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One century-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a holiday. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

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

If it had fallen moments earlier we would have been seriously injured or fatally wounded

Urgent repairs took a full day after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the shaken couple worried the building might be unsafe 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 inconvenience," stated the first of many identical automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and trauma rather than cherishing a special memory."

Summer Travel Issues Surface

Now that the peak travel period has ended, countless holiday horror stories are coming to light.

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

The growth of booking websites has prompted a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms display global property portfolios on their websites and promise to fulfill travel dreams on a budget.

Customer safeguards, however, have not kept pace with their popularity.

Legal Loopholes

Package-deal 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 individual or company 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 paying double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are liable for the damaged 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 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 announced the case had dragged on long enough and summarily closed 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 "transform the event into a positive story."

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

Locked In

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to reserve a flat for a weekend 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 security lock on the front door failed.

"The host dispatched a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she states. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted for several hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted up a tool and tools. 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 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 faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a full refund to compensate her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for the new lock. The deposit was eventually 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 informed him they were abroad and could not help and advised him to locate somewhere else for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months trying in vain to get this refunded.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner won't reply to them there's nothing they can do," he states. "I don't understand how a business can function this way with no accountability. The extra frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform reimbursed 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 dishonest accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Systems

Reviews do not always reveal the whole story. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's standard setup was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a current flood 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 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 answered that it relied on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that availability 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 emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms effectively police themselves, the only option if the dispute continues is lawsuits," experts say. "But against whom? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take legal action 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 legal uncertainty. Both companies are registered abroad and have significant financial resources."

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

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

They continued: "Businesses selling services to local consumers must follow national law, and we have bolstered regulatory authorities' powers to make sure they face substantial penalties if they do not."