Getting paid
How to take deposits, and how much to ask for
Updated 21 September 2026 · 5 min read
A deposit is one of the simplest ways to protect your time. It turns a booking from a loose intention into a commitment, and it means a no-show is not a total loss. But a lot of self-employed people avoid asking, worried it will put customers off. Done right, it rarely does, and it filters out exactly the bookings that were never going to show up.
Why a deposit changes behaviour
People treat things they have paid for differently from things that cost them nothing. A customer who has put down twenty pounds is far more likely to turn up, and if they genuinely cannot make it, they are far more likely to tell you in time so you can fill the slot. The deposit is not really about the money. It is about turning a maybe into a yes.
How much to ask for
There is no single right number, but there is a simple test: the deposit should be enough to sting a no-show, without being so large it scares off a genuine booking. For most short services, a fixed amount or ten to twenty-five percent works well. For long or materials-heavy jobs, cover your worst case, the slot you would lose plus anything you would have to buy in, because that is exactly what a no-show costs you.
- Short services: a fixed ten to twenty pounds, or 10 to 25 percent
- Long or high-value work: enough to cover the lost slot plus materials
- Enough to matter to the customer, not so much it blocks the booking
How to ask without the awkwardness
The trick is to make it normal, not negotiable. State it plainly where people book, as "a deposit secures your slot," rather than raising it in conversation. When it is just part of how you take bookings, nobody blinks. It is the businesses that ask sheepishly, one customer at a time, that make it feel like a big deal.
Refunds and no-shows: decide, then write it down
Choose your policy before you need it. A common, fair approach is that the deposit is refundable if the customer gives reasonable notice, and kept if they do not turn up or cancel at the last minute. Whatever you decide, put it in writing where people book, and keep it reasonable. Under UK consumer law your terms have to be fair and clear, so a deposit should reflect the genuine cost of a missed booking, not be a penalty out of all proportion to it.
The short version
- A deposit turns a maybe into a commitment and cuts no-shows
- Set it to sting a no-show without scaring off a genuine booking
- Make it a normal, stated part of booking, not an awkward one-off ask
- Write your refund policy down, keep it fair and clear
Soopaspace lets you set a deposit per service and take it by card at booking, with the balance collected in person, so protecting your time is a setting, not a conversation.
See how deposits work in SoopaspaceCommon questions
- Is it legal to keep a deposit if someone cancels?
- Generally yes, if your terms are clear, fair and shown upfront, and the amount reflects the genuine loss from a missed booking rather than an unfair penalty. This is general guidance, not legal advice, so if in doubt check the current consumer rules on gov.uk.
- Should I take deposits by card or cash?
- Taking the deposit online by card at the moment of booking is the most reliable, because it is secured before the customer leaves the page. Cash and bank transfer work too, but they rely on the customer following through.