Draft for internal review. This restates — word for word where it matters — the policy already in the Client Terms (§4–5, §7) and Artist Agreement (§5–6, §9), as its own linkable page so it can be shown at the moment it's actually relevant (checkout, a cancel button, a ghost report) instead of buried in a longer document. If the underlying policy ever changes, update it here and in both Terms documents — have counsel confirm whether it's better to keep these in sync manually or make this page the single source of truth that the Terms link to instead.

Charon

Ghosting & Cancellation Policy

Last updated: September 19, 2026

Applies to every booking made through Charon, for both Clients and Artists. See the Client Terms and Artist Agreement for the full picture.

1. Retainers Are Non-Refundable Once Paid

Once a Client pays their retainer, it's non-refundable if the Client cancels — for any reason, at any time — with one exception (Section 3 below). This compensates the Artist for the calendar time reserved, not a penalty. If the Artist cancels or declines instead, the Client gets a full refund, always.

2. Rescheduling Doesn't Count as Canceling

Either side can move a booking's date or time — that alone is never treated as backing out, by either the Client or the Artist. Clients may reschedule their own confirmed appointment once free, then for a $50 fee, then $100, with no further moves after that. Neither side can move a booking inside 72 hours of the appointment; at that point, the only option left is to cancel under Section 1.

3. Two Reschedules Unlocks a Refund

If an Artist reschedules the same booking twice, the Client may cancel at any point after that for a full refund, even if they'd otherwise be willing to move again.

4. What Counts as Ghosting

Missing a scheduled, paid appointment without contacting the other party — not a reschedule, not a same-day cancellation with notice — is what Charon treats as ghosting. Either side can report it. Charon reviews every report before taking any action; a report alone never automatically restricts an account, and the other side gets a chance to explain first.

5. What Happens After a Confirmed Ghost

If a Client is confirmed to have ghosted, they forfeit the retainer to the Artist and it's recorded against their account. Repeated confirmed incidents can restrict a Client's ability to book. If an Artist is confirmed to have ghosted a Client, the Client gets a full refund and it's a serious mark on the Artist's account — a first confirmed incident is a formal warning and manual review, a second can mean removal from Charon.

6. Disputed Reports Go to Manual Review

If the two sides disagree about what happened, nothing is automatically assumed. Charon reviews the actual record — booking timestamps, messages, payment and cancellation events — before deciding, and that decision can be revisited if new information comes up.