Payment methods that enable your guests to transact more securely with you

PayPal Invoicing

• The safest way to use PayPal is to make payment with debit/credit card.

• PayPal Invoicing enables you to send invoices from your PayPal account to your guests' email address. You can do this for each payment you require from them.

• At the bottom of each invoice is a button for them to click which takes them to PayPal where they can safely pay your invoice with their debit/credit card straight into your PayPal account.

• All you need to get started is a PayPal for Business account (easy and free to set up, or upgrade your personal PayPal account).

• The video on this PayPal page demonstrates how it works

• If you can accept PayPal payments, credit card via PayPal or credit cards via a merchant terminal let holidaymakers know by adding icons to your advert – you can do this by logging into Home Management and click on ‘Your Account’ go to the ‘Other Information’ tab and tick the boxes – all done!

Transactions that use cash in a PayPal account to another PayPal account are no safer than a bank transfer and we do not recommend them.

Debit/credit cards by merchant account

• This is similar to a retailer allowing you to pay via card in store. If you have a merchant account already set up with your bank you can accept debit/credit cards that way.

Other payment method options

Bank transfer

• If you and your guests both use internet banking you can give them your sort code and account number to enable them to pay you. Depending upon your bank it can take a few hours to a couple of days to appear in your account.

• If your guests are paying from an overseas bank account they will need to visit or call their bank to transfer the money to your account. To do this they will need your full name, sort code, account number and bank address as well as your IBAN and SWIFT codes, which should be on your statement or available from your bank.

• Make sure your guests know that they will have to cover any bank charges incurred for a foreign transfer.

Cheques

• Make sure a cheque has cleared in your account before sending keys to guests. This can take up to five working days.

Your guests will also need a payment schedule from you - the easiest place to put this is in your booking contract. This should cover the terms, timelines and available payment methods for the booking deposit, the security/damages deposit and the final payment.

If you do not receive payments on time, contact guests with a reminder of the costs and payment methods accepted. Let them know for how long you are able to hold the booking before you readvertise the dates.