Security Deposit Screen

Key Features of the Security Deposit Screen

1. Payment Validation:

   • Validates the guest's credit card at the time of guest portal completion by pre-authorizing a symbolic amount of $2. This ensures that the card is legitimate and has funds.

2. Security Deposit:

   • The Security Deposit is an authorized hold of a specified amount on the guest's credit card for the duration of their stay. The hold begins X (between 1 and 7 days of your choosing) before check-in,  and is automatically renewed every 5-7 days (depending on the credit card used) until X days (1-7 of your choosing) after checkout. If damage is found, the property manager may claim the hold up to the maximum amount held. Learn more about managing security deposits here.

3. Damage Waiver:

   • The Damage Waiver is a fee charged to guests to cover accidental property damage up to a set limit. It protects hosts from minor damages while offering guests a more frictionless booking experience since the fee is non-refundable but typically small.

1. Customizable Settings:

   • Property managers can enable the preauthorization, security deposit and/or damage waiver functions based on the account level, listing level, or by booking source.
   • Property managers may customize the desired amounts for the security deposit and/or damage waiver by risk color or by listing.

Setting Up the Security Deposit Screen

Customizing the Security Deposit Screen in Autohost is a straightforward process. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Log into Your Autohost Account:

   • Navigate to Guest Portal > Add-ons.

2. Enable Security Deposits:

   • Toggle on the Security Deposits option.
     
     

3. Choose desired Security Deposit settings:

   • Navigate to Guest Portal > Screens > Security Deposit.
     
     
   • Connect to your company's Stripe account:
     
   • To utilize Security Deposits or Damage Waivers, you must utilize Payment Validation
     • Payment validation is enabled by default if the Security Deposit screen is enabled (either on the account level or the listing level). The default pre-authorization amount can not be changed and is set to $2, which is used to validate the guest's credit card without charging it.
       
   • Select the desired currency.
     
   • To utilize the Security Deposit feature, toggle the 'Enable Security Deposit' toggle.
     
     
     • Enter the desired hold amounts by risk color.
     • If desired, enable Airbnb Exclusion:
       

       Although Airbnb does allow software-connected Hosts to charge a security deposit outside the platform, you have the option to use the "Airbnb Exclusion" to disable the security deposit hold from being placed on the guests' card. With this toggle on, guests will still be prompted to enter their card information and payment validation will run, but the full security deposit hold will not occur. For more info on Abiding by Airbnb's Off-Platform Policy, read this article.

     • If desired, enable 'Use extended holds', to learn more, read this article. 
       
     • Select the 'Days before check-in to collect security deposit.
     • Select the 'Days after check-out to stop security deposit renewal.

1. • To utilize the Damage Waiver feature, enable the Damage Waiver toggle.
     • Once enabled, toggle the risk colors you'd like to offer the damage waiver to:
       
     • Enter the specified amount for each risk color enabled.
     • Add a link to your own 'Terms and Conditions' page that specifies what the damage waiver covers and the amount it covers. Click here for an example TOS page.  
   • Save the Configuration: Click "Save" to finalize your settings.
     
     

If you're looking to fully disable the security deposit screen for Airbnb guests, or any other specific booking platform, please consult this article or reach out to your Account Manager.