Issues with AirBnB

GarathBaxter

In April 2022 we booked accommodation with AirBnB and paid a 50% deposit. The balance was due to be taken in early June. 
On 16 June I received an e.mail from AirBnB, 6 days before we were due to travel, saying they had canceled our accommodation stating they had tried to take the payment from the credit card used to make the booking and it failed. 
I immediately contacted our card company who confirmed that AirBnB had not attempted to take money from the card. 
The AirBnB site showed that the property was again available but the price had gone up by £1,300 taking it out of our budget. It has since been booked. 
Despite numerous calls, tweets and messages on their Message Board, I have heard nothing to resolve the situation. AirBnB staff advised it was a technical error on their part. 
Finding alternative comparable accommodation for a family of five was impossible within our budget and I have had to book a property without the amenities of the original property through another agency. 
I am getting nowhere with AirBnB.  Can anyone suggest a way to seek redress

Ja190778

There been a few issues with airbnbs balance payments, keep contacting them, its usually sorted very quickly unlike booking.com who take up to 60 days for refunds now! we dont use bookingcom anymore just airbnb and www.porthholidays.com

CKhalvashi

Ja190778 said:

There been a few issues with airbnbs balance payments, keep contacting them, its usually sorted very quickly unlike booking.com who take up to 60 days for refunds now! we dont use bookingcom anymore just airbnb and www.porthholidays.com

When I've had issues with Booking (the boiler broke in January, so nobody's fault really, we weren't happy with the alternative provided by the company involved though), I've been able to get payment that night directly from the company (note: I had access to someone with local bank accounts, you may not).

60 days is unacceptable though, I think we can agree on this.

With regard to Airbnb, they will claim they are not the host and hide behind this (in fairness much like most of the OTAs including Booking, whose contractual terms IMO are not in line with UK consumer rights legislation). I use Booking quite regularly but only for established properties and never a property without a decent chunk of reviews and fingers crossed haven't had problems.