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A 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive tree smashed their table and chairs and damaged their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

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

Urgent repairs took 24 hours after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the shaken couple worried 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 recognize this may have created some inconvenience," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing 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 responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the worry and trauma instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Peak Season Vacation Issues Surface

Now that the summer season has ended, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or locked out their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase global 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.

Regulatory Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under consumer travel regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms advertise additional 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 too unsafe to return, found themselves paying double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive notification about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse 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 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 commemorate their survival and "turn the event into a beautiful 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 book 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 security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a repair person, who was could not to help," she states. "Finally they called a locksmith who tried 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 lifted up a wrench and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It was discovered loose screws had jammed 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 blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for her ruined 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 owed 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 key safe empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and suggested him to locate alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months trying unsuccessfully to get this reimbursed.

"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 accountability. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after intervention. The company verified the host who had left Philip out of his rental had not responded to its questions. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Rating Processes

Reviews do not always reveal the whole story. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to miss a recent deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily organize reviews by the newest or worst ratings 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 removed. The platform answered that it relied on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Legal Uncertainty

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

Major platforms commit to help find alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting payment for a interrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, the only option if the dispute isn't resolved is lawsuits," experts 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 look into your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are registered overseas and have significant financial resources."

Government authorities say new customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases promoted or made on their platforms.

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

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