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Assume A has a partner named B. Last week both made an appointment to have
dinner (dating). For a certain reason, A cannot come for the appointment and
calls B by phone saying

> ・・・キャンセルさせてください。 Please make me cancel ...

## Question

A wants to cancel the appointment, but why does A ask B to make A cancel it as
if the source of problem is on B's side? I think A should say

> ・・・キャンセルしてください。 Please cancel ...
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grammar politeness
Why does the person who wants to cancel an appointment say キャンセルさせてください to his/her partner?
It works like "Please let me", so

> キャンセルさせてください = Please let me cancel [our appointment]

(It wouldn't be interpreted as "Please make me cancel [our appointment]".)

You could also say

> キャンセルしてください = Please cancel [our appointment]

but it is a lot more direct (and thus less polite).
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I want to expand @Earthliŋ's above very good answer, but it will not fit in a
comment so I place it here.

使役形 itself is not 謙譲語 or 丁寧語, but it softens a request and is often used
together with 謙譲語 or 丁寧語.

**謙譲語**

If you are asking politely to be allowed to use a toilet you could say

トイレを使わせて頂けませんか？（使役形＋謙譲語）

However, without 使役形, 謙譲語 would be unacceptable

_NG トイレを使って頂けませんか？（終止形＋謙譲語）_

**_丁寧語_**

A more direct way to ask to use the toilet by formulating with 使役形

トイレを使わせて下さい。 （使役形＋丁寧語）

However, with 丁寧語, 使役形 is not required as in:

トイレを使うことができますか？ （丁寧語）

トイレを使っても良いですか？ （丁寧語）

There are 使役形＋丁寧語 formulations which are not allowed as in:

_NG トイレを使わせますか？ （使役形＋丁寧語）_

_NG トイレを使わせることはできますか？ （使役形＋丁寧語）_

_NG トイレを使わせてもいいですか？ （使役形＋丁寧語）_
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