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One century-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive tree smashed 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 convinced the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

Had it come down moments earlier we would have been seriously injured or killed

Urgent repairs took a full day after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be structurally unsound and decided to book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have caused some inconvenience," 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. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree resting on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and trauma rather than celebrating a special memory."

Summer Vacation Problems Emerge

Now that the summer season has concluded, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or locked out their accommodation – 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 common factor connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These platforms showcase global property portfolios on their websites and promise to satisfy travel dreams on a limited funds.

Consumer protections, however, have not kept pace with their popularity.

Regulatory Loopholes

Package-deal customers have legal recourse for holiday disasters under consumer travel regulations, but those who reserve accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's willingness to help.

Some platforms advertise additional protections, but your agreement is with the person or business offering the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, ended up spending twice that 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 refund customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After two and a half months of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had continued 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 suggested that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "transform the event into a beautiful story."

The platform eventually issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after inquiries were raised about its 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 left trapped 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 maintenance man, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they sent a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to fix 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 tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It turned out unfastened bolts had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at grave danger if there had been an emergency while we were locked in, yet the host faulted 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 declined, but kept her €250 deposit to pay for the replacement 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 trying to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to locate alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months attempting unsuccessfully 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 function this way with no accountability. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after intervention. The company confirmed the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had not responded to its inquiries. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Rating Processes

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

The platform countered that customers could readily sort reviews by the most recent or worst ratings so as to make their own choice on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform answered that it relied on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Legal Grey Area

The problem 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 other accommodation in an emergency, but getting payment for a interrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, the only option if the dispute continues 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 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 new consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases 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 money."

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