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One 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive tree smashed 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 recalls. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

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

Urgent repairs took a full day after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared 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 recognize this may have caused some disruption," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before closing the pending case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Be well."

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

Summer Travel Problems Emerge

With the summer season has ended, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Stories include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property listings on their websites and promise to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Legal Loopholes

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

Some platforms advertise additional protections, but your agreement is with the person or business offering the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £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 still await notification about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to refund customers for serious problems, 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 identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared 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 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 inquiries were raised about its safety policies.

Trapped

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book a flat for a weekend 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 safety lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was could not to help," she states. "Finally they sent 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 wrench 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 turned out unfastened bolts had blocked the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

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

Pocock requested a complete reimbursement to make up for her ruined trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, 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 locked out the London flat he booked 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 paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months trying 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 don't understand how a business can operate this way with no accountability. The additional disappointment is that the property in question is still being listed on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after intervention. 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 delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Review Systems

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

The platform responded that customers could easily 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 taken down. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was up to date.

Regulatory 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 commit 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 industry needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only course of action 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 add: "You could argue 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 registered overseas and have deep pockets."

Regulatory bodies say new customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions advertised or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson says: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have implemented strict new fines for violations of consumer law to protect people's money."

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