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One century-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Minutes 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 rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

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

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

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We recognize this may have caused some inconvenience," stated the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a upbeat "Keep 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 replied to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to focus on the worry and trauma instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Peak Season Travel Issues Surface

With the peak travel period has ended, numerous travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Stories include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor connects these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has led to a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display global property portfolios on their websites and promise to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

Customer safeguards, however, have not caught up with their popularity.

Regulatory Loopholes

All-inclusive 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 additional protections, but your contract is with the individual or business providing 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 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 guarantee program to reimburse customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the determination was the platform's.

After two and a half months of similar 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 proposed that instead the couple celebrate 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.

Locked In

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book a flat for a weekend 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 failed.

"The host dispatched a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she says. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted 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 hoisted up a tool and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It turned out unfastened bolts had blocked the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

We would have been at serious risk if there had been an crisis 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 indicated this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for the new 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 booked 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 advised 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 reimbursed.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner won't reply to them there's little they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The extra disappointment is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

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

Rating Processes

Ratings do not always reveal the complete picture. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a recent flood of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily organize reviews by the newest or worst ratings 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 responded that it depended 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 rather than the booking platform.

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a tougher struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only option 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 continue: "You could argue that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are based overseas and have significant financial resources."

Regulatory bodies say new customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases promoted or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson says: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have implemented tough new fines for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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