Autopay and direct debit
Autopay charges what falls due, on its due date, from a payment method the renter saved - a card, or an Australian bank account by BECS direct debit. It needs the Online Payments module and a saved method. Whether renters can flip the switch themselves is your call, under Settings → Business → Autopay.
How it starts
- The renter saves a card or bank account in their portal's Autopay panel. The consent beside the form states the exact deal - for a bank account it is the full Direct Debit Request.
- Autopay is switched on per contract - from the contract's Payments tab, or by the renter where you allow it.
- Due payments then charge themselves. The record goes paid only when Stripe confirms, and the renter gets the receipt.
When a charge fails
Fleetola walks a retry schedule rather than giving up or piling on: the renter is emailed each time with the next retry date, and no late fee builds while the retries run. If every attempt fails, the contract drops back to manual, you are emailed that autopay stopped, and late fees resume from the original due date. You can stop a walk yourself any time - flip the contract to manual, or mark the payment paid.
Bank debits are different
A bank debit takes days to clear, and Fleetola says paid only when it has: while it processes the row reads processing and no late fee builds. If the renter's bank later pulls the money back - a dishonour - the payment flips back to unpaid, the contract drops to manual and both of you are told. That is also why Pay now and signing take cards only: where money must clear on the spot, a bank debit cannot.
Tip: Payment-reminder emails already know: with autopay on they tell the renter the charge happens by itself - nothing to do.
Related guides
- Take and record payments - Record what each renter pays, and see every bond you are holding.
- How weekly billing works - Rent on a cycle: what falls due, what you record, and late fees.
- Card payments online - Renters pay by card from their portal, at signing, and from reminder emails.
- Bonds on the card rails - Manual, held on card, or charged to card - and what capture, release and refund do.