Some homes on Flatio can be booked right away, without waiting for the host's decision. Here's how instant booking works, what you pay, and when.
What is instant booking and how does it work?
The article was updated on 29. 9. 2026.
Some homes on Flatio can be booked instantly. Instead of sending a booking request and waiting for the host to decide, you pay the first rent and the service fee, and your booking is confirmed right away.
How do I know a home can be booked instantly?
Listings with instant booking show an Instant booking label with a lightning icon – both in the search results and on the listing page, above the booking box. Homes without this label use the regular booking request, where the host has 24 hours to respond.
How does instant booking work?
- Fill in your booking details. Tell us who is moving in and check the dates of your stay.
- Pay the first rent and the service fee. You can pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Sign the rental agreement. As soon as your payment arrives, the home is reserved for you. The last step is to sign the agreement online and verify your identity.
The host doesn't approve or reject an instant booking – it is confirmed automatically once you pay.
What do I pay, and when?
Before your booking is confirmed, you pay the first rent and the service fee. There is no extra charge for paying online.
If the host asks for a refundable deposit, you don't pay it now. You pay it later, on your move-in day at the latest. The rest of the rent follows the payment schedule in your agreement.
Your money stays with Flatio until you move in. The host receives the first rent after your move-in day, as with every Flatio booking.
What happens after I pay?
You get a confirmation email with your booking details and a link to the rental agreement. The host is notified that the booking is confirmed and already paid.
One last step is left to complete your booking: sign the agreement online and verify your identity. You have 24 hours, but we recommend doing it right away – it only takes a few minutes. If you don't finish in time, the host can cancel the booking. You can read more about the signing deadline in this article.
Can I cancel an instant booking?
Yes. The rules are the same as for any other booking on Flatio – you can find all of them in How do refunds work?
- The first rent follows the cancelation policy of the listing – the earlier you cancel before your move-in day, the more you get back.
- The service fee is always refundable. If you cancel within 48 hours of your rental agreement becoming valid, you get it back as money. After that, you get a voucher for the same amount, valid for 12 months.
To cancel, contact our support team and we'll prepare the termination for you. We send the refund back to the card you paid with, in the same currency and the same amount you were charged – see this article for what your own bank may charge.
