Karsten Silz The new cancellation button: what holiday apartment hosts need to know
Since June 2026 the statutory cancellation button applies. For date-bound bookings you usually don't need it — and when it becomes mandatory anyway.
Since 19 June 2026 there is a new obligation in online commerce: the cancellation button. Many hosts ask themselves: do I now need one on my website too? The short answer: usually not for classic holiday apartment bookings. Why that is — and when things look different — is what we explain here.
This article explains the key points in plain language, without legal jargon and without claiming to be exhaustive. For specific legal questions please consult a lawyer.
What is the cancellation button?
The new rule on the cancellation button (§ 356a of the German Civil Code, BGB) requires: anyone who concludes a contract online with consumers that carries a statutory right of withdrawal must make cancellation just as easy with one click as concluding the contract. A clearly visible button or a link saying „Cancel contract“ then belongs on the website.
The good news for hosts
For renting out holiday apartments for a fixed date, there is no statutory right of withdrawal. This is set out in § 312g(2) no. 9 BGB: contracts for accommodation services for a specific date or period are exempt. No right of withdrawal means: no cancellation button needed.
Why does this exception apply?
The legislator regulated this deliberately. When a guest books an apartment for a specific date, you block that period for everyone else. If the guest withdrew from the booking at short notice, you would often be unable to re-let the apartment. That is why your cancellation terms apply here — not the statutory right of withdrawal.
When the button can still be mandatory
There are cases in which a right of withdrawal — and therefore the button — may be required:
- Vouchers: if you sell gift or value vouchers online.
- Packages without a fixed date: offers that are not tied to a specific period.
- Other types of contract: for offers that do not constitute classic short-term holiday apartment rental.
These offers have one thing in common: they are not tied to a fixed date — and therefore different rules apply that should be reviewed separately from a legal perspective.
What does this mean for my host website built with MeineFeWoSeite?
With MeineFeWoSeite you can only offer date-bound holiday apartment bookings. Vouchers, undated packages, or long-term rentals cannot be created on your website at all. The exceptions mentioned above therefore do not apply: on your host website built with MeineFeWoSeite, under the current legal situation, a cancellation button is generally not required.
In addition, with MeineFeWoSeite you confirm every booking enquiry yourself, and your cancellation terms are part of the booking process. This keeps you in control — and your guests know where they stand from the very beginning.
What you should do anyway: the notice in the booking process
Even though there is no right of withdrawal, you should inform your guests transparently about this during the booking process. Make it clear to your guests that there is no right of withdrawal. A proven notice in the booking process:
„For date-bound accommodation services there is no statutory right of withdrawal. Our cancellation terms apply.“
Summary
For date-bound holiday apartment bookings you do not need a cancellation button — and with MeineFeWoSeite you only offer this type of booking. It can look different if you additionally offer vouchers, undated packages, or other offers outside classic holiday apartment rental. In that case, a look with your lawyer helps.