Manage your holiday rental deposit online
The online deposit replaces cheques and manual steps: the guest registers their own payment method before arriving.
What the security deposit is for
In holiday rentals, the security deposit covers owners when damage is found in the property during or after a stay: damaged furniture, breakages, unusual wear. It differs from notions it is sometimes confused with: a deposit on booking or an advance payment relates to paying for the stay itself, not to a guarantee against damage; insurance — whether the owner's or the guest's — follows different cover mechanisms with its own conditions. This page is not legal advice: if you have any doubt about your contractual situation, speak to a professional.
For a long time, this security deposit was handled by cheque, cash or bank transfer — methods that require manual follow-up, invite forgotten payments or refunds, and complicate life for guests coming from abroad.
Transfers add a further problem: you have to share bank details, wait for the funds before the stay, then arrange a refund after departure if all went well. Cash leaves no easily usable trace in the event of a dispute. A payment method registered online before arrival avoids these back-and-forths and gives an immediate answer on the status of the guarantee.
When should you send the deposit link?
The timing directly affects how many guests complete the journey. Sending the link too early risks burying it among other pre-stay emails; sending it too late leaves little margin if something goes wrong technically (card declined, wrong bank details). In practice, sending it 48 to 72 hours before arrival gives the guest a reasonable window while staying close enough to the stay to remain top of mind.
After departure, closing the case quickly — releasing the guarantee if all is in order, or triggering a charge for documented damage — is among the good practices guests expect, especially on platforms where reviews matter.
How does it work?
- 1Create the stay's case — enter the property, the dates and the guarantee amount you want.
- 2Send the link to the guest — ideally a few days before arrival, by email or SMS.
- 3The guest completes their journey — they register their payment method from their phone, in a few minutes.
- 4Close the case after departure — release the guarantee, or trigger a charge if damage was found.
Card registration: no immediate charge
Verihost offers card registration as the main method for this type of rental: the guest's payment method is registered at validation, with no amount charged or held. A later charge remains possible if damage is found, but it is never automatic or guaranteed — it depends on the guest's banking conditions at the time and may, in some cases, fail.
This page presents Verihost for holiday rentals. For a detailed explanation of how card registration works technically, how it differs from pre-authorisation, and the use cases for each method, read our full guide: Read the complete guide to holiday rental deposits.
What Verihost brings to your rental
The guest registers their payment method online, with no trip to make and no cheque to prepare before arriving.
Alongside the financial guarantee, you can turn on guest identity verification before arrival.
Every case brings together what is useful to support a charge request when damage is found.
Create a case for your direct bookings as well as for those received via Booking.com, on compatible channels.
Security and compliance
Payments processed via Stripe, a secure and certified payment infrastructure.
Verihost never stores your customers' bank details.
Data hosted in France, within the European Union.
Personal data processed in compliance with the GDPR.
Verihost never holds the funds: transactions go through the professional's connected Stripe account.
Frequently asked questions
What is a holiday rental deposit?
It is a guarantee asked of the guest to cover any damage found in the property during or after their stay. With Verihost, that guarantee takes the form of a secured payment method (card registration or pre-authorisation) rather than a cheque or cash.
Is the deposit charged or held?
It depends on the method chosen. With card registration, no amount is held: the payment method is simply registered. With the pre-authorisation, an amount is temporarily reserved on the card without being charged, then released if no charge is triggered.
What deposit amount should you ask for?
There is no universal amount imposed by law for holiday rentals. The amount usually depends on the property (value, equipment), the length of the stay and the conditions you set contractually. It is advisable to stay reasonable and to state the amount clearly before booking.
Can you ask for a deposit on a Booking.com reservation?
Yes, on compatible channels you can create a Verihost case for a booking received via Booking.com, just as for a direct booking.
What happens if there is damage?
You record the damage, ideally documenting it (photos, inventory), then trigger the corresponding charge from your dashboard, up to the secured amount. Verihost does not guarantee that the charge will succeed in every case: that depends on the guest's banking conditions.
What is the difference between a deposit and insurance?
The deposit secures a payment method so a charge can be made if the guest causes proven damage. Insurance (the owner's home cover, or the guest's travel cover) works through different cover mechanisms, with its own conditions and exclusions. Neither replaces the other.
Does Verihost store bank details?
No. Bank details go through Stripe, the payment infrastructure Verihost uses, and are never stored by Verihost.
Secure your holiday rental deposit with Verihost.
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