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Website Policy 5 · Legal & Trust Center

Service Fee & VAT Policy

Global pricing architecture for stays, residency bookings, nonclinical services and hosted experiences — including how platform service fees are calculated, capped and taxed.

Effective date
August 30, 2026
Status
Proposed policy v1.0

This policy establishes the marketplace service fees charged when a reservation is confirmed. It separates housing transactions from nonclinical services and hosted experiences, applies taxes only where legally required, and protects long-stay senior residents through defined fee caps and fee-base limits.

Commercial principle: the price a senior or family sees should be understandable, comparable and complete. Mandatory charges are disclosed before checkout, taxes are itemized, and refundable deposits are excluded from percentage fees.

  • VAT, GST, sales tax, occupancy tax and similar charges are separate from the percentage rates unless local law requires tax-inclusive display.
  • Rates may change prospectively with advance notice. Confirmed reservations retain the fee terms shown at booking unless the reservation is modified.
1. Executive Pricing Decision
Booking typePaid by hostPaid by guestCore rule
Licensed senior-living stay / residency15.5% single fee0%Default; fee applies to the defined Booking Subtotal
Eligible independent housing — 1 to 29 nights3%12%Split fee; guest fee capped at 14.5% after permitted FX adjustment
Eligible independent housing — 30 to 89 nights3%8%Extended-stay guest discount
Eligible independent housing — 90+ nights3%5%Exception approval; resident affordability controls apply
Nonclinical service15%; minimum USD $6 equivalent0%Deducted from service-host payout
Hosted experience20%0%Deducted from experience-host payout
Regulated clinical / referral serviceNo percentage referral fee0%Fixed technology or subscription terms only after legal review
2. Core Definitions
TermDefinition
Booking SubtotalBase accommodation or residency charge plus mandatory provider fees shown at booking; excludes platform fees, government taxes and refundable deposits.
HostA verified housing provider, senior-living community, independent residence, service provider or experience provider offering inventory through the Platform.
GuestThe resident, traveler, family member or authorized payer making the reservation.
Single FeeA host-only platform fee deducted from host payout; the guest pays no separate platform service fee.
Split FeeA platform fee divided between the host and the guest.
Platform VATVAT, GST or service tax imposed on the Global Senior Living service fee itself.
Provider TaxVAT, sales, occupancy, tourism or similar tax on the underlying stay, service or experience.

Two pricing structures are available. Eligibility is controlled by provider type, integration method, jurisdiction and contract.

  • Fee-base exclusions: refundable security, damage or key deposits.
  • Government taxes and mandatory public assessments.
  • Separately billed, regulated clinical services and prescription products.
  • Insurance premiums, third-party financing charges and charitable contributions.
  • Amounts refunded, waived or credited before payout.

3.1 Split-fee structure

Designed for eligible independent 55+ housing, senior home-share, private residences and small operators that do not use enterprise property-management integrations.

Host service fee: 3% of Booking Subtotal, deducted from payout. Guest service fee: 12% for 1–29 nights, 8% for 30–89 nights, and 5% for 90+ nights with exception approval.

A cross-currency adjustment of up to +1.5 percentage points may apply when payer and listing currencies differ; the total guest fee may not exceed 14.5%.

Host and guest fees are computed on the same Booking Subtotal. Government taxes and platform VAT are not included in the percentage base, and the guest service fee is capped at USD $2,500 equivalent per reservation unless local policy requires a lower cap.

3.2 Guest service fee disclosure

The guest service fee funds marketplace search, secure payment processing, identity and provider verification, multilingual support, accessibility assistance, reservation servicing and dispute resolution.

Display rule: for short-term lodging offered to U.S. consumers, the first price shown must include all mandatory fees known and calculable at that time; taxes may be itemized separately. Global Senior Living applies the same all-in display standard worldwide.

3.3 Single-fee structure

The entire marketplace fee is deducted from the host payout and the guest pays no separate Global Senior Living service fee. Published default: 15.5% of Booking Subtotal, with a contracted range of 14%–16% where approved by Finance and Legal.

Mandatory for licensed senior-living communities, assisted living, memory care, CCRCs, senior resorts, hotels and serviced residences, and PMS/API-integrated providers.

For 90+ night residency bookings the fee applies to the first 90 nights or first three billing cycles unless an enterprise agreement states otherwise. A resident-protection cap of USD $4,500 equivalent per resident move-in applies unless a lower local cap or approved enterprise agreement applies.

Nonclinical service hosts pay 15% of the listed service price, with a minimum fee of USD $6 or local-currency equivalent, deducted from payout; the guest pays no separate platform service fee. The minimum does not apply when the calculated fee is reduced by a platform promotion.

Experience hosts pay 20% of the experience price across lifestyle and culture, wellness, learning and social categories, automatically deducted from payout.

Clinical carve-out: no percentage fee is charged that is tied to the referral, ordering or utilization of regulated healthcare services unless jurisdiction-specific counsel has approved the arrangement in writing. Permitted alternatives may include a fixed software subscription, flat listing fee, fair-market-value administrative services agreement or payment-processing fee not determined by referral volume or value.

Host payout = service or experience price − host service fee − platform VAT on the host fee − approved refunds and adjustments.

4. Service and Experience Host Fees
Eligible service examplesExcluded or restricted examples
Senior relocation and move managementSkilled nursing billed to Medicare, Medicaid or another government program
Housekeeping, laundry and home organizationPaid patient referrals or lead fees for designated health services
Meal preparation and grocery assistancePrescription, diagnostic or therapy services without local legal approval
Non-emergency private transport where lawfully offeredAny service requiring a licence the host has not verified
Technology setup, concierge and companionshipAny compensation tied to referral volume or value where prohibited

A jurisdiction-aware tax engine calculates platform VAT on the marketplace service fee, while Provider Tax is calculated separately on the underlying stay, service or experience when required.

Tax-base separation: a 12% VAT rate does not mean 12% of the entire booking is charged as platform VAT. Platform VAT is normally 12% of the applicable Global Senior Living service fee; the host may separately owe VAT or lodging tax on the underlying supply.

Platform VAT is applied by identifying the customer for the platform fee, determining place of supply and registration or reverse-charge status, calculating the fee and then the legally required rate, displaying VAT separately unless local law requires inclusive pricing, and adjusting fee and VAT when a reservation changes, is partially refunded or is cancelled.

Rates below are operating defaults for platform-fee tax configuration as of August 30, 2026. Taxability, registration thresholds, exemptions and place-of-supply rules still require local validation, and rates are not hard-coded into public policy text — the checkout tax engine controls the transaction-specific amount.

  • Global Senior Living collects and remits taxes only where legally required or where it has expressly agreed to do so.
  • Hosts remain responsible for taxes on their underlying accommodation, residency, service or experience unless the Platform confirms collection and remittance.
  • Guests and hosts must provide accurate billing address, tax residence and valid tax identification information.
5. VAT, GST and Indirect Tax
MarketPlatform-fee tax settingOperational note
Philippines12% VATDigital services fall within the Philippine VAT framework; validate B2B/B2C withholding and registration rules
United Arab Emirates5% VATApply subject to place-of-supply, registration and customer-status rules
Saudi Arabia15% VATApply where the standard rate and e-service rules require
Qatar0% launch setting — verify before go-liveActivate only after current local confirmation
United Kingdom20% standard VATCheck exemptions or special treatment for the underlying care or accommodation supply separately
European UnionCustomer-country rateUse destination rules and OSS where available; country rates vary
Canada5% GST / 13%, 14% or 15% HSTApply place-of-supply rules; provincial taxes may also apply
Australia10% GSTApply to taxable digital or platform supplies connected with Australia
United StatesNo federal VATConfigure state and local sales, lodging and marketplace taxes by jurisdiction

Illustrations use USD and a 12% platform VAT rate. Provider taxes on the underlying stay or service are excluded so the platform-fee calculation remains clear. Figures are examples only, not quotes.

6. Worked Fee Examples
ExampleCalculationAmount
A · Split-fee short stay — Booking SubtotalGiven$1,000.00
A · Host service fee (3%) and VAT on fee$30.00 + $3.60Host payout $966.40
A · Guest service fee (12%) and VAT on fee$120.00 + $14.40Guest total $1,134.40
B · Single-fee licensed community — Booking SubtotalGiven$2,500.00
B · Host single fee (15.5%) and VAT on fee$387.50 + $46.50Host payout $2,066.00
B · Guest platform service fee0%Guest total $2,500.00
C · Nonclinical service at $200$30.00 fee + $3.60 VATNet payout $166.40
C · Hosted experience at $100$20.00 fee + $2.40 VATNet payout $77.60
D · Long-stay cap — first 90 nights at $36,00015.5% would be $5,580Capped host fee $4,500 before VAT
7. Refunds, Changes and Collection
EventService-fee treatment
Host cancelsRefund guest-paid platform fees and related platform VAT in full; host penalties are handled under the Host Cancellation Policy
Guest cancels during full-refund periodRefund guest-paid service fee and related VAT in full
Guest cancels after full-refund periodService-fee refund follows the cancellation terms disclosed at booking; Provider Tax adjusts as required
Partial refund or price reductionRecalculate fees and VAT proportionately and issue adjustment documentation
Reservation extensionCharge the fee only on the incremental Booking Subtotal, subject to long-stay limits and caps
Chargeback or payment disputeThe Platform may hold payout and recover documented processing or loss amounts where permitted by contract and law
Currency conversionShow transaction currency, payout currency, exchange rate or conversion disclosure, and any permitted cross-currency adjustment
  • Display the total mandatory price before taxes as early as the first price presentation.
  • Provide an expandable breakdown showing base price, mandatory provider fees and platform service fee.
  • Show taxes separately with labels such as Platform VAT, Provider VAT, lodging tax or occupancy tax.
  • Identify refundable deposits separately and never include them in a percentage-fee base.
  • Before final payment, show host cancellation terms, refundability, payment schedule and total price in the payer’s currency.
8. Price Display and Checkout Standard
Customer-facing labelUse
Stay / residencyBase housing or accommodation amount
Provider feesOnly mandatory, host-set fees; each fee itemized
Global Senior Living service feeGuest portion only; omitted under the single-fee model
Platform VAT / GSTTax on the Global Senior Living service fee
Provider and lodging taxesTax on the underlying accommodation or service, as applicable
TotalFinal amount due for the scheduled payment
  • Finance owns rate tables, fee caps, reconciliation and revenue recognition.
  • Tax owns registration, place-of-supply logic, invoicing, remittance and rate maintenance.
  • Legal approves provider eligibility, consumer disclosures, fee changes and healthcare-service carve-outs.
  • Compliance verifies provider licensure and prevents percentage fees on restricted healthcare referrals.
  • Product maintains total-price display, consent capture, fee versioning and audit logs.
  • Customer Support uses the confirmed price breakdown and policy version when resolving disputes.
9. Governance and Approvals
Launch decisionOwnerStatus
Approve 15.5% licensed-provider single feeBoard / CEO / FinancePending
Approve split-fee eligibility and long-stay guest discountsFinance / ProductPending
Approve fee caps and first-90-night ruleBoard / FinancePending
Complete market-by-market indirect tax memoTax CounselPending
Approve clinical-service fixed-fee alternativesHealthcare CounselPending
Validate total-price display and refund noticesConsumer Counsel / ProductPending

Global Senior Living charges a service fee when a booking is confirmed. The fee supports secure payments, verified listings, multilingual assistance, accessibility support and reservation servicing, and your complete price breakdown is shown before you pay.

For guests: most licensed senior-living communities use the single-fee model, so guests pay no separate Global Senior Living service fee. Eligible independent housing may use a split fee; when a guest fee applies, the exact amount is shown before booking and is reduced for qualifying extended stays.

For housing hosts: licensed senior-living providers generally pay a 15.5% host-only service fee. Eligible independent housing hosts may pay a 3% host fee while the guest pays the disclosed guest portion. Fees are automatically deducted from payout.

For service and experience hosts: nonclinical service hosts generally pay 15%, subject to a USD $6 equivalent minimum, and experience hosts generally pay 20%. Regulated healthcare services are subject to separate fixed-fee and compliance terms.

Taxes: VAT, GST, sales tax or similar taxes may apply to our service fee and to the underlying stay or service. Applicable taxes are shown in the price breakdown, and tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and customer status.