Bond outcomes: release it, take part, or extend

Every bond ends one of three ways: released untouched after a clean stay, partly taken to cover what broke, or kept alive longer than card holds usually last. All three are handled from the booking's Payments tab.

Release it after a clean stay

Bonds placed during online check-in release themselves automatically a few days after checkout when nothing needs taking — you do nothing, and the guest's card is freed without anyone touching the booking. You can also click Release on the hold at any time. Because no money ever moved, nothing is recorded in Xero — the bond simply disappears from the guest's pending transactions.

Take part — or all — of it

Something broke? Click Complete on the hold and enter the amount that covers it. That amount is charged to the card and the remainder is released immediately — the guest is never charged more than the damage. Only the captured amount becomes real money: it counts on the booking and flows to Xero like any payment.

Two limits worth knowing: you can't take more than the amount held, and you can't shrink a hold while keeping it — to hold less, release it and request a smaller one.

Long stays on Stripe

Stripe holds refresh themselves daily until the date you set — it defaults to the checkout date, so for most bookings the bond simply lasts the stay. The hold's row shows that it's auto-refreshing, and until when. Some cards don't support refreshing; those rows show an "expires in N days" warning instead, so you can capture before the hold lapses or ask the guest for a fresh one. There's also an Extend now button if you'd rather refresh on the spot.

Long stays on PayDollar

PayDollar holds run on a fixed window of about 14 days from when the hold is placed, and can't be extended. Accommador shows the countdown on the hold's row. For stays longer than the window, the practical pattern is: release the hold, then request a fresh one closer to departure — see hold a security bond for requesting one from the Payments tab.

Troubleshooting

What happens if a hold expires?

The reservation lapses and the guest's card is freed — held money is never yours until you capture it. If the stay isn't over, request a fresh hold from the guest.