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One century-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a holiday. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed their table and chairs and crushed 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 recalls. "If it had 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

Urgent 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 book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We recognize this may have caused some disruption," stated the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the pending case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and trauma instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Travel Issues Surface

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

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their accommodation – when it existed – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor connects these spoiled holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The growth of booking websites has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property listings on their websites and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

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

Legal Loopholes

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

Some platforms promote extra protections, but your contract 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 too unsafe to return, ended up 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 reimburse 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 declared the case had continued long enough and abruptly ended 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 positive story."

The platform eventually issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after questions 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 stuck inside the property for the majority of their single 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 states. "Finally they sent a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we hoisted up a wrench and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It was discovered loose screws had jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 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 asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for her spoiled trip and the anxiety. 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 replacement 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 trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to locate alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months attempting in vain to get this refunded.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's little they can do," he states. "I don't understand how a business can operate 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 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 delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Processes

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

The platform responded that customers could easily sort reviews by the newest or lowest score 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 removed. The platform answered that it relied on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Uncertainty

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

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

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms effectively self-regulate, the only course of action if the dispute continues is legal action," 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 continue: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are registered overseas and have deep pockets."

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 spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented strict new financial penalties 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 bolstered regulatory authorities' powers to make sure they face substantial penalties if they do not."