Establish the current state with the booking provider
A quote tells you a price; a hold may temporarily reserve an option; a confirmation records an actual booking. Ask the original organizer which evidence they received, when they received it, and whether a deposit left their account. Use the provider’s own confirmation or account view to verify the status, especially if payment was interrupted. Keep payment details private while passing on the reference and instructions the new organizer needs.
Take action before a hold expires
For a held room, check the conditions before paying. If the hold expires at noon, assign one person to act or release it before then. Do not assume a payment succeeded because the previous person entered card details. Look for the provider’s confirmation.
Tell the household what has and has not been agreed
A useful update is “Room held until noon tomorrow, deposit not yet paid; I will call at nine to confirm the cancellation terms.” That gives people a clear reason to keep the date free without treating a hold as a finished booking. If the provider cannot locate the original reference, resolve that question before starting a second reservation. When the final confirmation arrives, check the names, dates, total price, and any conditions against the option the household approved.