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One century-old oak tree toppled over on the first 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 covered by branches that shattered the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "If it had 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

Urgent repairs took a full day after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be unsafe and chose to book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We recognize this may have created some inconvenience," stated the first of many identical automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and trauma instead of celebrating a special memory."

Summer Travel Problems Emerge

With the peak travel period has concluded, countless travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their accommodation – when it existed – 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 spoiled holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

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

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

Regulatory Loopholes

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

Some platforms promote extra protections, but your contract is with the individual or company providing 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 twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to reimburse customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had continued 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 "transform the event into a positive story."

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

Trapped

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book a flat for a two-night stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were left trapped the property for most of their only full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was unable to help," she states. "They eventually called a locksmith who attempted for multiple 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 tool and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally 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 crisis while we were trapped, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a full refund to compensate her ruined trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for the replacement lock. The deposit was eventually returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed the €446 rental cost.

Another platform customer, Philip, was trapped outside the London flat he booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to locate somewhere else for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months trying unsuccessfully 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 don't understand how a business can function this way with no responsibility. 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 inquiries. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the whole story. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was displaying reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a recent flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam 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 decision on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not taken down. The platform responded that it relied on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that booking information was current.

Regulatory 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 commit to help find alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms effectively police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved 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: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to investigate your complaint properly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based overseas and have significant financial resources."

Government authorities say new consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions advertised or made on their platforms.

A representative 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 money."

They added: "Businesses selling services to local consumers must comply with local law, and we have strengthened regulatory authorities' powers to make sure they face severe penalties if they do not."