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One century-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a vacation. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast 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 engulfed by branches that shattered the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "Had it fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

If it had fallen minutes 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 traumatized couple worried 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 understand this may have created some disruption," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the pending case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed 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 anxiety and distress instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Travel Issues Emerge

Now that the summer season has ended, numerous holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or locked out their accommodation – if it was real – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Accounts include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these spoiled holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase global property portfolios on their websites and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a limited funds.

Customer safeguards, however, have not kept pace with their popularity.

Legal Gaps

All-inclusive 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 cooperation.

Some platforms promote extra protections, but your contract is with the person or company providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal 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 responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to refund customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host insisted the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had dragged on long enough and abruptly ended 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 celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform finally 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 only full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they called a locksmith who attempted for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he threw up to our window and we lifted up a wrench and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It turned out unfastened bolts had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 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 full refund to compensate her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only declined, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for the replacement 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 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 advised him to find 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 refunded.

"The platform has essentially 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 accountability. The extra frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

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

Rating Processes

Ratings do not always tell the whole story. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to miss a current deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a scam or not available.

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

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

Legal Uncertainty

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

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

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms effectively self-regulate, the only option if the dispute continues is lawsuits," 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 didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are registered abroad and have deep pockets."

Regulatory bodies say new consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer purchases advertised or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented strict new fines for violations of consumer law to protect people's funds."

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