The deposit hold

The deposit is a hold, not a charge. It is authorised on your card separately from the rental fee, and in the ordinary case no money ever moves.

Some banking apps show a pending line for a hold that looks much like a charge. It is not one.

When it is placed

For a walk-up rental, at check-out. For a reservation, when you arrive on the day. Nothing is held against your card in the days beforehand.

Your rental fee is a different matter: if you reserved, that was charged when you booked. See how payment works.

What happens to it afterwards

When the ATV comes back and a member of staff approves the return, the hold is released. That is the ordinary outcome, and it happens the same day from our side.

If there is damage, the claim amount is taken from the hold and anything left over is released. See damage claims.

One uncommon case

If a charge during your rental — late days, say — is declined on your card, staff can take it from the deposit hold instead. Only the amount of that charge is taken, and the rest of the hold is released there and then rather than waiting for your return to be approved. You are told about the charge when it happens, and it appears as its own line on your receipt.

Being told

You are told the amount and the reason on whichever channels you have turned on. The full breakdown is always on your rental's receipt.

Why it may still show on your statement

Releasing a hold is immediate on our side. How quickly it disappears from your statement is your bank's decision — usually a few days. If it is still showing a week later, that is worth asking your bank about, and worth telling us so we can confirm from our side that it was released.

How much it is, and what it covers

The deposit amount is shown before you confirm. What it can be used for, and what you are responsible for, are set by the rental agreement rather than by this page.