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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed their table and chairs and damaged their rental car's windscreen.

The vacation home in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "Had it fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

If it had come down minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured or killed

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

The booking platform showed little concern. "We recognize this may have caused some inconvenience," stated the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

The host displayed 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 have chosen to remember the anxiety and distress rather than celebrating a special memory."

Peak Season Vacation Issues Surface

With the summer season has concluded, numerous holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their rental – when it existed – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The growth of booking websites has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase worldwide property listings on their platforms and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a budget.

Customer safeguards, though, have not kept pace with their widespread use.

Legal Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under travel protection regulations, but those who reserve accommodation through online booking services find themselves reliant on their host's willingness to help.

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

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves paying twice that for a hotel. They still await information about whether they are liable for the broken 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 two and a half months 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 proposed that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a beautiful story."

The platform finally issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its health and safety policies.

Trapped

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 most 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 could not to help," she states. "They eventually called a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase 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 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 crisis while we were trapped, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only declined, but kept her €250 deposit to pay for the replacement lock. The deposit was finally returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed 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 told him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to find somewhere else for the night. He spent 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 won't reply to them there's little they can do," he states. "I don't understand how a business can function this way with no accountability. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being advertised on the platform."

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

Review Processes

Ratings do not always tell the whole story. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to miss a current flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

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

The same report stated that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it relied on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Regulatory Uncertainty

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 alternative accommodation in an crisis, but getting payment for a interrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms effectively self-regulate, the only option if the dispute continues 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 look into your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are registered overseas and have deep pockets."

Regulatory bodies say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases promoted or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson states: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new fines for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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