Total Eligible refund vs Total Refund

[Brian1693]

We booked a large house in France for a friends wedding with a few families.  Due to the Covid-19, 2 of the families have since decided they no longer wish to go.  I'm trying to cancel my reservation.  I see a "total eligible refund" of $736.98, and then 2 lines below a "total refund" of $0.00 

I'm confused, am I being refunded $736.98 or not?

Paid to date: $929.24

Nightly price
Partial refund
Original price$1449.64 CAD

Refunded price$724.80 CAD

Service fee
No refund
Original price$204.40 CAD

Refunded price$0.00 CAD

Taxes
Full refund
Refunded price

$12.18 CAD

Total eligible refund
$736.98 CAD
Balance due on reservation
(-$192.26 CAD)

Total refund
$0.00 CAD

[David6690]

I had the same thing, got in touch with the support staff and this clarified it for me
"If you paid half up front, then you will be refunded 0 -- as it is a Strict Cancellation policy and therefore you will be refunded 50%, i..e. you will not be making the second payment."

[Sarah977]

@Brian1693 Refunds are based on the total nightly price of your reservation. If you are due a 50% refund, but you only paid half-up-front, then you haven't paid the full price to start with, so you wouldn't get any actual refund. If you had paid the full price up front, you would see the refund being credited back to you.

The half-up-front option is just a convenience to guests so they don't have to come up with all the money for a reservation at once. It isn't really connected to the cancellation policy at all.

Joe books Happy Home for $100/night for 1 night. He pays for all of it when he books. He has to cancel and is due a $50 refund. He will get $50 credited back to his payment method.

You book Happy Home for $100/night for 1 night. You pay half-up-front, $50. You have to cancel and are due a $50 refund. But you only paid $50 to start with, so you don't get anything back.

Both you and Joe are out of pocket $50.