Verified: 12 March 2026 08:15 am UK Time
Industry: Online Accommodation Booking Platform
Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
Primary Regulators: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) & Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
Important Safety Warning: Beware of fake customer service numbers on search engines. Only use official channels. Scammers frequently buy ads to promote fraudulent phone numbers. Airbnb staff will never ask for your account PIN, your password, or ask you to communicate or transfer money outside of the Airbnb platform.
Level 1: Customer Support (Initial Complaint)
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How to complain: You must first raise the issue through the Resolution Centre within the Airbnb app or website to create a digital paper trail. If you need immediate assistance (e.g., you are standing outside a fake listing), call their UK customer service routing number.
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General Enquiries & Support: 0203 318 1111 (Standard UK rates apply).
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Source Verification Note: Airbnb Resolution Centre
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Availability: Telephone support and the secure online messaging system are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for urgent active booking issues.
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Timeline: Airbnb aims to respond to severe, active booking issues within 24 hours. General complaints may take several days.
Level 2: Formal Corporate Escalation (Notice of Dispute)
- Who to contact: If standard customer service or the Resolution Centre cannot resolve the issue, you must formally escalate it. Reply to your existing support ticket, detail a timeline of the issue, and state your desired resolution. You must explicitly request a “Final Response” or “Deadlock Letter” if they refuse to issue a refund or payout.
- Timeline: Under UK consumer and financial guidelines, Airbnb has a maximum of 8 weeks to issue a final resolution or a Deadlock Letter regarding a payment dispute.
Level 3: Regulatory Authority (Financial Ombudsman / Chargeback)
- Authority: Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) OR Your Bank
- The Reality: Because Airbnb processes your money through an FCA-regulated entity (Airbnb Payments UK Limited), you have two distinct routes if they refuse to refund you for a clear breach of contract (e.g., the property didn’t exist, was unsafe, or the host cancelled and kept the money):
- The FOS Route: You can escalate the payment dispute to the Financial Ombudsman Service. They have the power to force Airbnb to reverse the transaction. financial-ombudsman.org.uk
- The Bank Route: You can immediately contact your bank and claim a breach of contract under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (for credit cards) or request a Chargeback (for debit cards).
- Timeline (CRITICAL): You can only refer your complaint to the FOS after you receive a Deadlock Letter from Airbnb, OR if 8 weeks have passed since your initial formal complaint without a resolution. You must escalate to the FOS within 6 months of receiving the final response.
Level 4: Legal Action (Final Step)
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Pre-Litigation: Before commencing legal proceedings, UK legal protocols require you to send a formal “Letter Before Action” (LBA) to Airbnb’s corporate legal headquarters. This letter must outline your claim, the exact legal or contractual breach, the evidence, and the financial remedy you seek, giving them a final 14 to 30 days to settle.
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Legal Address: Airbnb Payments UK Limited (for refund/payment disputes) OR Airbnb UK Limited (for platform disputes), C/O Company Secretarial Department, 280 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AG.
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Court: If the LBA fails and the FOS/your bank cannot resolve it, you can file a lawsuit. For financial claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, you can use the Money Claim Online (MCOL) portal to enter the Small Claims Track. (Note: Depending on the specific issue, you may actually need to name the Host as the defendant rather than Airbnb, as Airbnb acts as an intermediary).
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Source Verification: Make a court claim for money (GOV.UK)
Community Action: Is Airbnb UK still refusing your refund for a misleading property or ignoring a host payout issue? Reply below (do not share your passwords, full booking references, or PINs), and our community will point you to the right FOS or Section 75 complaint templates!