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One century-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive 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 damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

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

Urgent repairs took a full day after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the shaken couple feared the building might be unsafe and chose to book 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 pending case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the anxiety and trauma rather than cherishing a special memory."

Summer Vacation Problems Surface

Now that the summer season has concluded, numerous holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their rental – when it existed – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal 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 display global property portfolios on their platforms and guarantee to satisfy wanderlust on a budget.

Consumer protections, however, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Legal Loopholes

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

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

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, found themselves spending double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive notification about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program 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 similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had dragged on long enough and summarily closed it. The host concluded that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be offering 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 questions were raised about its health and 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 only full day in the city after a security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was could not to help," she says. "Finally they sent 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 prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we eventually managed to extract it. It turned out unfastened bolts 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 requested a full refund to make up for her ruined trip and the stress. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the replacement lock. The deposit was eventually returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed 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 told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to locate somewhere else for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months attempting in vain to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has basically 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 operate this way with no accountability. The additional disappointment is that the property in question is still being advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded 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 read guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Review Processes

Ratings 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 easy for users to overlook a recent flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

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

The same report stated that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was up to date.

Legal Grey Area

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 promise to help find alternative accommodation in an crisis, 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 industry needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms effectively 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 court proceedings in their country."

They add: "You could argue that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are based overseas and have deep pockets."

Regulatory bodies say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases advertised or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson says: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new fines for violations of consumer law to protect people's money."

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