OPP supports Micazu in successful transition to commission model

Micazu rents out holiday homes in about sixty countries, owned by private owners who set their own rental and payment conditions. It started as part of D-Reizen, has operated independently since 2010, and books more than half a million overnight stays a year. Until the switch, hosts paid a fixed annual fee plus a fixed amount per booking, and guests paid hosts directly. OPP already collected the fees from hosts to Micazu; the payments between guests and hosts did not touch the platform.

The partnership: a commission model that keeps hosts in control

Micazu had always run on subscriptions. Moving to a commission model meant every booking payment now needed to flow through Micazu itself, without taking away the freedom hosts were used to. Since OPP already knew the platform, it was a no-brainer for Micazu to bring the challenge to them.

OPP and Micazu partnered to make the switch. OPP onboards and verifies every host, lets each host set their own deposit and balance terms, holds funds in Escrow until the host is ready to release them, and splits off Micazu's commission automatically on every booking.

The challenge: flexibility most payment providers cannot offer

On Micazu, every host sets their own terms. One host may ask for a down payment at booking and the rest shortly before arrival; another may use entirely different terms and cancellation conditions. A commission model meant all of these payments had to run through the platform, so the payment provider behind it had to handle each host’s own terms rather than one standard flow.

OPP already collected Micazu’s subscription fees, so it knew the platform well, and it built the new payment flow around that flexibility.

Our solution: onboarding, Escrow on the host’s terms, and commission per booking

Micazu phased out its subscription model step by step. From 2020, it ran a hybrid model for two years: existing hosts could choose whether to take payments through OPP or keep dealing with guests directly, while new hosts joined on commission straight away.

Today, every host is onboarded by OPP before they can rent out a property. OPP verifies the host’s identity and bank account through its onboarding and links the account to the payment system. Once the host has created a listing, guests can book and pay.

OPP integrated Escrow so that hosts decide when they receive the money: held until later, or paid out straight away through OPP’s instant payouts. Multi-split deducts Micazu’s commission when the balance payment goes to the host. Guests pay with iDEAL, Sofort, Bancontact, MyBank or Giropay. OPP developed new functionality where Micazu’s needs asked for it, and the two teams meet monthly to go through the next wishes.

“They not only look at the possibilities they offer, but are also willing to develop new functionality. We have been able to take some nice steps together and have developed a solution that fits us, our systems and our users perfectly.”

Barry Veninga, eBusiness Director at Micazu

The impact: flexibility for hosts, more security for everyone

Hosts kept the freedom they were used to: they set their own payment terms and decide when they are paid, while Micazu’s commission is deducted automatically. Because OPP meets the strict legislation, guests and hosts both have more security over the payment. Transaction costs are in line with the market, which for Micazu means a strong price-quality ratio.

Micazu’s goal is to offer the platform in at least ten languages across Europe. OPP works with platforms across Europe, so it can grow alongside Micazu.

What this means for you: why rental platforms need Escrow with flexible terms

If you run a rental marketplace and want to move from listing fees to commission, Micazu’s transition is the template: payments through the platform, hosts verified once, money held until the moment the host chooses, and your percentage split off automatically.

Want to see how Escrow and multi-split could support your commission model? Get in touch to learn more.