How does paying with a saved card work?

• Why save a card?
• When is the card charged?
• What if the payment fails?
• Managing your saved cards
• Is it safe?

When you send a booking request on Flatio, you can save your payment card. It's optional – but it makes your booking smoother and your request stronger. Here's everything you need to know.

Why save a card?

• You show you're serious. Hosts see a 💳 Card saved badge on your request. A guest who is ready to pay is more credible, so your request is more likely to be approved.
• The first payment handles itself. The moment the host accepts, we charge the first rent and service fee from your card automatically. You don't need to watch any payment deadline.
• You only finish the paperwork. After the approval, you just sign the lease agreement online and upload a copy of your ID.

When is the card charged?

Saving the card during the booking request doesn't charge anything – it's only a quick verification. The first rent and service fee are charged only after the host accepts your booking request. If the host declines your request or it expires, nothing is charged.

What if the payment fails?

Sometimes a card payment fails – for example because of a card limit, insufficient funds, or an expired card. If that happens, we'll notify you immediately by email and SMS.

You can then pay manually in the Payments section of the My Housing web app. But please don't wait: until you've signed the lease and paid, the host can cancel the booking at any time. If you need more time, contact the host via the Messages section and explain your situation.

Managing your saved cards

You can see and delete your saved cards in the Settings section of the My Housing web app. A card linked to an active booking can't be deleted until the booking is completed or canceled.

Is it safe?

Yes. Your card details are stored by our certified payment provider, not by Flatio. We only see the card type, the last four digits, and the expiration date – never the full card number.