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A 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a vacation. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive tree smashed 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 certain the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

If it had fallen 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 structurally unsound and chose to reserve a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have created some inconvenience," stated the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

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 have chosen to remember the anxiety and distress rather than cherishing a unique memory."

Summer Vacation Issues Surface

With the summer season has concluded, countless travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or locked out their accommodation – if it was real – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms display global property portfolios on their websites and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

Consumer protections, however, have not caught up with their popularity.

Legal Gaps

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

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

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, ended up spending double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge 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 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 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 commemorate their survival and "transform the event into a beautiful story."

The platform finally 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 most of their single full day in the city after a security lock on the front door failed.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was could not to help," she says. "They eventually called a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we hoisted up a tool and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually 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 crisis while we were trapped, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock requested a full refund 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 refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the new 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 booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the lockbox 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 trying in vain to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner won't reply to them there's little they can do," he states. "I don't understand how a business can function this way with no accountability. The extra frustration is that the property in question is still being listed 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 inquiries. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the complete picture. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was showing 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 countered that customers could easily sort reviews by the most recent or lowest score so as to make their own decision on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Legal Uncertainty

The problem for travelers who do not get what they paid for is that their contract is with the accommodation provider not the booking platform.

Major platforms commit to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute continues 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 continue: "One might claim that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based abroad and have deep pockets."

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

A representative states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented tough new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to protect people's funds."

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