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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast 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 covered by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

If it had fallen minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured 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 decided 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," stated the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the pending case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to focus on the anxiety and trauma instead of cherishing a special memory."

Peak Season Travel Problems Emerge

Now that the summer season has concluded, countless holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their rental – when it existed – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The growth of booking websites has led to a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property listings on their websites and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a limited funds.

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

Legal Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

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

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, found themselves spending double the amount for a hotel. They still await notification about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed 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 proposed that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a beautiful story."

The platform eventually issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after questions 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 the majority of their only full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a repair person, who was could not to help," she states. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he threw 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 extract it. It was discovered loose screws 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 faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a full refund to make up for her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only declined, 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 locked out the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners informed him they were abroad and could not help and suggested 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 reimbursed.

"The platform has essentially 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 additional disappointment is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after involvement. The company verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had failed to its questions. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Systems

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

The platform countered that customers could easily sort reviews by the newest 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 taken down. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that booking information was current.

Legal Uncertainty

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

Major platforms commit to help find alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms effectively self-regulate, the only option 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 legal action in their country."

They add: "One might claim that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are registered overseas and have significant financial resources."

Government authorities say new consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "exercise 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 tough new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to protect people's funds."

They continued: "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."