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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting 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 engulfed by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

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

Emergency 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 chose to book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We recognize this may have caused some inconvenience," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the pending case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the worry and distress instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Travel Issues Emerge

Now that the peak travel period has ended, numerous holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these spoiled holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has prompted a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase global property listings on their platforms and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a limited funds.

Consumer protections, however, have not caught up with their popularity.

Legal Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday disasters under consumer travel regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves reliant on their host's cooperation.

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

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves paying twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are responsible for the damaged 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 claimed the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had dragged on long enough and summarily closed it. The host decided 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 beautiful story."

The platform eventually issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after inquiries were raised about its health and 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 security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they called a locksmith who tried for several hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we hoisted up a tool and pliers. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to extract 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 crisis while we were trapped, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock requested a complete reimbursement to make up for her ruined trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only refused, 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 trapped outside the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were overseas 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 following four months trying unsuccessfully to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's nothing they can do," he says. "I don't understand how a business can function this way with no accountability. The additional disappointment is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

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

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the whole story. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a current flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could readily organize 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 multiple times reported as scams were not taken down. The platform responded that it relied on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Regulatory Uncertainty

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

Major platforms commit to help find alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting payment for a disrupted stay is a more difficult 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 option if the dispute isn't resolved is lawsuits," experts say. "But who against? 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 look into 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 customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases advertised or made on their platforms.

A representative says: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force strict new fines for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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