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A century-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting 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 engulfed by branches that shattered the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

Had it come down minutes earlier we would have been critically hurt or killed

Emergency repairs took 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple worried 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 understand this may have created some inconvenience," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the pending case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

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

Summer Travel Problems Surface

Now that the summer season has concluded, numerous travel nightmare accounts 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, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The growth of booking websites has led to a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies display global property portfolios on their platforms and guarantee to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Regulatory Gaps

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

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

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves spending double the amount for a hotel. They still await notification about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to reimburse customers for major issues, the company stated 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 announced 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 "transform the event into a positive story."

The platform finally issued a complete reimbursement 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 two-night stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were stuck inside 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 maintenance man, who was unable to help," she says. "They eventually sent a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he threw up to our window and we lifted up a wrench and pliers. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It turned out unfastened bolts had jammed the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at serious risk if there had been an emergency while we were locked in, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a full refund to compensate her spoiled trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but kept her €250 deposit to pay for the replacement lock. The deposit was eventually 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 reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to find somewhere else for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months trying unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner won't reply to them there's little they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend how a business can operate this way with no responsibility. The extra disappointment is that the property in question is still being advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after intervention. 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 removed, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Review Processes

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to miss a current flood of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily sort reviews by the newest 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 taken down. The platform answered that it relied on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Regulatory Grey Area

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

Major platforms commit to help find alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting payment for a disrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both typically 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 isn't resolved is legal action," experts say. "But against whom? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take court proceedings in their country."

They add: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are based abroad and have deep pockets."

Regulatory bodies say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented strict new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's money."

They continued: "Businesses 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."