Down Payment for Reservation

Answered!
Darren29
Level 2
Quinta, Spain

Down Payment for Reservation

Hi,

 

We are new hosts on AirBnB. I first enquiry has asked if they can make a down payment of €500 to secure the apartment and the balance at the end of May (a month before their stay). Is this possible and, if so, how to we set up the transaction?

 

Thank you in advance for your help,

 

Darren

1 Best Answer

@Darren29

 

Instead of asking them to make a second booking for the remaing days, which would mean they incur an additional service fee from AirBnB, just ask them to change their existing booking and request the additional nights. They will still be charged an increased fee, but not an additional cleaning fee. You can then accept the change to the booking.

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14 Replies 14
Cynthia-and-Chris1
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

Unfortunately this is not how Airbnb works.  Payment is made in full at the time of booking, much like an airline ticket.

Nabeel0
Level 2
Road Town, British Virgin Islands

So if the host want an advance payment, the guest need to pay an extra amount on top of agreed amount? Or will it be deducted from the agreed amount?

the booking i just made in december   as a guest was deducted in two parts from my credit card although I never asked for this? when does the host receive the funds from airbnb, on checkin?

Maria-Lurdes0
Level 10
Union City, NJ

@Darren29  I do this all the time.  I bend the platform to my style of hosting, and taking a deposit and balance of payment 30 -60 days in advance suits my style.  I don't offer it, but I do consider it depending on the guest and the request.

 

Here's what I do:

 

Tell them to book half of full requested dates - so if they want 6 days, they book the first three right away.   Then once the first booking is done, I block the calendar for the next three dates.   I diarize this, and on the date when the second payment is due, I send them a note through the system to say "hey, I'm going to open the calendar tomorrow in order for you to make the second half of the booking, please make sure you make the booking between X and Y so that nobody else books the place while the calendar is open" or something like that.    I've done this a pile of times, and it's never backfired (fingers crossed).

 

If, for some reason, the guest doesn't make the second payment, you still have a valid booking for three days, and it's up to them to figure out the additional nights.   I don't take the second booking off of the platform if they ask, although I will do a private booking fro repeat guests.

 

I hope that helps!

Thank you. 

@Darren29

 

Instead of asking them to make a second booking for the remaing days, which would mean they incur an additional service fee from AirBnB, just ask them to change their existing booking and request the additional nights. They will still be charged an increased fee, but not an additional cleaning fee. You can then accept the change to the booking.

Lilian20
Level 10
Argelès-sur-Mer, France

really like the solution offered by @Maria-Lurdes0

thank you for this

Yes I think it is a good way to be more flexible with guests who don't have enough money to pay their entire booking right away. I will try that. Thanks so much! Leila

 

Rod27
Level 1
Avoca Beach, Australia

It's been 1 week after my first guest has left yet I've not received any payment yet even though the guest has had the funds deducted from his account. Have no idea who to contact. 

Thanks Guys

@Rod27  You'll need to Contact Airbnb directly to rectify this kind of matter.

Stephanie257
Level 2
Juignac, France

Hi, I would be interested to see if the suggested solution has worked for you? We are also new hosts and have just lost a booking because the guests couldn't afford the whole lot at once (who can?). They offered me a 50% deposit but I had to say no. I can't really see why the whole payment is due up front, it can be such a lot of money. Many thanks.

Hi.

 

Yes, it works as I have outlined. However, it does require  trust with the other party if you are going to block those dates out as you could be losing other potential business if they cancel unexpectedly.

 

Regards,

 

Darren

Dee173
Level 2
Gaggi, Italy

i recently made a booking and had to pay in two parts before arriving at the apartment. I would like to have the same payment method for my listing. how do I set it up as a host? thanks