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How do I require a 50% deposit ONLY on reservations that are over 60 days from now?

Monica R
Mar 20, 2018 2:11 PM
Joined Feb, 2018 86 posts

For guests checking in within the next 60 days, I collect 100% of the rental, cleaning and tax up front. But for reservations where the guest isn't checking in for 60+ days from now, I don't like to collect 100% in full that far ahead of time. I collect 50% up front and then the balance two weeks prior to check in.

I thought there would be a way I could set up the system to know that, and to automate an email for them to pay the balance at the appropriate time, but there doesn't appear to be a way.

I was looking under Properties > Rules > Payments but it looks like it's all or nothing. I can select "Collect 100% at the time of booking" but that means that someone who books my home today for their Thanksgiving vacation will have to pay the entire amount today and that's not how I want to do it.

Ideas?

Thanks!
Monica

Chris Hynes
Mar 20, 2018 2:17 PM
OR Team Member Joined Oct, 2012 1400 posts

This is how the system works by default -- it's just configured the other way round. Instead of configuring the first payment amount based on different dates, you configure when the final payment is due and the first payment will be 100% if booked after the second payment would be due.

Set the first payment to 50% and the second (final) payment to be taken 60 days before arrival. If checkout occurs after the second payment deadline, it will automatically take everything in the first payment during checkout.

Monica R
Mar 20, 2018 2:24 PM
Joined Feb, 2018 86 posts

Thank you Chris, that makes sense!

I use a separate payments processor at the moment, so how do I set up the other radio buttons in the Payments Rules section?


M.

Monica R
Mar 20, 2018 5:53 PM
Joined Feb, 2018 86 posts

Ok, I have changed my settings to require only 50% down as you instructed, but my quotes are still showing 100% of the reservation is "due immediately" at the bottom of the quote email, even when the reservation is more than 60 days out. Ideas?

Thanks!
M.

Sam Westcott
Mar 20, 2018 6:31 PM
OR Team Member Joined Dec, 2009 240 posts

@Monica: If the quote was created PRIOR to changing the property rule, the quote will retain the rule it had previously. We do that because you don't want to create and send quotes, have guests read them and then change the property rules and have all the quotes update without the guest realizing it. You can MANUALLY change any quotes rules under the quote > Rules tab. The rules there only apply to that specific quote and were assigned to it based on what the property rules were at the time the quote was created.

Chris B
May 4, 2018 8:27 AM
Joined Apr, 2018 13 posts

I think I’ve set my account similar to this but I’m not getting what I expected. We allow checks 42 days before with 20% down. If booking is less than that time they should pay 100%. But the test booking I did created a pending email that they must pay at least 20% (they should be required to pay 100%). Is this a rule setting I’m confused about or an email thing?