April 2026: Fee-Less Security Deposit System

We're excited to announce the fee-less security deposit system — a major upgrade to how HiLucy handles rental deposits.

What Changed

Previously, security deposits required charging the guest's card and holding funds. The new system uses authorize-then-void:

1. A temporary authorization hold is placed on the guest's card
2. The hold is immediately voided (released)
3. The guest's card is saved on file

Result: The guest's card is verified without any money being charged or held. No fees, no refund delays, no confused guests.

Key Features

• Zero-fee verification — Guests aren't charged anything for the deposit
• Extended authorization — For stays longer than 7 days, the authorization remains valid for up to 31 days
• Card-on-file — Guest's payment method is saved for potential damage charges
• Deposit panel — New UI in Rental Manager showing deposit status per booking
• Damage charging — One-click charge for damages using the saved card

How to Enable

The feature is automatically enabled for all products with a _security_deposit amount configured. No action needed — existing products with deposit amounts will use the new system.

Learn More

• Security Deposits — Full Guide
• Stripe Integration