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A century-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a holiday. Minutes 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 vacation home in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

If it had come down minutes earlier we would have been critically hurt or fatally wounded

Urgent repairs took a full day after the host winched the tree off the property, but the shaken couple feared the building might be structurally unsound and chose to reserve a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We recognize this may have caused some disruption," stated the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

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

Summer Travel Issues Surface

Now that the peak travel period has ended, numerous holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Stories include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element unites these spoiled holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase worldwide property portfolios on their websites and guarantee to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Legal Loopholes

Package-deal customers have legal options for holiday disasters under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through online booking services find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms promote additional protections, but your agreement 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 sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves spending 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 protection pledge to refund customers for major issues, 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 similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had dragged on long enough and summarily closed it. The host decided 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 "turn the event into a beautiful 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 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 states. "They eventually called a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he threw up to our window and we lifted up a tool and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It turned out unfastened bolts had jammed 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 blamed us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to compensate her ruined trip and the stress. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was finally 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 reserved for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were abroad 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 in vain to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's little they can do," he states. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The extra 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 removed, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Systems

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to miss a current flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

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

The same report stated that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform answered that it relied on hosts to abide by its rules and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Regulatory Grey Area

The problem for travelers who do not get what they paid for is that their contract is with the accommodation provider rather than 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 typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only option if the dispute continues is legal action," experts say. "But who against? 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 sue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are based abroad and have deep pockets."

Government authorities say recent consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases advertised or made on their platforms.

A representative states: "Government agencies 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 added: "Businesses selling services to domestic consumers must follow national law, and we have bolstered oversight authorities' powers to make sure they face substantial penalties if they do not."