When you book a space on Peerspace, providing detailed and accurate information isn't just a formality – it's essential for creating a successful experience. Your host needs comprehensive details about your event to properly prepare their space, ensure they have the right insurance coverage, comply with local regulations, and most importantly, help guarantee the safety of all parties involved. The information you provide directly impacts your host's ability to support your event and protect their property, their neighbors, and their business. Being thorough and honest from the start sets everyone up for success.
What is booking misrepresentation?
Booking misrepresentation happens when the actual details of your event are significantly different from what you told us and your Host during the booking process. Essentially, it's when you provide false or misleading information about your event that could change whether a host would approve your booking or affect the safety and appropriateness of your gathering.
Why does Peerspace have a zero-tolerance policy?
We take a hard line on misrepresentation because it puts our hosts, their properties, and our entire community at risk. When guests aren't honest about their events, it can lead to property damage, safety violations, legal headaches for hosts, and unfair use of someone's space. We've built our platform on trust, and misrepresentation breaks that fundamental agreement.
What does booking misrepresentation look like?
Let's get specific with some real-world examples we've encountered.
The Guest Count Surprise: You book for an intimate baby shower with 20 people, but 100 guests show up. Or maybe you say it's a small business meeting for 15 people when you're actually planning a birthday bash for 75. This isn't just a small miscalculation – it's a complete misrepresentation that can overwhelm a space and violate capacity limits.
The Event Switcheroo: You book as a "baby shower" but throw a loud birthday party with a DJ and dancing. Or you describe your gathering as a "business meeting" when it's actually a wedding reception. Another common one is claiming you need the space for a "photo shoot" when you're really hosting a large social event with catering and entertainment.
The Alcohol Bait-and-Switch: Your booking clearly states "no alcohol" but you serve drinks anyway. Hosts need to know about alcohol for insurance, liability, and legal reasons.
The Activity Flip: You book for a "quiet book club" but host a karaoke party with amplified music. Or you say you're holding a "yoga class" when you're actually throwing a dance party. The noise levels, equipment needs, and impact on neighbors are completely different.
The Time and Setup Stretch: You book for 3 hours but stay for 8, or you claim you need minimal setup but show up with extensive catering equipment, large decorations, or professional audio/visual gear that wasn't mentioned in your original booking.
The Audience Misrepresentation: You book an "adult networking event" but host a party for teenagers, or you claim it's a "family-friendly gathering" while planning adult content and alcohol service.
What happens if we find booking misrepresentation?
Here's where we don't mess around. If we discover that your booking involved material misrepresentation, your event gets cancelled immediately, your account will be suspended, and you won't receive any refund – period. The cancellation policy you agreed to when booking becomes completely void. We're not talking about getting some money back or partial refunds here; you lose everything you paid. In addition, any future booking attempts by you or anyone connected to you will also be cancelled without refund eligibility. We've learned that people who misrepresent once often try again, so we take preventive action.
How can you avoid this situation entirely?
The solution is refreshingly simple: be completely honest about everything. Describe your event type truthfully and include all the details about what you're planning. When you're filling out your booking details, include accurate guest counts that account for everyone who might show up, including vendors, staff, photographers, or anyone else involved in your event. We understand that you might be waiting on RSVPs - in that case, include the range of people that could attend, or the highest number possible.
If you're planning music, dancing, alcohol service, special equipment, or anything that might impact the space or neighbors, mention it upfront. When you're unsure about whether something should be disclosed, err on the side of sharing too much information rather than too little. Your host would much rather know everything upfront than be surprised on the day of your event.
Take time to carefully read through the host's requirements and house rules before booking. Make sure your planned event actually fits within their guidelines. If anything seems unclear or you're not sure if your event is appropriate for the space, reach out to the host directly with questions.
If any details about your event change after you've already booked, contact your host immediately to discuss the modifications. Hosts are generally understanding about legitimate changes when you communicate openly, but they can't work with you if they don't know what's happening.
Questions about your booking?
Remember, transparency protects everyone involved and helps ensure your event is successful. We want you to have an amazing experience using Peerspace, but that can only happen when everyone operates with honesty and mutual respect. If you have any concerns about your booking details or need clarification about what information to include, don't hesitate to reach out for guidance.