Hospitable’s built-in security deposits feature helps hosts protect their properties by automating the collection, management, and release of deposits for Direct Premium, Airbnb & Booking.com reservations. This removes the need for third-party tools and ensures a smooth experience for both hosts and guests.
What is a security deposit?.
A security deposit is an amount of money collected from a guest before check-in to cover issues such as:
Accidental or intentional damage
Missing or stolen items
Excessive cleaning required after check-out
Other violations of stated house rules, including late check-out and unauthorized parties
If no issues occur during the stay, the deposit is released automatically after check-out.
How to set a deposit amount
Go to Properties
Select the property you want to add a deposit to
Go to Pricing > Security deposits > Hospitable automatic deposits
Enter the amount you'd like to collect between $100-$5000
Ensure your payout method is verified by navigating to Settings > Payout and completing the verification process.
Note: The security deposit feature is currently only supported in USD, GBP, and AUD. More currencies are planned!
Keep Your Guests Informed
To help avoid confusion and ensure transparency, we strongly recommend updating your listing description and rental agreement to reflect your security deposit policy. Include:
The deposit amount
When it will be collected and released
That Hospitable securely processes the deposit
How does it work?
Deposits are collected automatically 2 days before check-in
This collection might be a hold or a charge (depending on the card, vendor, and network).
Deposits are released automatically 2 days after check-out (if no charge request is submitted)
Hospitable handles all guest communication:
Guests see the deposit amount and collection dates during the booking flow
Deposit details are shown in the guest portal
Guests receive a reminder email 1 day before the deposit is collected
Pre-check-in messages are withheld until the guest has provided their payment information for the deposit
Hosts can submit a charge request from the Inbox if there’s an issue
Hosts can track the deposit status in the Inbox, including:
Deposit amount
Scheduled collection and release dates
Real-time status: Pending, Scheduled, Secured, or Released
What do the deposit statuses in the Inbox mean?
Here’s what each status means:
Pending: We’re waiting for the reservation to be accepted. A deposit cannot be placed until this step is completed.
Scheduled: Payment details have been provided. We’ll automatically attempt to place the deposit 2 days before check-in.
Secured: The deposit was successfully secured. You can submit a charge request at any point.
Released: The deposit has been released (either fully or partially), 2 days after check-out.
How to disable security deposits?
For specific properties:
To disable security deposits globally for future bookings:
Navigate to Properties > Pricing > Security Deposits on your Hospitable.com dashboard.
Change the security deposit settings to 'Leave my booking unsecured.'
Save your changes.
To apply changes across multiple properties, use the property selector in the top-right menu and update each property's security deposit settings. This process ensures deposit collection is turned off for all new reservations across the selected properties.
For existing reservations:
This applies only to existing reservations without affecting future policies.
How to waive:
Go to the Inbox thread for the reservation
Click “Remove Deposit”
The deposit will be waived for that specific reservation only
This feature allows you to maintain standard deposit policies while providing flexibility to waive deposits for specific reservations when necessary, ensuring seamless exception handling without altering future booking settings.
Who can use this feature?
This feature is currently available for Direct Premium, Airbnb & Booking.com reservations for all host, pro & mogul users, or users on Direct Premium. For Direct Basic, hosts can set a manual deposit amount shown to guests, but authorization holds require an external setup via Stripe. Note that this feature is not supported for manual reservations. It applies to new reservations only - it does not affect existing bookings.
What are the benefits of Hospitable security deposits?
Chargeback protection - because Hospitable handles the payment processing, we help safeguard you from disputes or reversals
Host control over funds - there’s no lengthy claims process or third-party approval; you retain direct access to the funds and can submit a charge when needed
No third-party tools required - everything happens within Hospitable
Guests are automatically informed - no need to manually message or follow up
Check-in messages are restricted until the guest has completed the guest portal task and provided their payment information for the deposit
Now with per-reservation flexibility – Waive deposits from the Inbox when needed
What does it cost?
A processing fee equal to 2% of the deposit amount is charged for every reservation where a deposit is secured. This fee will be added to your monthly subscription invoice. Many hosts choose to offset this cost by increasing the cleaning fee by the same amount. For example, a $500 deposit results in a $10 fee, so a $10 increase to your cleaning fee covers the cost.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you encounter issues with collecting deposits, ensure your bank account is verified:
Navigate to Settings > Payments & payouts > Bank accounts.
Complete the bank account verification process. Once verified, deposits for future reservations will be collected per your setup.