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One 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a holiday. Minutes 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 vacation home in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

Had it come down minutes earlier we would have been critically hurt or killed

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

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have caused some disruption," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a upbeat "Keep safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you heard a loud noise and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the anxiety and distress rather than celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Travel Problems Surface

Now that the peak travel period has ended, numerous holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Stories include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has prompted a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms display global property listings on their platforms and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

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

Regulatory Gaps

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under consumer travel regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's willingness to help.

Some platforms promote 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 Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves spending double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive notification about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to refund customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host insisted the decision was the platform's.

After two and a half months of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had continued 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 suggested that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform eventually issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after inquiries were raised about its health and safety policies.

Locked In

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 only full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door failed.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was could not to help," she states. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted 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 lifted up a wrench and tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It was discovered unfastened bolts had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

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

Pocock asked for a full refund to compensate her ruined trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to cover the new 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 booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested 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 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 extra disappointment is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after involvement. The company verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had failed to its inquiries. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Processes

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "relevant." 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 responded that customers could easily sort reviews by the newest or worst ratings so as to make their own choice on a property.

The same report stated that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it relied on hosts to abide by its rules and ensure that availability was current.

Legal 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 other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms essentially police themselves, the only option if the dispute continues is lawsuits," 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 add: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based abroad and have significant financial resources."

Government authorities say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions advertised or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson says: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented strict new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to protect people's money."

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