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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting 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 certain the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

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

Urgent repairs took a full day after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple worried 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 created some disruption," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and trauma instead of cherishing a special memory."

Summer Vacation Issues Emerge

Now that the summer season has concluded, countless travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their rental – when it existed – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Stories include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal 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 arranging their own holidays. These platforms showcase global property portfolios on their platforms and promise to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

Customer safeguards, though, have not caught up with their popularity.

Regulatory 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 willingness to help.

Some platforms promote extra protections, but your contract is with the individual or company providing 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 paying 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 protection pledge to reimburse customers for serious problems, the company stated it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted the decision was the platform's.

After two and a half months of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had dragged on 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 suggested 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 inquiries 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 most of their single full day in the city after a security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a repair person, who was unable to help," she states. "Finally they 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 levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It was discovered unfastened bolts had jammed 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 blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a full refund to make up for her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was finally returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed the €446 rental cost.

Another platform customer, Philip, was trapped outside the London flat he booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were abroad and could not help and suggested him to locate alternative accommodation for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months attempting 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 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 continues being listed on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after involvement. The company verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had not responded to its questions. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not removed, 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 investigation 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 responded that customers could readily sort reviews by the most recent or lowest score 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 responded that it depended on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that availability was current.

Regulatory Uncertainty

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

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

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms effectively police themselves, the only option if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," analysts say. "But against whom? 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 look into your complaint thoroughly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are based overseas and have deep pockets."

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

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

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