

7.1 A company must refuse handover to anyone without a valid licence that covers the vehicle (Terms of Service, 6.1). That refusal is not refunded, because it is the one condition you were told about on the booking screen, in the confirmation, and here.

8. Fines and damage

8.1 Traffic fines during your rental are yours, as is damage beyond fair wear and tear. They are charges, not refunds, and are settled between you and the company, with the app's records available to both.

9. How you get paid back

9.1 Money you paid a driver or company in cash is refunded by them, in cash. Ryde does not hold it and cannot return it.

9.2 If they will not refund what they owe you, email [email protected] or message WhatsApp +501 613 5737 with your receipt or booking number. We hold the record and will take it up with them. We cannot promise the outcome, but we will reply within 3 working days.

9.3 Money you paid Ryde by card (taxi fares, tips, rental reservation fees, tours and their booking fees) is refunded by Ryde to the card you used.

9.4 These rules do not limit any right you have under Belize consumer law that cannot be removed by agreement.

10. Tours

10.1 What comes back when a tour is cancelled or you do not come is set out in section 4 of the Tour Terms: everything if the operator declines or cancels, if you cancel before they confirm, or if you cancel a booking the operator moved; all but the booking fee if you paid in full and cancel before the operator's cut-off, which is 24 hours before the tour unless the tour page says longer.