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

The vacation home in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

Had it fallen minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured 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 chose 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," stated the first of many similar automated messages before closing the pending case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to focus on the anxiety and distress rather than cherishing a special memory."

Peak Season Vacation Issues Emerge

Now that the summer season has concluded, countless holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their accommodation – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor connects these ruined holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The growth of booking websites has led to a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies display global property listings on their platforms and guarantee to satisfy wanderlust on a limited funds.

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

Legal Gaps

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

Some platforms advertise extra protections, but your agreement is with the individual or business offering the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up spending twice that for a hotel. They still await information about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host insisted the determination was the platform's.

After two and a half months of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had dragged on long enough and abruptly ended it. The host concluded that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be offering a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform finally issued a full refund 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 stuck inside the property for most of their only full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they 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 lifted up a wrench and pliers. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to extract 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 requested a full refund to make up for her ruined trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to pay for the replacement lock. The deposit was finally returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was due the €446 rental cost.

Another platform customer, Philip, was locked out the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to find alternative accommodation for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months trying in vain to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner won't reply to them there's little they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend how a business can operate this way with no responsibility. The additional disappointment is that the property in question is continues being advertised on the platform."

The platform reimbursed 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 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 complete picture. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is simple for users to miss a current deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform responded that customers could easily organize reviews by the newest or lowest score 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 responded that it depended on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was up to date.

Regulatory 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 alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting payment for a disrupted stay is a tougher struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms effectively self-regulate, 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 court proceedings 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 companies are registered abroad and have significant financial resources."

Government authorities say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases advertised or made on their platforms.

A representative states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force strict new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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