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One century-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the massive tree smashed 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 damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would collapse," James recalls. "Had it fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

Had it fallen moments earlier we would have been critically hurt or killed

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 decided to reserve a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We recognize this may have created some disruption," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before closing the pending case with a upbeat "Keep safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you heard a loud noise and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the anxiety and distress instead of cherishing a special memory."

Summer Vacation Problems Surface

With the summer season has concluded, countless travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their accommodation – if it was real – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it did not. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element unites these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The growth of booking websites has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase worldwide property portfolios on their websites and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

Consumer protections, though, have not kept pace with their widespread use.

Regulatory Loopholes

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

Some platforms promote extra protections, but your agreement is with the individual or company offering 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 paying 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 reimburse customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host insisted the determination was the platform's.

After two and a half months 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 decided that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be providing a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

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

Locked In

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 single full day in the city after a security 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 attempted for multiple 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 prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It turned out loose screws 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 blamed us for using the lock

Pocock requested a complete reimbursement to make up for her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for the new lock. The deposit was finally 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 attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and advised 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 unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's nothing they can do," he says. "I don't understand how a business can operate this way with no responsibility. The additional disappointment is that the property in question is still being listed on the platform."

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

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always tell the complete picture. A recent investigation highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to overlook a current deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could readily organize reviews by the most recent or lowest score 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 rules and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Regulatory Uncertainty

The issue 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 alternative accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a more difficult struggle. Both typically rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The industry needs more 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 firms are registered overseas and have deep pockets."

Government authorities say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms.

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

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