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A 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the initial 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 broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

If it had come down minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured or killed

Emergency 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 book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have caused some inconvenience," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

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

Peak Season Travel Issues Emerge

With the peak travel period has ended, countless holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their accommodation – when it existed – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Stories include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The growth of booking websites has prompted a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase global property listings on their platforms and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

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

Legal Loopholes

Package-deal customers have legal recourse for holiday disasters 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 promote extra protections, but your agreement is with the person or company providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, ended up spending double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive 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 stated it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the determination was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of identical 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 "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform eventually issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its health and safety policies.

Trapped

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to book a flat for a two-night stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were left trapped the property for most of their only full day in the city after a security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they sent a locksmith who attempted for several hours to access 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 pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we eventually managed to extract it. It was discovered unfastened bolts had jammed the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

We would have been at grave danger if there had been an emergency while we were trapped, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock requested a complete reimbursement to make up for her ruined trip and the stress. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover 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 lockbox empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and suggested him to find alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following 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 says. "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 not responded to its inquiries. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the whole story. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a recent deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could easily sort reviews by the most recent or lowest score so as to make their own decision on a property.

The same report stated 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.

Regulatory Uncertainty

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 alternative accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only option if the dispute continues is lawsuits," analysts say. "But against whom? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take legal action in their country."

They add: "One might claim that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to sue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are registered abroad and have deep pockets."

Regulatory bodies say recent customer safety 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 safeguard people's money."

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