Payment Failure Recovery

What It Does

Payment Failure Recovery helps board members fix a failed subscription payment and get their community back online fast. If your board's credit card is declined or expires, LotWize detects the problem and guides you through fixing it without losing any data or settings.

Who It's For

Board members and community administrators who manage the LotWize subscription for their HOA or condo community.

How to Use It

Step 1: Recognize the Failure

If a payment fails, you will see one of these signs:

• A red banner at the top of your board portal saying "Payment failed — update your card to restore full access."
• An email from LotWize with the subject "Action needed: Update your payment method."
• Some premium features may show a lock icon when you try to use them.

Step 2: Update Your Payment Method

1. Go to Board Portal → Settings → Billing.
2. Click Update Payment Method.
3. Enter your new card details.
4. Click Save and Retry Payment.

LotWize retries the failed charge immediately. If it succeeds, all features unlock right away.

Step 3: Confirm Everything Is Back

After updating your card:

• Check that the red banner is gone.
• Try opening a previously locked feature to confirm it works.
• Review your billing history to see the successful payment.

Common Issues

Q: Will I lose my community data if a payment fails? A: No. All your data, documents, member records, and settings stay safe. Locked features are only temporarily restricted until the payment succeeds.

Q: My card is fine, but the payment still fails. A: Contact your bank to make sure they are not blocking charges from Stripe or LotWize. Some banks flag recurring SaaS charges. After approving the charge with your bank, retry the payment in LotWize.

Q: Can I switch to a different plan while fixing a failed payment? A: Yes. While updating your card, you can also change your plan. The new plan and updated card will process together.

Pro Tips

• Set a calendar reminder for one week before your card expires. Updating early prevents any interruption.
• If your board uses a shared corporate card, make sure more than one person has access to the billing settings. That way, if the treasurer is away, someone else can fix payment issues.
• Download your invoices monthly for your HOA records. Go to Settings → Billing → Invoices to get PDF copies.

Related Features

• Settings — Manage all community settings.
• Billing & Plans — PMC subscription management.

Need Help?

Contact support at support@sanafai.com