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

The rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed 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 fatally wounded."

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

Urgent repairs took 24 hours after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the shaken couple worried the building might be unsafe and decided to reserve a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

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

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the anxiety and distress rather than cherishing a unique memory."

Summer Vacation Issues Emerge

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

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it did not. Stories include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

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

Consumer protections, though, have not kept pace with their popularity.

Legal Gaps

All-inclusive customers have legal recourse for holiday disasters under consumer travel regulations, but those who reserve accommodation through online booking services find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms promote 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 too unsafe to return, ended up spending twice that for a hotel. They still await information about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to refund customers for serious problems, the company stated it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted the determination was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of identical 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 providing a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform finally 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 reserve 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 malfunctioned.

"The host sent a repair person, who was unable to help," she states. "Finally they called a locksmith who attempted for multiple 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 levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It turned out 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 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 said this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only declined, 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 attempting to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and advised him to find alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months attempting in vain to get this refunded.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's nothing they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend 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 refunded 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 dishonest accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Rating Processes

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a recent flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily organize reviews by the newest or worst ratings so as to make their own choice 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 relied on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was up to date.

Regulatory Uncertainty

The problem for travelers who do not get what they paid for is that their legal agreement is with the accommodation provider not the booking platform.

Major platforms promise to help find alternative accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms effectively self-regulate, the only option if the dispute continues is legal action," 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 look into your complaint thoroughly and try to sue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. 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 promoted or made on their platforms.

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

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