Christmas Money Crunch: Retiree Struggles To Get Back $200 Hotel Deposit After Paying With Debit Card
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A Sacramento retiree is struggling to get a hotel deposit back when he needs that money.
The lesson here is clear: If you have a choice to pay a hotel bill with a credit card or a debit card, use credit.
Businesses like hotels, gas stations, and rental car companies can all hold deposits on your card when they swipe it. If you use a debit card tied to your bank account, that ties up your money until it's released, which can take days or even weeks.
After a hotel stays, Thomas Annigoni couldn't access a $200 deposit he needs for Christmas.
"I just think it's wrong. It would be ok if it was a day or so. Here it is five days." Annigoni said.
The hotel told us they release deposit holds at checkout, but it can take banks between five and seven business days to remove the hold. We've heard the same thing from gas stations.
We reached out to both the bank and the hotel, who are working to release the hold on Annigoni's account.
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