A security deposit is a temporary reservation on your card. It reduces the amount you can spend or your available credit while it is active. The business can release it or charge an amount under the terms you agreed to.
A £250 reservation is different from a £250 completed charge. Your banking app may show both with similar wording. Stripe also notes that some bank interfaces do not clearly distinguish an authorization from a settled payment. See Stripe’s explanation.
Authorize a deposit
- Open the deposit link sent by the business.
- Check the business, deposit amount, currency, booking reference and instructions.
- Follow the authorization button and complete any card or bank verification.
- Return to the deposit page and keep its link and any confirmation email.
Opening a link alone does not reserve funds. If the page is still processing or the result is unclear, check the existing attempt with the business before authorizing again.
Do not use another link, card or repeated authorization to resolve an uncertain result. Ask the business to verify whether a reservation already exists first.
What the status means
The wording may vary between deposit pages and payment providers.
Use your original deposit link to check the request. Some links open a dedicated status page; others show status on the original authorization page. You do not need to find the deposit in a shop invoice list.
After the business releases the hold
A release tells the payment provider to cancel the remaining reservation. The bank controls when the pending entry disappears and your available balance or credit updates. This may take several days; there is no single guaranteed timeframe for every bank or card.
Because the money was reserved rather than collected, you may not see a separate incoming refund. The original pending entry may simply disappear or change status.
For tracked deposits with your email address, PayRequest sends confirmations after a confirmed reservation, charge or release. Check your spam folder if one is missing. A missing email alone does not tell you whether funds are held: ask the business to verify the provider result.
If the business confirms release but your bank still shows the hold, ask for the release date and time and the payment reference. Your card issuer can use these details to investigate the pending entry.
If part of the deposit is charged
For the current Stripe deposit flow, the business makes one final full or partial capture. For example:
The bank may take time to update the original pending amount. Releasing the unused part does not refund the £40 already charged. If you dispute a charge or want a refund, ask the business to review it separately. Other payment providers may handle partial capture differently.
If you see two reservations
Do not assume that two entries are normal bank processing, or that one must be a duplicate. Ask the business to check the exact authorizations and compare their amounts, currencies, dates, references and card last four digits.
Share a cropped screenshot showing the relevant entries and whether each says pending or completed. Hide unrelated transactions, your balance and full card or account details. Never send your card security code or login verification codes.
Who can release my deposit?
The business that requested the deposit controls its release or charge. Use its contact details, reply to its deposit confirmation or open Support in its customer account area where available.
If you cannot reach the business or a PayRequest page is not working, contact support@payrequest.io with the business name, booking reference and a description. Support can help investigate the platform issue; a support message itself does not release funds or approve a refund.
What to include when asking for help 
