How the security deposit works

How the £2,000 deposit works

Atlas Motorhomes holds a £2,000 security deposit on a driver’s card during the hire. It’s a pre-authorisation, not a charge: the funds are blocked, not taken, and they’re released back to your account after the vehicle returns to the Glasgow depot in the condition it left in.

What the security deposit actually is

On collection day at the depot, we pre-authorise £2,000 on a credit or debit card in a driver’s name. American Express and currency cash cards aren’t accepted. The card has to belong to one of the drivers on the booking, not a friend, parent or company.

A pre-authorisation isn’t the same as a payment. The card issuer holds the £2,000 against your available credit or balance until we release it, but no money moves out of your account. Once the hire is closed out, the hold drops off and the funds become available again.

For this to work, your card has to have at least £2,000 of available credit or cleared balance at the time of collection. Worth checking the day before, particularly if you’ve recently used the card for big-ticket items.

One quirk to know about

On a small number of non-UK debit and credit cards, the pre-authorisation can show in your statement as if the £2,000 has been taken. It hasn’t. It’s a display peculiarity of certain non-UK issuers. The hold still releases on the same timeline as any other card, and the money was never moved.

At a glance

It is a hold, not a charge We pre-authorise £2,000 on your card. The funds are blocked, not taken, and released after the vehicle is back at the depot.

Driver's card only Credit or debit, in a driver's name. No American Express, no currency cash cards. Friend or parent cards aren't accepted.

Available credit needed Your card has to have at least £2,000 of credit or balance free at collection. Worth a check the day before.

CDW reduces the excess Add a Collision Damage Waiver as a bundle or as an individual extra. Drops the accident excess to £750 or £250.

What can draw against the deposit

The deposit covers a defined set of situations. We don’t draw against it casually, and any deduction is itemised before it’s taken. The triggers are:

An accident or collision. The insurance excess applies. Standard excess is £2,000 if you’re on the Essential package; with a Collision Damage Waiver it drops to £750 or £250 depending on which level you choose.
Damage to the vehicle during your hire. Bodywork, interior fittings, awnings, accessories.
Unpaid parking fines. Anything issued during your hire that comes back to the vehicle.
Vehicle returned in worse condition than you collected it. Interior cleanliness included.
Vehicle returned with insufficient fuel.

Sections 19 and 20 of our terms and conditions spell out the full position, including how each charge is calculated and the appeal process if you disagree with a deduction.

How a Collision Damage Waiver changes things

A Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) reduces the damage excess that would otherwise be chargeable in the event of an accident. Two levels are available:

£750 excess CDW.
£250 excess CDW.

One thing to know: the CDW covers one incident, not the whole hire. If a second accident occurs in the same booking, the standard £2,000 excess applies again.

How to add a CDW

You can add a CDW two ways, both at the extras step of your booking:

As part of a bundle. The Protection Plus package includes the £750 CDW and a few other common extras at a discount; Premium Protection bundles the £250 CDW the same way. See our hire packages explained for what each one bundles.
As an individual extra. Stay on the free Essential package and add the £750 or £250 CDW on its own. You pay full price for the CDW rather than the bundle discount, but you skip the rest of the bundle if you don’t need it.

Whichever route you pick, you can add it at booking, later from your booking dashboard, or on collection day at the depot. Earliest is easiest.