# Hotel step 4: policies, house rules and deposits

> Set check-in and check-out times, smoking, pets, children and cancellation rules, and ask guests for a deposit before a stay is confirmed.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/hotel/step-4-policies-and-deposits/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

Clear rules avoid arguments at the desk. In this step you fill in **Policies & house rules** (times, smoking, pets, children, parties, cancellation) and decide how much a guest must pay before a booking counts as confirmed.

## Before you start

- Hotel settings are saved ([step 1](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/hotel/step-1-locations-and-modules/)).
- Your role has **Hotel: settings**.

## Fill in policies and house rules

1. Open **Hotel (HMS) › Policies & house rules**.
2. Under **Policies for**, keep **All locations (property default)** or pick one location to override.
3. **Check-in & check-out:** set **Check-in from**, **Check-in until** and **Check-out until**, and whether **Early check-in** and **Late check-out** are **Not possible**, **On request** or **Possible**, with an optional fee.
4. **Smoking:** not allowed anywhere, only in designated areas, or allowed in smoking rooms.
5. **Pets:** allowed, not allowed or on request; which pets, maximum per booking and the **Pet fee** per night or per stay.
6. **Children, beds & ID:** whether children are welcome, the minimum check-in age and whether photo ID is required.
7. **House rules:** parties and events, quiet hours, other rules and accessibility notes.
8. **Deposit & cancellation:** the prepayment note, free cancellation until so many hours or days before arrival, and what you charge after that (the first night, a percentage or nothing).
9. Check the **What guests see** panel and click **Save**.

![Policies and house rules page with check-in and check-out times, smoking, pets, children and the What guests see badges with the cancellation policy](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/hotel-policies.BXxx54VP.png) (web app page: `/hms/policies`)
*The badges on the right are what guests see on confirmations and invoices.*

## Require a deposit before confirming

The simplest rule lives in **Hotel (HMS) › Settings › Booking rules**: **Deposit required to confirm** (for example 30 %). A pending booking can't be confirmed until that share is paid; the booking page warns staff when it hasn't been.

## Ask online guests to pay to confirm

> **How to turn it on**
> 1. **Plan:** Booking payments uses the Payments hub and the Hotel module.
> 2. **Switch:** Hotel (HMS) › Settings, section Payment to confirm — Hotel stay (or Finance › Payments › Booking payments)
> 3. **Permission:** Booking payments: view / manage
> - **Mobile app:** Guests pay in the SmartPOS Shopper app

1. Open **Hotel (HMS) › Settings** and scroll to **Payment to confirm — Hotel stay**.
2. Set **Payment required** to **Deposit** or **Full payment**. For a deposit, pick **Percentage of the total** or **Fixed amount** and enter the value.
3. Under **When it is due**, choose **Pay now to confirm** or **Pay within a number of hours** and enter the hours.
4. Tick the **Allowed payment methods** (none ticked = every method attached to this channel in **Finance › Payments › Payments & gateways**).
5. Write the refund and cancellation policy guests see, and click **Save**. Use **Different rule for a location** if one property needs its own rule.

Bookings that wait for money appear in **Finance › Payments › Booking payments** and on the booking itself under **Payment to confirm**, with a **Request payment** button.

![Booking page with a Payment to confirm box asking for a 30 percent deposit within 24 hours, stay dates, total, balance due and a Request payment button](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/hotel-booking-detail.CyZGmkxD.png) (web app page: `/hms/bookings/{id}`)
*The booking page shows the deposit rule, what is paid and what is still due.*

## Tips and mistakes to avoid

- Keep the cancellation text short and match it to the numbers you enter; guests read the text, staff apply the numbers.
- If you take deposits by bank transfer, check uploaded receipts under **Finance › Payments › Payment proofs** every morning.
- More detail: [Booking payments](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/booking-payments/).

## Next step

  - [Step 5: Take bookings](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/hotel/step-5-take-bookings/)
  - [Booking payments](https://docs.smartposhub.com/modules/booking-payments/)

## Frequently asked questions

### Where do guests see my policies?

The badges and cancellation text appear on the booking form, the printed confirmation and the invoice. The What guests see panel shows exactly how they read.

### Can each location have its own policies?

Yes. Choose a location under Policies for. If you leave a location on the property default, it uses All locations.

### How do I charge a pet fee?

Set Pets to allowed or on request, choose which pets, the maximum per booking, and enter a Pet fee per pet per night or per pet per stay. Service animals are always welcome free of charge.

### What is the difference between the deposit % and Payment to confirm?

Deposit required to confirm (Booking rules) stops staff from confirming a pending booking until that share is paid. Payment to confirm (Booking payments) asks guests who request a stay online to pay by a deadline, or the request expires.

### Which payment methods can guests use for a deposit?

The methods attached to the booking channel in Finance › Payments › Payments & gateways, such as card or bank transfer with a receipt upload. Tick only the ones you want under Allowed payment methods.