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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast 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 collapse," James recalls. "Had it fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

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

Emergency repairs took a full day after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be unsafe and decided to reserve a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have caused some disruption," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

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

Peak Season Vacation Issues Surface

With the peak travel period has concluded, countless holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or locked out their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has led to a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase global property portfolios on their platforms and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a budget.

Customer safeguards, however, have not kept pace with their popularity.

Regulatory Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday disasters under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves reliant on their host's cooperation.

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

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up spending double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive notification about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to reimburse customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted the determination 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 abruptly ended it. The host concluded that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be providing a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "turn the event into a beautiful story."

The platform eventually issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after inquiries were raised about its health and 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 left trapped the property for most of their single full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "They eventually called a locksmith who attempted for several hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we hoisted up a wrench and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It was discovered loose screws had jammed 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 blamed us for using the lock

Pocock requested a full refund to make up for her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only declined, 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 trapped outside the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to locate alternative accommodation 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 basically 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 accountability. The additional disappointment is that the property in question is continues being advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after involvement. The company confirmed the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had not responded to its inquiries. 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 Systems

Reviews do not always reveal the complete picture. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a current flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily sort reviews by the most recent or worst ratings so as to make their own choice on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not taken down. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to follow 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 contract is with the accommodation provider not the booking platform.

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a more difficult battle. 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 effectively self-regulate, the only course of action 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 continue: "One might claim that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are registered overseas and have deep pockets."

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

A representative says: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented strict new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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