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One 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive tree smashed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "Had it fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

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

Emergency repairs took 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the shaken couple worried the building might be unsafe and chose to book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have created some inconvenience," stated the first of many identical automated messages before closing the pending case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and distress instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Peak Season Travel Problems Surface

With the summer season has ended, countless travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their accommodation – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Stories include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these spoiled holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has prompted a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase global property portfolios on their websites and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a limited funds.

Customer safeguards, however, have not kept pace with their popularity.

Regulatory Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal recourse 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 advertise extra protections, but your agreement is with the person or company providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal 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 refund customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to agree 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 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 celebrate their survival and "transform the event into a positive story."

The platform finally issued a complete reimbursement 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 left trapped the property for most of their only full day in the city after a security lock on the front door failed.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she says. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted 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 prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging 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 serious risk if there had been an crisis while we were locked in, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock requested a full refund to compensate her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but withheld her €250 deposit to cover the replacement 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 key safe empty. The owners informed 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 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 operate this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is still being listed on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after intervention. The company confirmed the host who had left Philip out of his rental had not responded to its questions. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the whole story. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is easy for users to miss a recent flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could easily organize reviews by the newest or worst ratings so as to make their own decision on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not taken down. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Grey Area

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 typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms effectively police themselves, the only option if the dispute continues is legal action," 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 add: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed 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."

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

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

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