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One century-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

Had it come down minutes earlier we would have been critically hurt or fatally wounded

Emergency repairs took a full day after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be structurally unsound and chose to book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have created some inconvenience," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the pending case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree resting on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the anxiety and trauma instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Peak Season Vacation Issues Emerge

Now that the peak travel period has ended, countless holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it did not. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These platforms display worldwide property portfolios on their platforms and guarantee to satisfy travel dreams on a budget.

Customer safeguards, however, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Legal Gaps

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under consumer travel 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 agreement 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 too unsafe to return, ended up spending twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are liable for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to refund customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to approve 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 announced the case had dragged on 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 proposed that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform eventually issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its 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 malfunctioned.

"The host sent a repair person, who was unable to help," she states. "They eventually sent a locksmith who tried for several 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 wrench and pliers. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It was discovered unfastened bolts had blocked the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

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

Pocock asked for a full refund to make up for 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 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 booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and advised him to find 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 nothing they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is still being listed on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after intervention. The company verified the host who had left Philip out of his rental had not responded to its inquiries. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Rating Systems

Ratings 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 recent flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam 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 stated that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not removed. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

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 alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only option if the dispute isn't resolved is lawsuits," 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: "One might claim that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are registered overseas and have significant financial resources."

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

A representative states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force strict new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to protect people's funds."

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