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A 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the enormous tree destroyed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The vacation home in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

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

Emergency repairs took 24 hours after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple worried the building might be unsafe and decided to book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have caused some disruption," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before concluding 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 lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the anxiety and trauma instead of celebrating a special memory."

Summer Vacation Problems Emerge

With the summer season has ended, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element connects these spoiled holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase global property listings on their platforms and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a limited funds.

Consumer protections, however, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Legal Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal recourse for holiday disasters under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through online booking services find themselves dependent on their host's willingness to help.

Some platforms advertise 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 too unsafe to return, ended up spending double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive notification about whether they are liable for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to refund customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the determination was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had continued 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 "turn the event into a beautiful story."

The platform finally issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its health and 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 stuck inside the property for the majority of their only full day in the city after a security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted for several hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted up a wrench and tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It turned out loose screws 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 trapped, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock requested a complete reimbursement to make up for her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for 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 trapped outside the London flat he booked for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to locate alternative accommodation for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months attempting unsuccessfully to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner won't reply 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 locked 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."

Review Processes

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a recent deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could easily organize reviews by the most recent or lowest score so as to make their own choice 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 depended on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Regulatory 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 commit to help find alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting payment for a interrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms effectively police themselves, the only option 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 continue: "One might claim 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 recent consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases promoted or made on their platforms.

A representative says: "Government agencies 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 comply with local law, and we have bolstered regulatory authorities' powers to make sure they face substantial penalties if they do not."