Security deposit — collect, settle and refund
Updated on 2026-10-28
Settings → Security deposit
A security deposit is an amount the guest pays before their stay and gets back after it, minus any consumption or damage. In BedFlow it is separate from the price: it is not revenue, there is no VAT on it, it is not on the invoice and it does not count towards the balance of the booking.
A security deposit is not the same as the deposit (the advance payment). The deposit is part of the price; see Deposit.
Setting it up
- Go to Settings → Security deposit and turn on Ask a security deposit for direct bookings.
- Go to Room types, open a property, tab Prices, and fill in Security deposit (refundable), e.g. €250. Empty = no security deposit for that property.
- On the security deposit page, choose:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Send payment request … days before arrival | The guest then gets an email with the payment link. 0 = straight after booking. Default 7 |
| Ask for account number | After departure (default) or As soon as the deposit is paid. Never for card payments: the money then goes back to the same card |
| Notify me if the guest has not given an account number after … days | You get a notification (Telegram and app). The guest already got a reminder after 3 days |
| Refund the deposit automatically after the stay | Off by default. See below |
Everything is saved per property. Bookings via Booking.com or Airbnb don't get an automatic security deposit: those channels handle it themselves. You can still set a security deposit on any booking yourself with Set deposit.
Also for bookings via Booking.com, Airbnb, …
Off by default: without a ticked channel, bookings via channels get no security deposit. If you also want a deposit from those guests (e.g. by bank transfer to your account), switch it on in Settings → Security deposit → Also for bookings via channels:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Also ask a deposit for bookings via | Tick the channels (e.g. Booking.com). Only bookings that come in through the channel connection; only works when Ask a security deposit for direct bookings is on |
| Payment request to channel guests … days before arrival | Separate timing for channel guests, 10 by default. Guests who book later get it right away |
| Reminder if not yet paid … days | This many days after the payment request, the guest gets one reminder and you get a notification, as long as the deposit is not marked as received. 3 by default, 0 = no reminder |
Upcoming bookings from a newly ticked channel get their deposit right away. The guest pays on the same payment page: by card or bank transfer. If a bank transfer came in, click Mark as received on the booking, otherwise the reminder goes out.
If the channel passes no guest e-mail address (often with Airbnb), you get a notification: copy the payment link on the booking and send it through the channel's messages. Booking.com passes a forwarding address (…@guest.booking.com); mails to it reach the guest normally. Do check that the channel's terms allow a deposit outside the channel, and mention it in your house rules on the channel.
What the guest sees
- In the booking engine, below the total: Security deposit (refundable) €250.00, with the explanation that it is not included in the total.
- In the confirmation email and on the guest page: the same block, with a Pay security deposit button.
- The security deposit payment page: pay by card (Stripe or Mollie, whichever you have) or by bank transfer to your account with the reference WAARBORG OV-….
The security deposit on the booking
At the top of the booking you'll find the Security deposit block with its status:
| Status | Meaning | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| To collect | Not paid yet | Nothing, the payment request goes out by itself. Did the money come in by bank transfer or cash: Mark as received |
| Received | Paid | Nothing until departure |
| To settle | The guest has left | Settle: check the overview, add a deduction if needed (damage, lost key) and confirm |
| To refund | Settled | Paid by card: the provider refunds it. By bank transfer: see below |
| Refunded / Withheld | Done | — |
You can settle from the day of departure. Only after Confirm does the money go back and does the guest receive the settlement by email.
Refunding
- Paid by card (Stripe or Mollie): BedFlow refunds to the same card. No account number needed.
- Paid by bank transfer or cash: the guest fills in their own name and IBAN via a secure link (BedFlow checks the IBAN for typos). You see the name, IBAN, amount and reference with copy buttons, make the transfer in your banking app and click Mark as transferred. The same way of working as when refunding a cancelled booking.
The bookings waiting on you or the guest are in the bookings list under To refund and Awaiting IBAN.
Refunding automatically
If you turn on Refund the deposit automatically after the stay, BedFlow settles and refunds by itself, a number of days after departure (default 3). This only happens if the guest paid by card (Stripe or Mollie) and all meter readings have been filled in. Want to withhold something for damage? Then settle it yourself within those days.
If it can't be done automatically, you get a notification and settle it yourself. A bank transfer never happens automatically.
The security deposit in the balance
Rather collect the security deposit together with the balance than separately? Use the Custom payment schedule under Settings → Deposit (off by default). The security deposit stays a security deposit: no VAT, not revenue, and refundable as described above. The guest gets no separate request, and when you record the balance the security deposit is marked as received automatically. See Deposit.
Frequently asked questions
Is the security deposit on the invoice? No. A security deposit is not a sale but money you hold for the guest. A deduction for damage is compensation for damage: outside VAT and not on the invoice. Discuss with your accountant how to book it. Consumption (electricity, water, …) and outstanding tourist tax do go on the invoice; see Meter readings.
What if the guest cancels? If the security deposit was not paid yet, it lapses. If it was already paid, it is ready to settle and the full amount goes back, unless you withhold something.
The guest doesn't fill in their account number. They get a reminder after 3 days, and you get a notification after the number of days you set. On the booking you can copy the link and send it to them again yourself.
Can I change the amount on a single booking? Yes, with Set deposit on the booking, as long as the guest hasn't paid yet.