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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed 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 convinced the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

Had it fallen moments earlier we would have been seriously injured or fatally wounded

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

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

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you heard a loud noise and observed a tree resting on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the anxiety and trauma rather than celebrating a unique memory."

Peak Season Travel Problems Emerge

Now that the peak travel period has ended, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

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. Stories include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property portfolios on their websites and promise to satisfy travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Legal Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday disasters under travel protection regulations, but those who reserve accommodation through third-party platforms 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, found themselves spending double the amount for a hotel. They still await information about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted the decision was the platform's.

After two and a half months of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared 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 offering a refund either. She suggested that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a beautiful story."

The platform eventually issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its health and safety policies.

Locked In

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book a flat for a weekend stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were stuck inside the property for most 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 unable to help," she states. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he threw up to our window and we lifted up a wrench and tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It turned out 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 asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for her spoiled 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 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 trapped outside the London flat he booked 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 locate alternative accommodation 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 basically said that as the owner won't reply to them there's nothing they can do," he states. "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 listed on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after intervention. The company verified 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 review guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Review Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the complete picture. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a current deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

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

The same report stated that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Legal Uncertainty

The problem 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 tougher struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, 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 legal action in their country."

They continue: "One might claim that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are based abroad and have significant financial resources."

Regulatory bodies say new consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases promoted or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson states: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new fines for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's money."

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."