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A 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the enormous tree destroyed their table and chairs and damaged their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

If it had come down moments 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 traumatized couple worried 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 understand this may have created some inconvenience," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before closing the pending case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and saw a tree resting on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and distress rather than cherishing a special memory."

Summer Vacation Issues Surface

Now that the summer season has ended, 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 did not. Stories include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these spoiled holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

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

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

Legal Gaps

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

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

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, found themselves paying twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive notification about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for serious problems, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted the determination was the platform's.

After two and a half months of similar 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 commemorate 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 reserve a flat for a two-night 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 malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a maintenance man, who was could not to help," she says. "Finally they sent a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we hoisted up a wrench and tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It was discovered loose screws had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at grave danger if there had been an crisis while we were locked in, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for her ruined 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 cover the replacement lock. The deposit was finally returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed 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 alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months attempting unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's little they can do," he says. "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 advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after intervention. The company confirmed the host who had left Philip out of his rental had failed to its questions. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Review Systems

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is simple for users to miss a current deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily sort reviews by the newest or lowest score so as to make their own choice on a property.

The same report claimed that listings that had been multiple times reported as scams were not removed. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Legal Uncertainty

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

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms essentially police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute continues is legal action," experts say. "But against whom? 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 investigate your complaint properly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based abroad and have significant financial resources."

Regulatory bodies say new customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate 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 brought into force tough new financial penalties for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

They added: "Companies selling services to domestic consumers must comply with local law, and we have strengthened regulatory authorities' powers to make sure they face substantial penalties if they do not."