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One 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting 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 harmed the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

If it had come down minutes earlier we would have been critically hurt or fatally wounded

Emergency repairs took 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the shaken 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 caused some inconvenience," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the pending case with a upbeat "Keep safe. Be well."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the anxiety and distress instead of cherishing a unique memory."

Peak Season Travel Problems Emerge

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

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their accommodation – if it was real – or left stranded at night in strange cities when it did not. Stories include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element unites these spoiled holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase worldwide property portfolios on their platforms and guarantee to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

Consumer protections, however, have not kept pace with their popularity.

Regulatory Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal recourse 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 contract 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 too unsafe to return, ended up paying double the amount for a hotel. They still await notification about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to reimburse customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted the determination was the platform's.

After two and a half months of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced 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 offering a refund either. She suggested that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "transform the event into a beautiful story."

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

Trapped

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 most of their only full day in the city after a security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she states. "They eventually sent a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he threw up to our window and we lifted up a tool and tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It was discovered unfastened bolts had blocked 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 indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was finally 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 reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners told him they were overseas 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 attempting unsuccessfully to get this reimbursed.

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

The platform reimbursed both customers after intervention. The company confirmed 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 review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Rating Systems

Reviews do not always tell the complete picture. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a recent flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform responded 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 rules and ensure that booking information was current.

Regulatory Grey Area

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 disrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms effectively police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," 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 investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are based abroad 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 spokesperson says: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force strict new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to protect people's funds."

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