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One 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a holiday. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the enormous tree smashed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

Had it fallen minutes earlier we would have been critically hurt or killed

Emergency repairs took a full day after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be unsafe and decided to book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We recognize this may have caused some inconvenience," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the pending case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the worry and trauma rather than cherishing a special memory."

Summer Travel Problems Emerge

With the summer season has concluded, numerous travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their accommodation – if it was real – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor connects these ruined holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These platforms display worldwide property portfolios on their websites and promise to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

Customer safeguards, though, have not kept pace with their popularity.

Legal Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday disasters under consumer travel regulations, but those who book accommodation through online booking services find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms advertise additional protections, but your contract is with the individual or company providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, found themselves paying twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host claimed the determination was the platform's.

After two and a half months of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had dragged on long enough and abruptly ended it. The host concluded that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be providing a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform finally issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after inquiries were raised about its health and safety policies.

Trapped

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book a flat for a two-night stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were stuck inside the property for the majority of their single full day in the city after a security lock on the front door failed.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was could not to help," she says. "They eventually called a locksmith who attempted for several hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted up a tool and pliers. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to extract it. It was discovered loose screws had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at serious risk if there had been an crisis while we were trapped, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock requested a full refund to compensate her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was finally returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was due the €446 rental cost.

Another platform customer, Philip, was locked out the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and advised him to find somewhere else for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months attempting unsuccessfully to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner won't reply to them there's little they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is still being advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after involvement. The company verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had failed to its questions. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Processes

Reviews do not always tell the whole story. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to miss a current deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could easily organize reviews by the newest or lowest score so as to make their own decision on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it relied on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was current.

Regulatory Uncertainty

The issue for travelers who do not get what they paid for is that their legal agreement is with the accommodation provider not the booking platform.

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a tougher struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is lawsuits," analysts say. "But against whom? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take legal action in their country."

They add: "One might claim that the online marketplace failed to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are registered abroad and have significant financial resources."

Regulatory bodies say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases promoted or made on their platforms.

A representative states: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force strict new fines for breaches of consumer law to protect people's money."

They continued: "Businesses selling services to local consumers must follow local law, and we have strengthened oversight authorities' powers to make sure they face severe penalties if they do not."