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A 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive 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 cave in," James remembers. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

Had it fallen minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured or fatally wounded

Emergency repairs took 24 hours after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be unsafe and chose 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," stated the first of many identical automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the worry and trauma instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Travel Issues Emerge

With the peak travel period has concluded, numerous holiday horror stories 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 wasn't. Stories include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has prompted a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase global property listings on their platforms and guarantee to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

Customer safeguards, however, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Legal Loopholes

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

Some platforms promote additional protections, but your agreement is with the person or company offering 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 notification about whether they are liable for the damaged 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 decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared 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 "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 two-night stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were left trapped the property for the majority of their single full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door failed.

"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 buy a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted up a tool and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It turned out loose screws had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at grave danger if there had been an emergency while we were trapped, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock requested a complete reimbursement to compensate her spoiled trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for the new lock. The deposit was eventually 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 lockbox empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to find somewhere else for the night. He spent 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 nothing they can do," he states. "I don't understand how a business can operate this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

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

Review Processes

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was displaying reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to miss a current flood of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could readily organize reviews by the most recent or worst ratings so as to make their own decision on a property.

The same report stated that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not taken down. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to abide by 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 promise to help find other accommodation in an crisis, but getting payment for a disrupted stay is a tougher struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do what's fair.

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

They continue: "You could argue that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms 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 advertised or made on their platforms.

A representative says: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have implemented tough new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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