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One century-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the enormous 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 seriously injured or killed."

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

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

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

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and distress instead of cherishing a unique memory."

Summer Travel Problems Emerge

With the summer season has concluded, countless holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these spoiled holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has prompted a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase global property portfolios on their websites and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a limited funds.

Consumer protections, though, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Regulatory Gaps

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

Some platforms promote extra protections, but your agreement is with the individual or company providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up paying 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 guarantee program to reimburse customers for major issues, 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 abruptly ended it. The host decided that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be offering a refund either. She suggested 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 reserve a flat for a weekend stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were left trapped the property for the majority of their single 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. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted for several hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we hoisted up a wrench 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 loose screws had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at grave danger if there had been an crisis while we were locked in, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock requested a full refund to make up for her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was finally returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed 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 lockbox empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and suggested him to find somewhere else for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months trying unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner won't reply 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 frustration is that the property in question is still being listed on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after intervention. The company confirmed the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had failed to its questions. 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 Systems

Reviews do not always reveal the complete picture. A previous 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 current deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily sort reviews by the most recent or lowest score 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 taken down. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Grey Area

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 promise to help find alternative accommodation in an crisis, but getting payment for a disrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms essentially 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 add: "One might claim that the online marketplace failed to investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are based abroad and have significant financial resources."

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

A spokesperson says: "Authorities 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 added: "Businesses selling services to local consumers must follow national law, and we have bolstered regulatory authorities' powers to make sure they face substantial penalties if they do not."