Boarding Deposit vs No-Show Loss Calculator

Estimates how much revenue no-shows cost a boarding kennel each month and how much a non-refundable deposit policy could recover, for owners deciding on a deposit rule.

Your estimate

Monthly loss today, no deposit...

Monthly loss with a deposit policy...

Estimated monthly saving...

Estimated annual saving...

Estimates only. Assumptions are listed below, and you can change every input.

A no-show at a boarding kennel is not a small loss. The run was held for the full stay, other families were turned away, and the staff schedule was built around a dog that never arrived. Owners often sense the problem but hesitate to require deposits because they worry about scaring off customers. Putting a dollar figure on the current loss makes that decision much easier.

The calculator works out the value of an average stay (nights times nightly rate), then applies your current no-show rate to your monthly bookings to estimate what you lose today. It then applies the no-show rate you expect after introducing a deposit, and subtracts the deposit you keep from each remaining no-show. The difference between the two figures is your estimated monthly saving. Both no-show rates are inputs you control, because your numbers are the only ones that matter.

How to use this tool

Enter your monthly bookings, average stay length and nightly rate to set the value of a typical reservation.
Enter the no-show rate you see today and the rate you expect once a deposit is required, using your own past data where possible.
Set the deposit percentage and compare the monthly loss with and without the policy, then test a higher or lower deposit.

What the math assumes

A no-show costs the full value of the booked stay, which assumes the run stays empty for the whole reservation and is not refilled at the last minute.
The deposit is fully non-refundable on a no-show and is kept in full, so the loss per no-show with a deposit is the stay value minus the deposit.
Both no-show rates are your own inputs. The defaults of 8 percent and 3 percent are placeholders to show how the math works, not industry benchmarks.
Bookings, stay length and nightly rate are assumed to be the same with or without a deposit policy, so any bookings lost or gained because of the policy are not modeled.
Annual saving is simply twelve times the monthly figure and ignores seasonality.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know what my no-show rate will be after adding a deposit?

You will not know until you try. Start with a conservative guess, run the policy for a season, count the actual no-shows, and come back to the calculator with the real figure. Even a modest drop usually changes the result noticeably.

Does a deposit have to be non-refundable to help?

The math here assumes the deposit is kept on a no-show. A deposit that is refunded on any cancellation still helps with commitment, but its dollar effect is smaller because you recover nothing when a pet fails to arrive.

Will requiring a deposit cost me bookings?

Some owners worry about that, and the calculator does not model it. If you believe a deposit would reduce bookings, compare the saving shown here against the revenue from the bookings you think you would lose and decide from there.

What deposit percentage do most kennels use?

Policies vary widely, from a flat one-night charge to a percentage of the total stay. Rather than copying someone else, pick a figure high enough to matter to the owner and low enough that it feels fair, then test it in the tool.

Link to this toolhttps://petstayr.com/tools/deposit-no-show-savings/

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