Take homestay deposits by QR bank transfer

HostBooking · Updated Oct 8, 2026 · 5 min read

The simplest way to take a homestay deposit is a bank transfer QR code with the amount and booking code already filled in. Guests cannot mistype the amount, and you never comb through bank statements. On HostBooking, each booking gets its own QR code, money goes straight to your account, and the booking can confirm itself when it arrives.

Why take a deposit?

A deposit locks in the booking and cuts down on no-shows, especially for hourly rooms on weekend evenings. Common deposits are 30–50%, or the full room price for short stays. Spell out your refund policy in your house rules.

How does the QR transfer work?

1. The guest books and the system works out the deposit.
2. The page shows a QR code in the VietQR standard, with your account number, the amount and the booking code as the transfer reference ("nội dung chuyển khoản", the message field in a Vietnamese bank transfer) already filled in.
3. The guest opens their banking app, scans the code and confirms the transfer.
4. The money lands in your account. You tap "Deposit received", or the booking confirms itself if you turn on automatic matching.

Confirm bookings automatically when money arrives

Connect your bank account to SePay once (there is a free plan) to turn on automatic matching. When a payment arrives with the booking code as its reference, the booking switches to "deposit paid" right away and the guest gets a notification. Your dashboard has step-by-step instructions.

Tips to avoid mix-ups

• Use a separate bank account for the homestay so payments are easy to match.
• Do not change the transfer reference: the booking code is how you know which booking a payment belongs to.
• Unpaid bookings only hold the room for a short time; once that passes, the room opens up again for other guests.
• Spell out your deposit refund policy for cancellations in your house rules.