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Set Up a Bond

PostedApril 1, 2026
UpdatedApril 2, 2026

What Is a Bond?

A bond (also known as a security deposit) is a refundable amount collected from guests before their stay. It protects your property against potential damages, excessive cleaning, or missing items. The bond is separate from your booking deposit — deposits are a portion of the booking cost, while a bond is an additional charge that is returned to the guest after checkout if no issues arise.

How to Set Up a Bond

Step 1: Open Your Property Settings

Log in to your Book It Fast admin panel. In the left sidebar, click Properties to expand the menu, then select the property you want to configure.

Step 2: Set the Bond Amount

Scroll down to the Bond Amount field. Enter the dollar value you want to collect as a security deposit (e.g. 300). Set this to 0 if you do not wish to collect a bond for this property.

Step 3: Set the Collection Timing

In the Bond Days Before Booking field, enter how many days before the guest’s check-in date the bond payment should be requested. For example, setting this to 4 means the bond is collected 4 days before arrival.

Step 4: Save Your Changes

Click Save to apply your bond settings. The bond will be automatically requested from guests based on the timing you set.

Managing Bonds

You can view and manage all bonds from the Orders > Bonds page in your admin panel.

Viewing Your Bonds

The Bonds page shows a table with all bond records, including:

  • Order — The order number linked to the booking
  • Customer — The guest’s name
  • Property — Which property the bond is for
  • Amount — The bond value in dollars
  • Bond due — The date the bond payment is due
  • Status — The current state of the bond (e.g. Unpaid, Paid, Cancelled)

Use the search bar and column filters to find specific bonds. You can sort by any column to organise the list.

Creating a Bond Manually

To create a bond outside the normal booking flow, click the New bond button in the top-right corner of the Bonds page. This is useful for existing bookings where a bond was not originally set up.

Bond vs Deposit: What’s the Difference?

These are two separate features in Book It Fast:

  • Bond (Security Deposit) — A refundable amount to protect against damages. Configured per property under property settings. Returned to the guest after checkout if no issues arise.
  • Booking Deposit — A non-refundable portion of the booking cost paid upfront. Configured under Settings > Deposit Rules. This is a payment towards the total booking amount, not an extra charge.

Tips

  • Each property can have its own bond amount — useful if you have properties of different sizes or values.
  • The bond is collected automatically based on your settings, so there is no manual follow-up needed.
  • Set a reasonable collection window. Requesting the bond 3–7 days before check-in gives guests time to arrange payment without being too far in advance.
  • Communicate your bond policy clearly in your booking terms and conditions so guests know what to expect.
  • Check the Bonds page regularly to monitor unpaid bonds and follow up before guest arrivals.
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