Airbnb Situation :( Worrying!

Puddy89

Hello everybody
Really hoping you can advise please on my situation and if this is likely to cause me issues down the line!

I will try to keep the story brief as possible! 

Joined Airbnb and booked a one night stay for a parent's birthday. Unfortunately whilst there by accident one of my family spilled a pot of the host's paint in the garden which split on the gravel. (It was an honest accident trying to stop our dog escaping onto the main road!) We texted the host to apologise and she put in a damage request for £150. Though we agreed that the spillage happened, we thought this was excessive so paid £50 via Airbnb and hoped that would suffice but the host declined and Resolutions stepped in. After we shared our evidence and they shared theirs, I got an email from Resolutions saying I needed to pay the remaining £100 with a link to pay.

So here's where I messed up. I emailed Resolutions back to say that I was really disappointed with this outcome and that I would pay it but I would be appealing it. At the same time, I deleted my Airbnb account on impulse. When I went into my emails to click on the link I was sent to pay the £100, now the link doesn't work as I guess it was linked to my previous Airbnb account!

I tried calling Airbnb to say that I will pay if they can tell me how do this, but they were shockingly unhelpful and refused to put me through to Resolutions and the person I had the emails from at Resolutions. 

I have now sent Airbnb Resolutions 6 emails saying that I am willing to pay if they can tell me how to, but no-one is responding.

I hate owing money so just want it cleared and am really scared this will go to debt collectors or affect my credit score but I am keeping all the emails I have sent in case I ever need to prove that I am making the effort to pay.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or can anyone offer advice please?

I am kicking myself for impulsively deleting my account

marcia_

 I wouldn't worry about it. Its not going to effect your credit record any time soon because its not a credit account. 

 At some point you will receive an email or letter demanding payment with means to pay it. If you didn't pay then they could take you to Court to get a ccj but if you plan on paying you don't need to worry about that.?

flaneurs_lobster

Can you not contact the host (maybe via their AirBnB listing) and offer to pay directly? 

Puddy89

flaneurs_lobster said:

Can you not contact the host (maybe via their AirBnB listing) and offer to pay directly? 

I thought about that but it concerns me a little when not done 'officially; if that makes sense? When we texted her number to inform her of the damage she never replied to us directly at all and then put in the claim via AirBnB calling us liars about her gate not being secure for the dogs so I am reluctant to contact her personally.

sourcrates

I think you have been more than reasonable here.

The debt won`t appear on your credit file as its not a credit debt, and its not a debt to AirBnB, so they can`t take you to court for it.

Only the host could take legal action, and I very much doubt that would happen, if it did you have more than a reasonable defence to any claim they may make.

£150 for spilling paint on gravel??? they were trying to scam you, I`d think no more of it personally.