Card holds and when you're charged
When you book a kitchen on Syzl, your card isn't charged the moment you send a request. Instead, there are two steps: a temporary hold on your card, then the actual charge. Here's how each one works and what you'll see on your statement.
Before your booking: nothing is charged
To request a booking, you need a credit card saved in your Wallet (Me > Wallet). Saving the card doesn't charge it. Sending a request and having the host approve it doesn't charge it either.
The hold: checking your card
Every kitchen has a cancellation deadline, shown on the listing. You can read more in Syzl cancellation policy.
One to two days before that deadline, we place a hold on your card for the booking total. The total includes the kitchen cost, any add-ons, the Syzl service fee (typically 4%) and tax, with any promo code applied.
A hold is not a charge. It reserves the amount so we know your card can cover the booking. Your bank may show it as a "pending" or "authorization" amount.
If you book less than a day before the deadline, we check your card straight away at checkout. If you book close to the start time, the hold and the charge can happen at almost the same time.
The charge: at the cancellation deadline
When the kitchen's cancellation deadline passes, the booking amount is collected from your card. This is the point where the money actually leaves your account. After that, the kitchen's cancellation policy decides whether you can get any of it back. See Refunds.
Your receipt is available in the app once you're charged. See Accessing and saving booking receipts.
Why you might see two amounts
In most cases the hold turns into the charge. At the deadline we collect the amount that was held, so you pay once and see one payment. For a short time your bank may show the pending hold and the final payment side by side while it updates.
If you have Syzl credit, the credit is applied to your booking invoice and only the rest is charged to your card. The earlier hold is not collected. It expires on its own within about a week, and your bank may take a few more days to remove it. Your booking details in the app will show a note about this.
If we can't collect the held amount (for example, because the booking total went up), we release the hold first and then charge the correct amount.
If a pending amount is still there after two weeks, your bank can tell you its exact status.
If you cancel
Before the cancellation deadline: you aren't charged. If a hold was already placed, it is not collected. It expires on its own within about a week, and your bank may take a few more days to remove it.
After the cancellation deadline: you may be charged according to the kitchen's cancellation policy.
For the steps, see Cancelling a booking.
If your card is declined
If the hold doesn't go through, we email you. See What happens if my card is declined?
Things to keep in mind
You can't delete the card in your Wallet while you have upcoming bookings. To use a different card, edit the saved card instead.
Every booking includes a damage deposit provision. You're only charged if the kitchen is damaged or isn't left clean, and that comes as a separate invoice. See Damage deposit.
Questions about a hold or a charge? Email help@syzl.io or visit the support page in the app.