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A 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the enormous tree destroyed their table and chairs and damaged 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 certain the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

If it had fallen moments earlier we would have been critically hurt or fatally wounded

Urgent repairs took 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be structurally unsound and chose to book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have caused some disruption," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Stay healthy."

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the worry and distress instead of cherishing a unique memory."

Peak Season Vacation Issues Emerge

Now that the peak travel period has ended, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their rental – when it existed – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

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

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

Regulatory Loopholes

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under consumer travel regulations, but those who book accommodation through online booking services find themselves dependent on their host's willingness to help.

Some platforms promote additional protections, but your contract is with the person or business providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the French 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 reimburse customers for serious problems, the company stated it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had dragged on long enough and abruptly ended it. The host decided 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 beautiful story."

The platform eventually issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after inquiries 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 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 sent a repair person, who was unable 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 threw up to our window and we lifted up a tool and tools. With us prying 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 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 complete reimbursement to compensate her spoiled trip and the stress. 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 finally returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was due the €446 rental cost.

Another platform customer, Philip, was trapped outside the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to locate 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 reimbursed.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner won't reply to them there's little they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend how a business can operate this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration 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 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."

Review Systems

Reviews do not always tell the whole story. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was displaying reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a recent deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

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

The same report stated that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not taken down. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was current.

Legal Grey Area

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

Major platforms promise to help find alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms essentially police themselves, the only option if the dispute isn't resolved 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 continue: "One might claim that the online marketplace failed to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are based overseas and have significant financial resources."

Government authorities say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases promoted or made on their platforms.

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

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