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One 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the first 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 damaged their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt 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 shaken couple worried the building might be structurally unsound and chose to book a hotel for the remainder 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 upbeat "Stay safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the worry and distress instead of cherishing a special memory."

Summer Travel Problems Emerge

Now that the summer season has ended, countless travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or locked out their rental – when it existed – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Stories include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor unites these spoiled holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms display global property listings on their websites and guarantee to satisfy travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Legal Loopholes

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday disasters under travel protection regulations, but those who book 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 company offering the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up spending twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to reimburse customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host claimed the determination was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of similar 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 offering a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "transform the event into a beautiful 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 reserve a flat for a two-night stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were stuck inside 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 tossed up to our window and we hoisted up a tool 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 was discovered loose screws 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 trapped, 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 decision of the host. The host not only declined, but withheld her €250 deposit to cover the new 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 key safe empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to locate somewhere else for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months trying unsuccessfully 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 don't understand how a business can operate this way with no accountability. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed 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 Processes

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

The platform countered that customers could easily sort reviews by the newest or worst ratings so as to make their own decision 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 relied on hosts to abide by its rules and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Uncertainty

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

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both typically rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms effectively 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: "You could argue that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are registered abroad and have deep pockets."

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

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

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