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A 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a holiday. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the enormous tree smashed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

If it had come down moments earlier we would have been critically hurt or fatally wounded

Emergency repairs took a full day after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the shaken couple feared the building might be structurally unsound 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 closing the unresolved case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the worry and distress instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Peak Season Travel Issues Emerge

With the summer season has ended, countless travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Stories include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has led to a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase global property listings on their websites and promise to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Legal Gaps

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

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

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, found themselves spending double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to reimburse customers for serious problems, the company stated it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host insisted the decision 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 continued 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 celebrate 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 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 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 dispatched a maintenance man, who was could not to help," she says. "Finally they sent a locksmith who tried 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 tool and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It was discovered unfastened bolts 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 requested a full refund to compensate her spoiled trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to pay for the new lock. The deposit was finally 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 key safe empty. The owners informed him they were abroad and could not help and suggested him to locate alternative accommodation for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months trying in vain to get this refunded.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's little they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues 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 inquiries. 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 reveal the complete picture. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was displaying reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is easy for users to miss a current deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily organize reviews by the most recent or worst ratings so as to make their own decision 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 rules and ensure that booking information was current.

Legal Uncertainty

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

Major platforms commit to help find other accommodation in an crisis, but getting payment for a interrupted stay is a tougher struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute continues 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 investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are registered abroad and have deep pockets."

Government authorities say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions advertised or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to protect people's funds."

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