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One century-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast 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 engulfed by branches that shattered the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "If it had fallen moments 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 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple worried the building might be unsafe and decided to reserve a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have created some inconvenience," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the pending case with a upbeat "Keep safe. Stay healthy."

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

Summer Travel Issues Surface

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

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it did not. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these spoiled holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has prompted a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase global property portfolios on their platforms and guarantee to satisfy wanderlust on a budget.

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

Legal Gaps

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

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

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, ended up paying twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are liable for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program 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 identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had continued 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 "transform the event into a positive 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 reserve a flat for a two-night 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 sent a repair person, who was could not to help," she states. "Finally they called a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted up a tool and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to extract 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 emergency while we were locked in, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock requested a full refund to make up for her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld 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 attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and advised him to find somewhere else for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months trying in vain 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 states. "I don't understand how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The additional disappointment is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

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

Review Systems

Reviews do not always tell the complete picture. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's standard setup was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to miss a recent deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily 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 current.

Legal Grey Area

The issue for travelers who do not get what they expected is that their legal agreement is with the accommodation provider rather than the booking platform.

Major platforms commit to help find other accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. 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 effectively self-regulate, the only course of action if the dispute continues is lawsuits," 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 continue: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are based abroad and have deep pockets."

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

A representative states: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force strict new fines for violations of consumer law to protect people's money."

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."