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A 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the enormous tree smashed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

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

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

Emergency 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 book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We recognize this may have created some disruption," stated the first of many identical automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the worry and trauma rather than cherishing a special memory."

Peak Season Travel Issues Emerge

With the summer season has concluded, countless holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out 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 shared element unites these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property listings on their websites and promise to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

Consumer protections, however, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Legal Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through online booking services find themselves reliant on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms advertise extra protections, but your agreement is with the individual or business 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 twice that 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 reimburse customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host insisted the determination was the platform's.

After 10 weeks 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 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 beautiful story."

The platform eventually issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its health and 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 left trapped the property for the majority 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 called a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he threw up to our window and we lifted up a wrench 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 jammed the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at serious risk if there had been an emergency while we were locked in, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to compensate her spoiled trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for the replacement lock. The deposit was eventually 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 reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to locate alternative accommodation for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months trying unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's little 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 verified the host who had left Philip out of his rental had not responded to its questions. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Systems

Reviews do not always reveal the complete picture. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to miss a recent flood of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could readily 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 repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it relied on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Uncertainty

The problem 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 promise to help find alternative accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both typically rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute continues is legal action," experts say. "But against whom? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take court proceedings in their country."

They continue: "One might claim that the online marketplace didn't manage to look into your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are registered abroad and have significant financial resources."

Regulatory bodies say recent 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 tough new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's money."

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