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

The vacation home in Provence, France was covered by branches that shattered the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

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

Emergency repairs took a full day after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the shaken couple feared the building might be unsafe and chose to reserve a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We recognize this may have caused some disruption," stated the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the pending case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the anxiety and distress rather than cherishing a special memory."

Peak Season Travel Problems Emerge

Now that the peak travel period has concluded, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Stories include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element unites these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has led to a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These platforms showcase worldwide property listings on their websites and promise to fulfill travel dreams on a budget.

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

Legal Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal recourse for holiday disasters under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves reliant on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms advertise additional protections, but your agreement is with the person 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, ended up spending twice that for a hotel. They still await notification about whether they are liable for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to agree 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 announced the case had continued long enough and abruptly ended it. The host decided 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 beautiful story."

The platform finally issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after inquiries were raised about its health and safety policies.

Locked In

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 the majority of their single full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door failed.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they called a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he threw up to our window and we lifted up a wrench 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 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 emergency while we were locked in, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion 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 due the €446 rental cost.

Another platform customer, Philip, was locked out the London flat he booked for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were abroad and could not help and advised 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 essentially said that as the owner won't reply to them there's little they can do," he states. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after involvement. The company confirmed the host who had left 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."

Rating Systems

Reviews do not always tell the complete picture. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's standard setup 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 scam or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily sort reviews by the most recent or lowest score so as to make their own decision on a property.

The same report stated that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it relied on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was up to date.

Legal Uncertainty

The issue 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 other accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult battle. 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 continues is legal action," 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 thoroughly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based abroad and have significant financial resources."

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

A representative states: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have implemented tough new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to protect people's money."

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