Collect your damage deposit as a hold — no processing fees unless you

By default, Houfy collects damage deposits automatically on your schedule. When the timing allows, it's placed as a hold — but card networks only honor a hold for a limited time (about 7 days), so when a hold isn't possible (longer stays, or deposits collected well before check-in), it's collected as a charge and refunded after checkout. That's dependable, but a charge means processing fees on money you'll usually give back.

If you'd rather always hold the deposit — an authorization on the guest's card where no money moves and no fees apply — you can switch your account to manual deposit collection and time the hold yourself.

How to turn it on

1. Open Manage Listings > Edit Listing > Pricing (shown as Rates & Fees in the sidebar).

2. Click Damage Protection to expand it. The sections on this page load closed, so you will see a header, not a form, until you click it. Then select the Damage Deposit card.

3. Turn on Collect deposit manually (place a hold).

IMPORTANT: this switch applies to EVERY listing on your account, not only the one you opened. Turning it on stops automatic deposit collection everywhere; turning it off restores it everywhere. Only the account owner sees this switch - a cohost will not find it on the page.

Automatic payments, if you use them, still handle the reservation stay payments exactly as before; only the deposit becomes manual.

How you collect the deposit

1. Open the reservation and click Request Damage Deposit.

2. Choose how to collect it — you decide per reservation:

- Place a hold — a temporary authorization on the guest's card. No funds move and there are no processing fees. You only charge it (fully or partially) if there's damage.

- Charge now — collected immediately as a payment and automatically refunded after checkout, per your deposit policy. Standard processing fees apply.

3. The guest gets the deposit payment link by email. It is not posted into the reservation message thread, so if they say they cannot find it, resend the email from the same popup or copy the link and send it to them yourself. Once they pay, the deposit shows on the reservation with its status.

How holds work (important)

- Card networks honor an authorization for a limited time - about 7 days on Stripe, about 6 days on Square, about 3 days on PayPal. Houfy manages this for you: while the reservation is upcoming or in progress we cancel the expiring hold and place a fresh one automatically, so your deposit protection does not lapse.

- The guest may see the authorization appear as "pending" on their statement each time it refreshes — this is normal and no money is taken.

- About 2 days after checkout (your deposit-release setting), the hold is released automatically. Nothing to refund, no fees — it simply disappears from the guest's card.

- If there is damage: the Capture for Damage button appears in the reservation deposit section only AFTER the checkout date has passed, and only while the hold is still held. Capture any amount up to the deposit before the hold is released. Processing fees apply only to the amount you actually capture.

- We recommend sending the deposit link close to check-in and capturing promptly if you need to.

Which should I choose?

Hold:

- Money moves only if you capture it

- Processing fees only on the amount you capture

- Relies on the guest's card staying valid; Houfy refreshes the hold automatically

- Best for most stays and fee-sensitive hosts

Charge:

- Money is collected immediately (refunded after checkout)

- Processing fees apply to the full deposit

- Funds are guaranteed in hand

- Best for high-risk bookings where you want funds secured

Resending the link

If the guest misses the email, you can resend the deposit link from the same popup after 1 hour, or copy the link and share it directly.