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A 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The vacation home in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that shattered 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

Emergency repairs took 24 hours after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple worried the building might be structurally unsound and decided to book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We recognize this may have created some inconvenience," stated the first of many similar automated messages before closing the pending case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound 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 rather than cherishing a special memory."

Summer Vacation Problems Surface

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

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside 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 unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase global property portfolios on their platforms and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a limited funds.

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

Regulatory Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal recourse for holiday nightmares under travel protection regulations, but those who reserve accommodation through online booking services find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms advertise additional protections, but your contract is with the person or company providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves paying double the amount for a hotel. They still await 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 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 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 providing 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 full refund along with a £500 voucher after inquiries were raised about its safety policies.

Locked In

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book a flat for a two-night stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were stuck inside the property for the majority 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. "They eventually called a locksmith who attempted for several hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he threw up to our window and we hoisted up a wrench and pliers. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to extract it. It was discovered loose screws 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 faulted us for using the lock

Pocock requested a complete reimbursement to compensate her spoiled 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 pay for 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 trapped outside the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to locate somewhere else for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months trying unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's nothing they can do," he states. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no accountability. The extra frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

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

Review Processes

Ratings do not always reveal the complete picture. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is simple for users to miss a current flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could easily organize reviews by the newest or lowest score so as to make their own choice on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not removed. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Grey Area

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

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms effectively police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is lawsuits," analysts 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 properly and try to sue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are registered abroad and have significant financial resources."

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

A representative says: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's money."

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