Most luxury villas split it 30/70: a 30% deposit at signing, the 70% balance 60 to 90 days out. Here is the full schedule, stage by stage.
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A $40,000 villa week rarely leaves your account in one go. The standard schedule is 30/70: a 30% deposit when you sign, then the 70% balance 60 to 90 days before you arrive. A refundable security deposit sits alongside it, and a handful of on-site costs settle on the day you leave. Five instalments, four dates, and one number that comes back to you. Map them once and the booking stops feeling like a moving target.
The schedule is also where leverage lives. The deposit size, the balance date, and the payment method are all negotiable at this level, and a closer balance date keeps your money working for you instead of the owner.
Establish the deposit percentage and the balance percentage. Thirty/70 is the norm, 50/50 appears in peak weeks and some Caribbean markets, and the deposit math is covered in our villa deposit guide. A split heavier than 50% up front is worth a question.
Get the calendar date each instalment falls due, not just “60 days before arrival.” A dated schedule lets you set reminders and catch a balance date that quietly sits earlier than the market norm.
The refundable hold is separate from the rate instalments. It is usually taken with the balance or as a card hold shortly before arrival, then returned after checkout. The return mechanics sit in how to get a villa security deposit back.
Confirm whether each instalment is card or wire, and the fees on each. Large balances often require a bank transfer. Pay the deposit by card where you can, and read our wire transfer safety guide before sending any balance by wire.
Separate what is prepaid from what settles on departure: the chef food float, utilities above a cap, extra staff, and boat or car add-ons. Ask for an estimate before arrival so the departure invoice holds no surprises.
Line each payment up against the cancellation tiers so you know exactly what is at risk on each date. The contract checklist shows where these clauses live, and the pre-booking questions cover what to confirm first.
A 30/70 schedule on a $40,000 week, shown as dated stages. Your own contract may differ, but the shape holds.
| Stage | Timing | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Booking deposit | At signing | $12,000 (30%) |
| Balance | 60 to 90 days before arrival | $28,000 (70%) |
| Security deposit (refundable) | With balance or as a card hold | $10,000 hold |
| On-site extras | Departure day | Chef float, utilities, add-ons |
| Security deposit return | 7 to 30 days after checkout | $10,000 back, less any claim |
The schedule we flag most is the early balance: a balance date set 120 days out when the market norm is 60 to 90. That parks tens of thousands of your dollars with the owner for an extra two months with no benefit to you. We ask for a closer date and usually get it. The second is the wire-only contract that refuses a card option on the deposit, removing your dispute protection on the riskiest payment. The third is the vague on-site float, a chef or utilities estimate left blank until departure. We get the number in writing before arrival, because a blank line on a departure invoice is a number someone else gets to fill in. Compare how the platforms structure payments in our platform reviews.
The most common split is 30/70: a 30% deposit at signing and the 70% balance 60 to 90 days before arrival. Some markets and peak weeks use 50/50, and last-minute bookings require the full amount up front.
Usually 60 to 90 days before arrival. Peak weeks can push the balance date to 120 days, and bookings made inside 60 days are paid in full at signing.
It is separate from the rate instalments. The refundable security deposit is usually taken with the balance or as a card hold shortly before arrival, then returned after checkout.
Sometimes, though large bookings often require a bank transfer for the balance. Pay the deposit by card where you can, for the dispute protection, and confirm any card surcharge in advance.
Often yes. The chef food float, extra staff, utilities above a cap, and on-site extras are commonly settled on departure rather than prepaid. Get the estimate before you arrive.
Yes. The deposit size, the balance date, and the payment method are all commonly adjusted at the top end. A closer balance date and a card option are reasonable asks. Our negotiation guide covers the script.
The 32-page buyer’s guide covers the payment schedule, the deposit math, and the clauses that decide your risk before any money moves. Free. We trade it for an email.
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