Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

GUEST CHARGES, PAYMENT, AND CHECK-OUT
Blocking ensures payment. If a guest is not near the credit limit (or has suf-
ficient funds in the bank account), blocking is not a problem. If, however, the
authorized account reaches the card’s limit or bank account balance, the guest
may be embarrassed to have a card declined when attempting to use it elsewhere.
It also can be inconvenient, especially if an emergency purchase is required, and
insufficient credit or bank account funds remain after the block is established.
Even worse, blocking a debit card can lead to charges for insufficient funds if the
guest uses the card elsewhere while the block remains in place. FOMs must
ensure that their staff understand and their guests are informed about the hotel’s
blocking policies and about their impact on the guests’ credit and debit card
accounts.
Credit cards are generally authorized for more than the estimated amount for a guestroom’s
charges to ensure that the guest’s available credit will be sufficient for payment of all charges.
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