For a self check-in holiday home, arrange the damage deposit online before arrival and check that funds are actually reserved before completing your agreed arrival process. A sent link, opened message or guest screenshot does not confirm authorisation. The reservation status and actual provider deadline do.
This workflow is for direct-booking hosts who already arrange guest communication and access separately. PayRequest handles the deposit request and payment state. It does not automatically program your smart lock, verify identity, inspect the house or decide whether a damage claim is justified.
Decide who owns each part of the arrival
A receptionless stay still needs a named person responsible for the bond. Assign an operator to check the reservation, a contact for failed authorisations and an inspector for departure day. For a single property those roles may belong to one person, but the tasks remain separate.
Disclose the bond amount, timing and conditions when the guest books. If a booking came through a marketplace, verify its current rules and your account permissions before requesting any external payment or deposit. This guide does not grant permission to collect an off-platform bond.
The general pre-arrival security deposit guide explains the wider booking timeline. Here the extra problem is the operational handoff when nobody meets the guest.
Use two checks before you send access details
Keep the accommodation balance and damage security in separate fields. An accommodation invoice can be paid while the bond request is still waiting for the guest.
| Booking record | Evidence to check | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation balance | Confirmed payment or agreed settlement | A separate damage hold exists |
| Damage deposit | Confirmed authorisation and exact reference | Identity checks or house-rule acceptance are complete |
| Capture deadline | Provider-confirmed expiry with timezone | Inspection will happen before expiry |
| Arrival readiness | Your agreed booking and access checks are complete | PayRequest will send or unlock a door code |
Decide when to send access details according to the conditions already agreed with the guest. Avoid introducing an unexpected bond at the door. Keep an out-of-hours contact available for a guest who cannot complete checkout.
Work through one Friday arrival
Consider fictional booking STAY-214: arrival Friday at 16:00, departure Monday at 10:00, agreed damage hold A$400 and inspection Monday at 13:00. The amount and times are examples, not recommended policy.
- At booking, disclose the bond separately from the accommodation price.
- Before the agreed authorisation date, create the dedicated security deposit link and confirm its amount and currency.
- Ask the guest to authorise on Wednesday, then check the actual provider deadline. Confirm that Monday's inspection and final decision fit comfortably before it.
- Before the arrival handoff, verify the latest authorisation status and finish your separate access checks.
- After checkout, have the inspector report “no issue” or a documented proposed deduction against STAY-214.
- The responsible operator reviews the evidence, performs the supported release or capture, and checks the provider result.
Keep the deadline visible in your booking register. If the guest extends the stay, reassess it immediately. Editing a departure date in a calendar does not extend a card authorisation. PayRequest's deadline guide explains this distinction.
Send a message guests can recognise
Use this original message template with the exact booking details:
“Your damage deposit for [property], booking [reference], is a temporary card reservation of [amount and currency], separate from your accommodation payment. Please complete authorisation through [existing deposit link] by [date, time and timezone]. Card details are entered in secure checkout. We will check the property after departure and confirm the release or any supported charge under your booking terms. If the link is unexpected or you need help, contact us using the details on your booking confirmation.”
For the page behind that link, adapt the security bond request page template. For additional reminder and release wording, use the existing rental deposit email templates.
Handle a pending or failed authorisation calmly
In PayRequest, “Waiting for customer” means the reservation is not confirmed. Share the existing request rather than immediately creating another one. “Processing authorization” means the provider result is still being established. Wait or investigate instead of telling the guest to authorise again.
If a checkout attempt expires, review its exact provider records before arranging a replacement. Another attempt or link may still have reserved funds. The Security Deposits documentation describes these states and the Stripe reservation checks.
Never ask for a guest's full card number or security code through email or order notes. Give them a support route if their bank declines the request. Do not describe an uncertain result as a successful bond.
Give the cleaner an inspection handoff
The cleaner or inspector needs the booking reference, agreed departure time, inspection checklist and a way to pass evidence to the person making the payment decision. They do not need the guest's card details or instructions to charge a speculative amount.
For an issue, record what changed, pre-stay and post-stay evidence, the proposed amount and its basis under the agreement. Keep ordinary turnover cleaning separate from any additional cleaning claim. The vacation rental cleaning evidence guide covers that distinction.
If using PayRequest's Stripe flow, settle only after reviewing the complete supported amount: one final partial capture releases the unused remainder. Do not capture a small amount while assuming the rest remains available for a later issue.
Close the loop after departure
When no supported deduction applies, explicitly release the hold after inspection and verify confirmation. Tell the guest the amount released and when the provider confirmed it. Their card issuer controls when the pending entry and available funds update; a fixed bank deadline is not yours to promise.
If an amount was captured, explain the charged amount and released remainder separately. A release is not a refund of an earlier charge. Keep the final state and confirmation reference with the booking.
Start with PayRequest Security Deposits and a simple arrival-and-inspection register. The useful outcome is a verified reservation and a clear owner for the final decision, even when the guest checks in alone.
Editorial note: AI assisted the writing and illustration. STAY-214, its amount and schedule are fictional. The messages and handoff checklist are original operational templates; no smart-lock integration or live payment test is claimed. Reviewed on 10 November 2026.
