Creating security deposit policies
Deposits are used to cover any damage guests accidentally or willfully cause during their stay. Read here how to create a security deposit policy.
How to create security deposit policies
In the Setup module, all the way at the bottom of the menu, you'll find the 'security deposit policies' page. Hier, you can create one or more deposit policies.
Please note: you can only specify one deposit amount for each deposit policy. If you want to work with multiple deposit amounts, you have to create multiple deposit policies and make them applicable to specific object types and/or channels.
The internal name is how you differentiate between multiple security deposit policies. The name is what is put on the guest invoice.
With the type and channel applicability settings you can ensure this deposit policy is only valid for certain object types or channels.
Specify the deposit amount, and set when you want the guest to pay this deposit.
Then, you indicate how many days after check-out the deposit should be released for repayment to the guest. If any damage is reported before this time, the release is blocked. If you work with BEX Payments, the refund payment itself can also be automated, after it has been released.
If the security deposit policy needs to be valid for a certain period of time then you can create a period group for this purpose.
You can also synchronize the deposit policy with channels. But keep in mind that the deposit will always be charged to the guest. A link where the deposit is settled with the channel is not possible. Read more about guest and channel invoices here.
Paying the deposit
The deposit is an amount of money temporarily held as collateral for possible damages. It is not a product purchased by the guest and not a service provided to the guest. For this reason, deposits are shown in a separate section in the reservation card. A deposit is neither an item on the guest order nor an invoice item.
However, a deposit must of course be paid. In addition to the payment balance for the guest order(s), there is also a payment balance for the security deposit(s). Payments are by default deducted from the payment balance for the guest order(s). When a payment includes a deposit, an amount will be deducted from both payment balances.
The settings of the security deposit policy determine when you expect the guest to pay the deposit; jointly with the first payment deadline, with the last payment deadline, or according to a separate payment deadline specifically for the security deposit.
Example
The price of a booking is €500, with a €100 deposit charge on top.
A €200 payment has already been made upon booking, which is deducted from the guest order payment balance (€500 - €200= €300).
A second payment of €400, including the €100 deposit, is then made. This combined payment is spread over the two payment balances; €300 is deducted from the guest order payment balance (€300 - €300 = €0) and €100 is deducted from the deposit payment balance (€100 - €100 = €0).
Handling of the deposit after check-out
In the deposit policy, you set how many days after check-out the deposit should be automatically released.
Upon release, the security deposit amount is moved to the payment balance of the guest order or of the invoice (if already created).
Example:
After the deposit is released, it must be refunded. As a result, the payment balance of the deposit is (€0 - €100 = -€100). This refundable amount is moved to the payment balance of the invoice so that it can be refunded through the Invoices to pay view.
If damage is reported, automatic release of deposit is blocked. After the damage is inventoried and the damage amount is determined, the damage can be claimed. For each damage report, an item is added to the order, the value of which is subtracted from the amount to be refunded. Depending on the value of the claimed damage amount, the remaining deposit is released for refund, or the guest needs to make an additional payment to fully reimburse the claimed damage.
When a deposit is blocked, it is displayed under Security deposits in the financial module.