Applying a Deposit to a Claim

Apply a deposit to cover damages

When a renter pays a security deposit at booking, that money sits on hold until the reservation ends. If damage occurs, you can apply all or part of that deposit directly to the damage claim.

Prerequisites

1. The claim must be in Under Review or Approved status.
2. The reservation must have a deposit that is still held (not yet refunded).
3. You must have Stripe Connect or manual deposits configured.

Applying the deposit

1. Open the damage claim detail page.
2. Scroll to the Cost and Payment section.
3. Click the Apply deposit button. TrailerBase shows you:
   • Deposit held — the full amount on hold
   • Claim cost — your estimated or actual cost
   • Suggested application — usually the lesser of the two
4. Accept the suggested amount, or type a custom amount to apply less.
5. Add an optional note explaining the application (e.g., "Applied $400 of $500 deposit toward $412 repair").
6. Click Confirm application.

TrailerBase records the application, marks that portion of the deposit as captured, and decrements the remaining balance.

Partial application

You are not required to apply the full deposit. For example, if the deposit is $500 and the repair costs $200, apply $200 and refund the remaining $300 to the renter. This is often the fair move and helps maintain good renter relationships.

Refunding the remainder

Once you have applied what you need, the rest of the deposit can be released:

1. On the same detail page, click Refund remainder next to the deposit row.
2. Choose your refund method:
   • Stripe refund — sends the remainder back to the renter's original payment method automatically. This is the recommended path.
   • Mark manual — if you already refunded the renter by check, cash, or other means, mark it manual so TrailerBase knows the obligation is settled.
3. Confirm.

Stripe refunds typically appear in the renter's account within 5 to 10 business days.

When the claim exceeds the deposit

If your repair cost is higher than the deposit, you have two options:

1. Bill the renter directly — click Create invoice for remainder to bill the renter for the amount above the deposit. Send via email with one click.
2. File with insurance — if the damage is covered, file an insurance claim for the remainder. See the Insurance Claims article.

When the deposit was never taken

If the reservation did not collect a deposit, the Apply deposit button is disabled and shows a note. You will need to invoice the renter or file with insurance. This is a good reason to always require a deposit on your booking rules.

Accounting and reporting

Every deposit application creates two ledger entries:

• A capture entry against the deposit hold
• A revenue recognition entry on the claim side

Both show up in Reports > Revenue tagged as Damage recovery so you can track claim revenue separately from rental revenue.

Tips

• Talk to the renter first. Even if you are within your legal right to keep the deposit, a quick phone call explaining the damage and the cost prevents disputes.
• Apply deposits within 14 days. Many states require deposit disposition within 14 to 30 days of return.
• Document the math. Use the note field to show your work — keeps things clean if challenged.