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One century-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the enormous tree destroyed their table and chairs and damaged their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

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

Urgent repairs took 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the shaken couple worried the building might be structurally unsound and decided to reserve a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have created some disruption," stated the first of many identical 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 heard a loud noise and saw a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the anxiety and distress instead of celebrating a special memory."

Summer Travel Issues Surface

With the peak travel period has ended, countless travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their accommodation – if it was real – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Stories include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has led to a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms showcase global property listings on their websites and guarantee to fulfill travel dreams on a budget.

Consumer protections, however, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Regulatory Loopholes

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday disasters under consumer travel regulations, but those who reserve accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's willingness to help.

Some platforms promote additional protections, but your contract is with the person or business providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up paying double the amount for a hotel. They still await notification about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for serious problems, the company stated it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had dragged on long enough and summarily closed it. The host concluded that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be providing a refund either. She suggested that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a beautiful 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 weekend stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were left trapped the property for most of their only full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door failed.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they called a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase 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 turned out loose screws had jammed the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at grave danger if there had been an crisis while we were locked in, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to compensate her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but withheld her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was eventually returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed the €446 rental cost.

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

"The platform has essentially 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 operate this way with no accountability. The extra disappointment is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after involvement. The company confirmed the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had not responded 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."

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the whole story. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a current deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily sort reviews by the newest or lowest score so as to make their own choice on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was current.

Regulatory Uncertainty

The problem for travelers who do not get what they expected is that their contract is with the accommodation provider rather than the booking platform.

Major platforms commit to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only course of action if the dispute continues is legal action," experts say. "But who against? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take court proceedings in their country."

They add: "One might claim that the online marketplace didn't manage to look into your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are registered abroad and have deep pockets."

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

A spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented strict new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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