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A century-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a holiday. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the enormous tree destroyed 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 damaged the roof. "I was convinced 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 winched the tree off the property, but the shaken couple worried the building might be unsafe and decided to reserve a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have caused some disruption," stated the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the pending case with a upbeat "Keep safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to remember the worry and distress rather than cherishing a special memory."

Summer Vacation Issues Surface

Now that the summer season has concluded, numerous travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their rental – when it existed – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display global property portfolios on their platforms and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a budget.

Consumer protections, though, have not caught up with their popularity.

Regulatory Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's willingness to help.

Some platforms promote extra protections, but your contract is with the individual or business providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves spending 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 stated it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks 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 celebrate their survival and "turn 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.

Locked In

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book 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 safety lock on the front door failed.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was could not to help," she says. "They eventually called a locksmith who attempted 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 pliers. With us prying 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 jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 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 requested a full refund to compensate her spoiled trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said 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 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 booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were abroad 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 following four months trying unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's nothing they can do," he says. "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 verified 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 "suitable for them."

Rating Systems

Reviews do not always reveal the whole story. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is easy for users to miss a current flood of reviews warning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily 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 repeatedly reported as scams were not taken down. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was current.

Legal Grey Area

The issue for travelers who do not get what they expected is that their contract is with the accommodation provider rather than the booking platform.

Major platforms commit to help find alternative accommodation in an crisis, 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 greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms essentially police themselves, the only option if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," analysts say. "But against whom? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take legal action in their country."

They continue: "You could argue that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are based overseas and have significant financial resources."

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

A spokesperson states: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have implemented tough new fines for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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