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One 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a holiday. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed 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 harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

Had it come down moments earlier we would have been critically hurt or fatally wounded

Emergency repairs took 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be unsafe and chose to book 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 closing the unresolved case with a upbeat "Keep safe. Be well."

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

Summer Travel Problems Emerge

Now that the peak travel period has concluded, countless holiday horror stories are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or locked out their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property listings on their platforms and promise to satisfy travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Regulatory Loopholes

Package-deal customers have legal recourse for holiday nightmares under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms advertise extra protections, but your contract is with the individual or business offering 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 spending twice that 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 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 concluded 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 beautiful story."

The platform finally issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its safety policies.

Locked In

Kim Pocock used a booking platform to reserve 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 sent a repair person, who was could not to help," she says. "They eventually called a locksmith who tried for several 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 levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It turned out unfastened bolts had jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

We would have been at serious risk if there had been an emergency while we were locked in, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a complete reimbursement to make up for her spoiled trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said 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 due 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 key safe empty. The owners told him they were overseas 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 following four months attempting in vain to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has basically said that as the owner won't reply to them there's nothing they can do," he states. "I don't understand 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 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 read guest feedback to ensure a property was "suitable for them."

Review Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the complete picture. A previous 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 flood of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily 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 relied on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Regulatory Uncertainty

The problem for travelers who do not get what they expected is that their legal agreement is with the accommodation provider rather than the booking platform.

Major platforms commit to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a more difficult 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 course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is legal action," analysts say. "But who against? As the contract is between you and the host you'd have to take court proceedings in their country."

They add: "You could argue that the online marketplace didn't manage to look into your complaint thoroughly and try to sue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are registered overseas and have significant financial resources."

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 violations of consumer law to protect people's funds."

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