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One century-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a holiday. 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 vacation home in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "Had it fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

Had it fallen moments earlier we would have been critically hurt or fatally wounded

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

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

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened 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 anxiety and trauma rather than celebrating a special memory."

Summer Travel Issues Surface

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

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor connects these ruined holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property listings on their platforms and promise to satisfy travel dreams on a budget.

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

Legal Gaps

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

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

James and Andrew had spent £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 refund customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After two and a half months of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had dragged on long enough and abruptly ended 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 positive story."

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

Trapped

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book a flat for a weekend stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were stuck inside the property for most of their single full day in the city after a security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was could not to help," she says. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted 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 pliers. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It turned out loose screws had jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

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

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for 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 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 locked out the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to find alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months attempting unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has basically 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 responsibility. The extra disappointment is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after intervention. The company verified the host who had left Philip out of his rental had not responded to its questions. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Processes

Reviews 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 simple for users to overlook a recent deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily organize reviews by the most recent or worst ratings 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 current.

Regulatory Uncertainty

The issue 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 alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting payment for a interrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

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 lawsuits," analysts 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: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint properly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are registered abroad and have significant financial resources."

Government authorities say new consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases promoted or made on their platforms.

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

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