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One 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 crushed 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 certain the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

If it had come down moments 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 unsafe and chose to reserve a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

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

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the anxiety and distress rather than cherishing a special memory."

Peak Season Vacation Problems Emerge

With the summer season has concluded, countless travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Stories include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The growth of booking websites has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property listings on their websites and guarantee to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Regulatory Gaps

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

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

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, found themselves 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 guarantee program to refund customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks 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 decided 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 beautiful story."

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

Trapped

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to reserve 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 security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she says. "They eventually called a locksmith who tried for several hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted 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 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 locked in, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to compensate her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover 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 informed him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to find alternative accommodation for the night. He paid 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 nothing they can do," he states. "I don't understand how a business can function this way with no accountability. The extra disappointment is that the property in question is still being advertised on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after involvement. The company confirmed 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

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

The platform countered that customers could easily organize reviews by the most recent or worst ratings so as to make their own decision on a property.

The same report stated that listings that had been repeatedly 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 Grey Area

The issue for travelers who do not get what they expected 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 crisis, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only option if the dispute continues is legal action," experts 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 sue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based overseas and have deep pockets."

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

A spokesperson 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 money."

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