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A century-old oak tree toppled over 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 crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The vacation home in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that shattered 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."

Had it fallen minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured 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 rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We recognize this may have created some disruption," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the pending case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Stay healthy."

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you heard a loud noise and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and trauma instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Vacation Problems Surface

Now that the peak travel period has ended, countless travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor unites these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has prompted a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These platforms display global property listings on their platforms and promise to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Legal Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through online booking services find themselves reliant on their host's willingness to help.

Some platforms advertise extra protections, but your agreement is with the individual or company offering 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 still await notification about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to reimburse customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host claimed the determination 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 dragged on long enough and abruptly ended it. The host concluded that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be providing a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "transform 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.

Trapped

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to reserve a flat for a two-night 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 safety lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she says. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted 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 blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision 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 locked out the London flat he booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners told him they were overseas 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 intervening four months trying in vain to get this refunded.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner won't reply to them there's little they can do," he states. "I don't understand how a business can operate this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after involvement. The company verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had failed to its questions. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Rating Systems

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

The platform countered that customers could easily organize reviews by the most recent or lowest score 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 removed. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Uncertainty

The issue for travelers who do not get what they expected is that their legal agreement is with the accommodation provider rather than 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 what's fair.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms effectively police themselves, the only option if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," analysts 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: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based overseas and have deep pockets."

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

A spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new fines for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's money."

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