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A century-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a vacation. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive tree smashed their table and chairs and damaged their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

Had it come down minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured or fatally wounded

Urgent repairs took 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple worried the building might be unsafe 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 caused some disruption," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Be well."

The host displayed 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 focus on the worry and trauma rather than cherishing a special memory."

Peak Season Travel Issues Surface

With the summer season has concluded, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or locked out their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it did not. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor unites these spoiled holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The growth of booking websites has led to a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms display worldwide property listings on their platforms and promise to satisfy travel dreams on a budget.

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

Regulatory Loopholes

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

Some platforms promote additional protections, but your contract is with the person or business offering 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 twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to refund customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host insisted the determination 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 decided 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 "transform the event into a beautiful story."

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

Locked In

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 security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a maintenance man, who was could not to help," she states. "Finally they called a locksmith who attempted for several 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 tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It turned out unfastened bolts had jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

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

Pocock asked for a full refund to make up for her ruined 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 pay for 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 trapped outside the London flat he booked for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to find 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 refunded.

"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 function this way with no accountability. The additional 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 not responded to its questions. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Review Processes

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a recent deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily organize reviews by the most recent or worst ratings 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 rules and ensure that booking information was current.

Legal Uncertainty

The issue for travelers who do not get what they paid for 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 payment for a interrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only option if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," experts 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 thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are registered abroad and have deep pockets."

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

A spokesperson states: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have implemented strict new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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