How Payment Works on CribWise
CribWise uses a secure, step-by-step booking process to protect both students and property owners.
Payment Protection: Your payment is held securely until you've moved in and confirmed everything is as described. This protects you from fraud and ensures quality.
Accepted Payment Methods
- Visa, Mastercard, Verve
- Instant processing
- Secure 3D authentication
- No extra charges
- All Nigerian banks supported
- May take 1-3 hours to confirm
- Send proof of payment
- Manual verification required
- USSD banking (*737#, *894#, etc.)
- Quick and convenient
- Works on any phone
- Instant confirmation
- Trusted payment gateways
- Bank-level encryption
- Multiple payment options
- Instant confirmation
Common Payment Issues & Solutions
Common Causes:
- Insufficient funds in account
- Card limit exceeded
- Incorrect card details (CVV, expiry date)
- International transactions blocked
- Bank security declined the transaction
Solutions:
- Check your account balance
- Verify all card details are correct
- Contact your bank to authorize the transaction
- Try a different payment method
- Use a different card if available
What This Means:
Your payment was received but is awaiting confirmation from the payment gateway or bank. This usually takes a few minutes but can take up to 24 hours for bank transfers.
What to Do:
- Wait 10-15 minutes and refresh the page
- Check your email for payment confirmation
- Don't make duplicate payments
- If still pending after 24 hours, contact support
- Keep your transaction reference number
What Happened:
Your bank/card was charged but the booking didn't complete. This is usually a temporary glitch.
Solutions:
- Check your email for confirmation
- Look in your account dashboard for the booking
- Wait 1-2 hours for system sync
- Contact support with transaction reference
- We'll verify and confirm your booking manually
- If booking can't be completed, full refund within 7 days
Possible Reasons:
- Internet connection interrupted
- Session timeout (took too long)
- Browser compatibility issues
- Payment gateway maintenance
- Ad blocker interfering
Try These:
- Use Chrome or Safari browser
- Disable ad blockers temporarily
- Clear browser cache and cookies
- Try from a different device
- Use mobile app if available
- Wait 30 minutes and try again
Refunds & Cancellations
Our refund policy protects both students and landlords while being fair to all parties.
- ✓Property not as described
- ✓Landlord cancelled the booking
- ✓You cancel within 24 hours of booking (and move-in is 14+ days away)
- ✓Payment error or duplicate charge
- ✓Property has major safety issues
- →50% refund: Cancel 7-13 days before move-in
- →25% refund: Cancel 3-6 days before move-in
- →No refund: Cancel less than 3 days before move-in
- →No refund: No-show on move-in date
- →No refund: Change of mind after moving in
- 1.Request refund through your booking dashboard or contact support
- 2.Provide reason and any supporting evidence (photos, messages, etc.)
- 3.Review process takes 2-5 business days
- 4.Approved refunds are processed within 7-14 business days
- 5.Money returns to your original payment method
Payment Security & Protection
Your financial safety is our top priority. Here's how we protect you:
SSL Encryption
Bank-level 256-bit encryption protects all transactions
PCI DSS Compliant
We meet international payment security standards
Payment Holding
Funds held securely until you confirm move-in
Fraud Detection
AI monitors for suspicious activity 24/7
Important Security Tips
- ⚠Never pay outside the platform - All payments must go through CribWise for protection
- ⚠Don't share card details directly with landlords or via WhatsApp
- ⚠Verify property first - Visit before paying when possible
- ⚠Watch for scams - Deals too good to be true usually are
- ⚠Report suspicious activity immediately to support
Frequently Asked Questions
Card payments are instant. Bank transfers take 1-3 hours. USSD is instant. Once confirmed, your booking is immediately secured.
Some landlords offer installment plans. Look for "Installment Available" badge on listings or ask the landlord directly. Terms vary by property.
Duplicate charges are automatically refunded within 7 business days. Contact support immediately with both transaction references to speed up the process.
Yes! Visa and Mastercard from any country work. Some banks may charge foreign transaction fees - check with your bank.
CribWise charges a small service fee (3-5% of rent) to cover payment processing, customer support, and platform maintenance. This is shown clearly before payment.