Declined CC

Guests at the river cabins I occasionally mention, not my new guesthouse. First night charged fine when reservation made. Balance due declined with error that seems to indicate "account closed".
I doubt that. Nice people. I suspect it's the same thing that occasionally causes my own CC to be declined. The CC fraud departments have all these algorithms now that decline cards for charges that aren't in the user's normal realm of activities.
But it brings to mind another benefit of the remotely progammable keypads I'm using. I can delete a guest's code and lock them out any time, from anywhere, while my own code still works. So, if need be, their stuff becomes my stuff until the bill is paid. Nice to know!
And if they break in to get their stuff, well, the police station is 1/2 block away and they tend to like we locals more than people from "off". I guess that's the case everywhere, that in a dispute between locals and visitors, the locals have an advantage with the authorities, in that they know us and trust us, up to a point!

I will remove a code for a late check-in if their cc doesn't go thru for the balance on the night of arrival. They might just be an early check-out as well, so I want them to ring the bell to get in.

Legally, you can not hold their stuff as ransom. If they really were trying to stiff you and they knew the law, you'd have to get their stuff back and sue them in small claims.
I'd do it your way first and I'd LOVE to see their faces when they couldn't get in!!

Breakfast Diva said:

Legally, you can not hold their stuff as ransom. If they really were trying to stiff you and they knew the law, you'd have to get their stuff back and sue them in small claims.
I'd do it your way first and I'd LOVE to see their faces when they couldn't get in!!.

Click to expand...

Police could charge as 'theft of services' as well.

Just had a MasterCard declined for a balance. Ended up being a debit card with a $500 per day limit. After this was sorted out, I waited 24 hours ran the charge again and it went through.
Might be your problem. Just a thought.