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A century-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed their table and chairs and damaged their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that shattered the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "Had it fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

If it had fallen minutes 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 structurally unsound and chose to book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

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

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 focus on the anxiety and distress rather than celebrating a special memory."

Summer Travel Issues Emerge

Now that the summer season has concluded, countless travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their rental – when it existed – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Stories include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The growth of booking websites has prompted a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms display global property portfolios on their platforms and guarantee to satisfy wanderlust on a limited funds.

Customer safeguards, however, have not kept pace with their widespread use.

Regulatory Gaps

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 advertise extra protections, but your contract is with the individual or company offering the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up paying double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to refund customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After two and a half months of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared 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 providing a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform eventually 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 left trapped the property for most of their only full day in the city after a security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a maintenance man, who was could not to help," she says. "Finally they called a locksmith who attempted for several 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 tool and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It turned out 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 trapped, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to compensate her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover 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 locked out the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to locate somewhere else for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months trying unsuccessfully to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner won't reply to them there's nothing 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 refunded both customers after intervention. The company verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had not responded to its inquiries. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Systems

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

The platform countered that customers could readily 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 taken down. The platform answered that it relied on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was current.

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 crisis, but getting payment for a disrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both typically rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, the only course of action 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: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based abroad and have deep pockets."

Regulatory bodies say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson says: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented tough new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to protect people's funds."

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