PrivateStay does not process payments for stays. All payments are made directly from guest to host by bank transfer. When you approve a booking, your payment details are sent to the guest in their confirmation email.
Adding your bank details
Go to Dashboard → Settings → Payment details and fill in your banking information.
You can add European bank details (your IBAN and the bank's international code), UK bank details (account name, account number, and sort code), or both. Add whichever is most convenient for your guests — if they're mostly based in Europe, the IBAN is usually easiest. If they're in the UK, the sort code and account number work better.
Payment rules
The Payment rules field is a free-text area where you can specify your payment terms. This text is included in the booking confirmation email. Use it to communicate:
- Deposit amount and deadline (e.g. "30% deposit due within 5 days of booking confirmation")
- Balance payment deadline (e.g. "Remaining balance due 30 days before check-in")
- Cancellation terms (e.g. "Deposits are non-refundable within 60 days of check-in")
- Preferred payment reference (e.g. "Please use your name and check-in date as the payment reference")
Tip
Be specific and clear in your payment rules. Guests receive this text in their confirmation email and use it to arrange payment. Ambiguity leads to questions and delays.
When guests receive payment details
Payment details are sent to guests only when you approve their booking request. They are never shown on the listing page itself. This means:
- Unapproved guests cannot see your banking information
- Details are sent at the moment of approval, inside the booking confirmation email
Security
Your payment details are stored securely and only sent to the relevant guest inside their booking confirmation email. They are never shown publicly or shared with anyone else.