Airbnb Resolution Center

A host opens a request, selects the reservation, itemises the charge, attaches evidence, and sends it to the guest. The guest has 24 hours to accept, decline, or ignore. If accepted, Airbnb charges the guest’s payment method and transfers funds to the host. If declined or ignored, the host can escalate to Airbnb support, who will review the claim under AirCover.

The 24-hour guest window is operationally important. Many claims get paid quickly because the guest accepts rather than fight. Even more get paid because the guest ignores - inaction defaults to escalation, where strong evidence wins.

The Resolution Center is always the first step. AirCover is the escalation path that activates if the guest does not pay through the Resolution Center. Hosts who try to bypass the Resolution Center and contact AirCover directly are routed back to file a request first.

This sequencing exists because Airbnb wants guests to have the chance to settle privately before company funds are involved. It also means the 14-day clock is running the moment damage is discovered, regardless of whether the host knows the process.

At minimum: before-and-after evidence (the check-in and check-out inspection pair), itemised repair quotes or receipts (specific dollar amounts, not estimates), any guest communication referencing the incident, and a clear written explanation tying the damage to the specific guest.

Vague descriptions and unverified photos lose at this stage. Resolution agents who see a tamper-evident inspection report attached approve claims at materially higher rates than those who see phone photos.

Resolution Center requests for damage must be filed within 14 days of the responsible guest’s checkout, or before the next guest checks in - whichever is sooner. Late requests are routinely denied without review of evidence, regardless of how strong that evidence is.

This is why a turnover-time inspection workflow is non-negotiable for serious hosts. Discovering damage on day 16 is the same as not discovering it at all.