Subtitle: Manage price changes, additional fees, and balance discrepancies after modifying reservation dates or details.
IMPORTANT:
- Price Increases: Hostaway will not automatically charge the price difference to a guest's card after a modification to prevent unauthorized transactions. You must manually add a charge or rely on a pending "Remaining Balance" rule.
- Price Decreases: If the total drops below what has already been paid, the system will show an Overcharged alert. You must manually process a Refund for the difference.
1. Understanding System Alerts
When you modify a reservation's dates, guest count, or pricing, Hostaway compares the Total Price with the Total Charges.
The Discrepancy Banner
In the Guest Payments section, you may see these visual indicators:
- Undercharged (Red Alert): The guest owes more money because the modification increased the price.
- Overcharged (Yellow Alert): You have collected more money than the new total price.
2. Scenario A: The Price Increased
If your modification resulted in a higher total, follow these steps to secure the extra funds:
Method 1: Using "Remaining Balance" (Automatic)
If you have a pending auto-payment rule set to Remaining Balance, you don't need to do anything. The system will automatically recalculate the amount to include the price increase when the scheduled charge date arrives.
Method 2: Manual Collection
- Exit Edit Mode by saving your reservation changes.
- Go to the Guest Payments section.
- Click Add Transaction.
- Enter the amount of the difference.
- Process the payment using the card on file or send a Payment Link.
3. Scenario B: The Price Decreased
If the new total is lower than what the guest has already paid:
- The system will flag the reservation as Overcharged.
- Locate the Paid transaction in the list.
- Click the three dots (...) and select Refund.
- Enter the amount of the overpayment to return it to the guest.
4. Adding Extra Services (Upsells)
If you are adding a fee for something like "Early Check-in" or "Pet Fee" after the initial booking:
- Add to Financials: First, edit the reservation and add the fee to the Financial Fields so the total price is accurate.
- Add Charge: Save the changes, then add a manual charge for that specific fee in the Guest Payments section.
5. Troubleshooting: "Edit Mode" Lock
If the Add Transaction or Refund buttons are missing or greyed out, check the top of your screen.
- Reason: You cannot manage payments while the reservation is in Edit Mode.
- Solution: Click Save or Discard Changes at the top banner to return to the standard view.
6. Staying Informed: Recommended Notifications
To manage modifications and payments effectively, you must be aware when these events occur. Ensure the following alerts are enabled in Settings > Notifications:
Modification Alerts
- Reservation is modified: Enable this to receive an immediate alert whenever a price change occurs. This is your trigger to review the Guest Payments section and secure any extra funds.
Payment Failure Alerts
Monitor these to act quickly if an automated or manual payment doesn't go through:
- Add card failed: Triggered if a channel fails to send the guest's card details to Hostaway.
- Charge failed: Alert for any unsuccessful payment attempt.
- Pre-auth failed: Alert if a security deposit hold cannot be secured.
6. Financial Impact
Modifications update your Invoices dynamically. The guest can always download the latest version of their invoice from the Guest Portal, which will reflect the new dates and the updated breakdown of charges.