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One 100-year-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 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 harmed the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

If it had come down moments earlier we would have been critically hurt or killed

Urgent repairs took 24 hours after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple worried the building might be unsafe and decided to book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have created some disruption," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a upbeat "Keep safe. Stay healthy."

The host displayed little concern. "The only incident 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 focus on the anxiety and distress rather than cherishing a special memory."

Peak Season Travel Issues Surface

With the summer season has ended, countless holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in strange cities when it did not. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

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

Consumer protections, though, have not caught up with their popularity.

Regulatory Gaps

All-inclusive customers have legal options 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 additional protections, but your agreement 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 information about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to refund customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the determination 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 concluded that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be providing a refund either. She suggested that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "transform the event into a beautiful story."

The platform finally issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after inquiries were raised about its 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 the majority 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 could not to help," she says. "They eventually 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 hoisted up a wrench and tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It was discovered unfastened bolts had jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 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 requested a complete reimbursement to compensate her spoiled trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the new 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 trying 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 attempting unsuccessfully to get this reimbursed.

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

The platform refunded both customers after intervention. The company verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had failed to its questions. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Review Systems

Reviews do not always tell the whole story. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a recent deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily sort reviews by the newest or worst ratings so as to make their own choice 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 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 not the booking platform.

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting payment for a interrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms effectively self-regulate, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," analysts say. "But who against? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take court proceedings in their country."

They continue: "You could argue that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to sue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are based overseas and have deep pockets."

Government authorities say recent customer safety 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 implemented tough new fines for violations of consumer law to protect people's money."

They added: "Companies selling services to domestic consumers must follow local law, and we have strengthened oversight authorities' powers to make sure they face substantial penalties if they do not."