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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a vacation. Moments 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 vacation home 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 remembers. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

If it had fallen minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured or killed

Emergency repairs took a full day 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 remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have created some inconvenience," stated the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she responded 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 Emerge

Now that the peak travel period has ended, countless travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or locked out their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has prompted a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property listings on their websites and guarantee to fulfill travel dreams on a budget.

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

Regulatory Gaps

All-inclusive customers have legal options 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 promote extra protections, but your contract is with the individual or business offering the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up spending double the amount for a hotel. They still await notification about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the determination was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had continued long enough and abruptly ended 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 commemorate 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.

Locked In

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 security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she states. "Finally they called a locksmith who tried for several 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 tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It was discovered 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 trapped, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to compensate her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was eventually returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed 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 key safe empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to locate 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 reimbursed.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner won't reply to them there's nothing they can do," he states. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The extra frustration is that the property in question is still being advertised on the platform."

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

Review Systems

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

The platform countered that customers could easily organize reviews by the newest 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 removed. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that availability was up to date.

Regulatory Uncertainty

The issue 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 promise to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a tougher struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is lawsuits," experts say. "But who against? 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 investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are based overseas and have deep pockets."

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

A spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented tough new fines for breaches of consumer law to protect people's money."

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