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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the enormous tree smashed 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 certain the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "Had it fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

Had it come down minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured or killed

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

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

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to focus on the anxiety and distress rather than celebrating a unique memory."

Peak Season Travel Problems Surface

With the summer season has concluded, numerous holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or locked out their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Stories include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These platforms showcase worldwide property listings on their platforms and guarantee to satisfy wanderlust on a budget.

Consumer protections, though, have not kept pace with their widespread use.

Legal Gaps

All-inclusive customers have legal recourse for holiday disasters under consumer travel regulations, but those who reserve accommodation through online booking services find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms advertise additional protections, but your agreement is with the individual or business 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 spending twice that for a hotel. They still await information about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to refund customers for major issues, 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 identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had continued long enough and summarily closed it. The host decided that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be offering a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "transform the event into a beautiful story."

The platform eventually issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its safety policies.

Trapped

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to reserve 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 malfunctioned.

"The host sent a repair person, who was unable to help," she states. "They eventually called a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he threw up to our window and we hoisted up a wrench and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It was discovered unfastened bolts had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at serious risk if there had been an emergency while we were locked in, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a full refund to make up for her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion 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 booked for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners informed him they were abroad 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 refunded.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's nothing they can do," he states. "I don't understand how a business can operate this way with no accountability. The extra frustration is that the property in question is continues being advertised on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after intervention. The company confirmed the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had failed to its questions. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Rating Processes

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a recent flood of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily organize reviews by the most recent or worst ratings 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 taken down. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was current.

Legal Grey Area

The problem for travelers who do not get what they expected is that their legal agreement is with the accommodation provider not 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 tend to rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," experts 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 didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to sue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are based abroad and have significant financial resources."

Regulatory bodies say recent consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "exercise 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 implemented tough new fines for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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