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One 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the first 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 damaged their rental car's windscreen.

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

Had it come down minutes earlier we would have been critically hurt or killed

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

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have created some inconvenience," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed 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 have chosen to focus on the worry and trauma rather than celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Travel Issues Emerge

With the summer season has ended, countless holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their accommodation – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has led to a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms showcase global property portfolios on their platforms and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a limited funds.

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

Regulatory Gaps

All-inclusive customers have legal options 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 promote extra protections, but your agreement is with the individual or business providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves spending double the amount for a hotel. They still await information about whether they are liable 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 approve a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had dragged on long enough and abruptly ended it. The host decided that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be providing a refund either. She suggested that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform eventually issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its 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 most 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 sent a locksmith who tried for several hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he threw up to our window and we hoisted up a wrench and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally 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 emergency while we were trapped, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a full refund to make up for her spoiled trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only declined, but kept her €250 deposit to pay for 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 attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to find alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months attempting in vain 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 states. "I don't understand how a business can operate this way with no responsibility. 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 verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had not responded to its questions. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the complete picture. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "important." 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 responded 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 depended on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Uncertainty

The problem for travelers who do not get what they paid for 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 tougher 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 essentially police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," 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 firms are registered abroad and have significant financial resources."

Regulatory bodies 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: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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