🔗 Share this article

A century-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 massive tree smashed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage 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 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 fatally wounded

Urgent repairs took 24 hours after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple feared the building might be unsafe and decided to book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have created some disruption," stated the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the unresolved 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 resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to focus on the worry and distress instead of cherishing a special memory."

Summer Vacation Issues Surface

With the summer season has ended, numerous travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their accommodation – if it was real – or abandoned at night in unfamiliar cities when it wasn't. Stories include dirty bedrooms, dangerous equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element unites these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These platforms display global property portfolios on their websites and promise to satisfy travel dreams on a budget.

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

Legal Gaps

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday disasters under consumer travel regulations, but those who reserve 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 company offering the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up paying twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive notification about whether they are liable for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for major issues, the company stated 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 announced 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 providing a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "turn the event into a beautiful story."

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

Trapped

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

"The host dispatched a maintenance man, who was could not to help," she says. "They eventually sent a locksmith who tried for several hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he threw up to our window and we hoisted up a tool and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we eventually managed to remove it. It turned out loose screws had jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

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

Pocock asked for a full refund to make up for her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform indicated this was at the discretion of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was eventually returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was owed the €446 rental cost.

Another platform customer, Philip, was locked out the London flat he reserved for £70 when, upon attempting 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 paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months attempting unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner won't reply to them there's nothing they can do," he says. "I don't understand how a business can function this way with no accountability. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after involvement. The company confirmed the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had failed 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."

Rating Processes

Ratings do not always reveal the whole story. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to miss a recent flood of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily sort 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 taken down. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to abide by its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was up to date.

Legal Uncertainty

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

Major platforms commit to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a tougher struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only course of action 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 continue: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint thoroughly and try to sue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are based overseas and have significant financial resources."

Regulatory bodies say recent customer safety legislation requires online platforms to "demonstrate professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions advertised or made on their platforms.

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

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