An Instant Booking listing is one where the landlord has set the listing to accept booking requests automatically. You still send a booking request with your payment details, but there is no wait for the landlord to review it: the request is accepted straight away and the booking is confirmed once your payment goes through. The payments, the cancellation policy and your protections are the same as for any other booking on Uniplaces.
What makes a listing Instant Booking?
Landlords who enable Instant Booking have chosen to accept booking requests automatically instead of reviewing each one. Any tenant who meets the listing requirements (for example, a student-only restriction shown on the listing page) and completes the booking request has it accepted immediately; the booking is confirmed as soon as the payment is successful and you receive the confirmation email.
Not all listings on Uniplaces are Instant Booking. Most follow the standard process, where the landlord reviews your request and has 48 hours to accept or decline it. Instant Booking listings are marked with a badge on the search results page.
How is Instant Booking different from a regular booking request?
The difference comes down to timing.
- Regular booking request — you send a request with your payment details; the landlord has 48 hours to respond. Your card is only charged if they accept.
- Instant Booking — you send the same request; it is accepted automatically, so your card is charged straight away and the booking is confirmed once the payment goes through.
For students with tight deadlines — an Erasmus acceptance letter arriving late, or a visa appointment coming up — Instant Booking removes the wait. If you’re searching in a competitive market like Barcelona or Rome, being able to secure a place immediately can make a real difference.
Because acceptance is automatic, two things happen the moment your payment goes through: the listing’s cancellation policy applies, and your 14-day statutory cooling-off right to cancel your agreement with Uniplaces (the agreement to use the Uniplaces service, not a booking) is lost. Check the listing carefully before you send the request.
What you pay — and to whom
Through Uniplaces, at checkout: your first rental payment, the Uniplaces service fee (a percentage of the first rental payment) and, where the listing has one, the holding deposit (an extra amount some listings charge to hold the room, passed on to the landlord). Uniplaces holds your first rental payment and transfers it to the landlord within two business days of the move-in date, once the 24-hour Safety Period has passed without a help request. The Safety Period is the 24 hours after your move-in date in which you can report to Uniplaces (a help request) that the property is not as listed.
Directly to your landlord, after confirmation: everything else stated on the listing — the security deposit, an admin fee, rent paid in advance and rent from the second month onwards. Uniplaces never processes these. Any payment to your landlord is legitimate as long as it is stated on the listing you booked and your booking is already confirmed. If it isn’t on the listing, or the amount is higher, contact Uniplaces support before paying.
Is Instant Booking safe?
Yes — the same protections apply to Instant Booking listings as to any other booking on Uniplaces:
- Once your booking is confirmed, the landlord is bound to offer the accommodation for the dates and price stated, in a condition not materially different from the listing.
- If the landlord cancels a confirmed booking, you are refunded in full — first rental payment, service fee and, where you paid one, the holding deposit — and the cancellation may result in restrictions on their account; the Uniplaces support team helps you find alternative accommodation.
- Your first rental payment is held by Uniplaces until after your move-in date.
- If you arrive and the property is materially different from the listing, inaccessible, or was not legally let, you can send a written claim to Uniplaces within 24 hours after the move-in date, with evidence and proof of ID. Uniplaces holds the payment while it reviews the case and releases it once the review is complete; the outcome is decided at Uniplaces’ discretion.
Fast acceptance doesn’t mean less protection. The UniTrust Guarantee — the Uniplaces best-price promise — also applies to Instant Booking: if you find the exact same listing cheaper on another platform within a week of booking, Uniplaces refunds the difference in rent. See What Is the UniTrust Guarantee? and What Is the Uniplaces 24-Hour Safety Period?
As with every listing, the information is provided by the landlord, and photos are a guide rather than an exact representation. Some listings carry the Checked badge, which means a member of the Uniplaces team has visited the place in person and confirmed that it is real and matches the photos — keeping the rest of the listing accurate is still the landlord’s responsibility. Read the full description, the Services and Expenses section and the rental conditions before you book.
How to filter for Instant Booking listings only
In the search results, look for the Instant Booking filter in the filter bar. Enabling it shows only listings where requests are accepted automatically. You can combine this filter with others — price, room type, bills included — to narrow your results further.
The Instant Booking badge also appears on each listing card in the search results, so you can spot them at a glance even without using the filter.
When to contact Uniplaces support
- Your payment went through but you have not received a confirmation email
- The landlord has cancelled your confirmed booking
- A landlord asks for a payment that isn’t on the listing you booked, or for more than the listed amount
- You need to cancel your booking
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel an Instant Booking after confirming?
Yes — the listing’s cancellation policy applies. Your first rental payment is refunded according to that policy (Flexible, Moderate, Strict or Non-refundable; Moderate applies if the landlord chose none), measured from the contract start date — not from the moment you booked. The service fee is never refunded when you cancel. Check the policy on the listing page before you send the request — on Instant Booking, the payment is taken as soon as you send it. See What Is the Uniplaces Cancellation Policy?
Why do some landlords choose Instant Booking?
Landlords who use Instant Booking typically want to fill their property quickly and are confident in the listing details. It also improves their response rate on Uniplaces, which tenants can filter for.
Is Instant Booking available in all cities?
Instant Booking listings are available across all cities where Uniplaces operates, but not every landlord in every city uses it. Availability varies — use the Instant Booking filter to see what’s currently available in your chosen city.
What happens if a landlord removes the Instant Booking option after I’ve booked?
Once your booking is confirmed, it stays confirmed regardless of any changes the landlord makes to their listing settings. The landlord is bound to the booking and your protections remain in place.