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Security deposits and damage waivers on an order

How the two damage protections work, how to turn them on, and how each one shows up on a booking.

Updated July 17, 2026 · 2 min read
Plan: All plansWho: Everyone

Rennt supports two different damage protections, and most companies pick one: a security deposit (a refundable hold, commonly around 25% of the order) or a damage waiver (a small non-refundable fee, typically 10–12%, that covers normal wear so nobody has to chase a deposit back).

Turning them on#

Both live in Settings, in the "What you offer" panel. Flip on "Security deposit" and set your percentage, or flip on "Damage waiver" and set the percent of the order it adds. Once enabled, they are applied at storefront checkout automatically and shown to the customer before they sign.

How they appear on a booking#

Open any booking in Bookings: the deposit and waiver amounts appear in the facts section, are included in the totals, and export in your Export CSV (the Security deposit column). The pull sheet and printed agreement reflect the same numbers.

Handling the money#

  • Deposit: record it when collected in the booking's Payments ledger (as a deposit — cash, card, check or other). After the return, refund it from the same ledger. If damage happened, use Add charge to bill the repair, keep the deposit against it, and refund the difference. Everything stays on one screen with a running balance.
  • Waiver: nothing to give back — it is revenue that absorbs small wear-and-tear. Serious damage or loss is still billable with Add charge; say so in your rental agreement.

Which should you pick?#

Waivers win on customer experience (renters love skipping the deposit) and on your admin time. Deposits give you real leverage on high-value items. Some companies use a waiver by default and a deposit only for their most expensive pieces — set the deposit on those conversations by quote.

!
Whatever you charge, your rental agreement must say so — the customer signs it, and the signed copy on the booking is your backup in a dispute.

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