🔗 Share this article

A century-old oak tree toppled over on the initial day of a vacation. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the enormous tree destroyed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The vacation home in Provence, France was covered by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would cave in," James remembers. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or fatally wounded."

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 feared the building might be structurally unsound and chose to book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have caused some disruption," stated the first of many identical automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a upbeat "Keep safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the anxiety and trauma rather than cherishing a unique memory."

Summer Vacation Problems Surface

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

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside 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 illegal sublets. One common factor unites these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that refused refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase worldwide property portfolios on their platforms and promise to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

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

Legal Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under consumer travel regulations, but those who book accommodation through online booking services find themselves reliant on their host's willingness to help.

Some platforms advertise extra protections, but your agreement is with the person or business 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 liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to refund customers for serious problems, 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 similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced the case had continued 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 suggested that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "transform the event into a positive story."

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

Locked In

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

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was could not to help," she states. "They eventually called a locksmith who attempted for several hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to buy a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted up a tool and pliers. 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 unfastened bolts had blocked 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 requested a full refund to compensate 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 cover the replacement lock. The deposit was eventually 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 reserved for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners informed him they were abroad 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 attempting unsuccessfully to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's little they can do," he says. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

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

Review Systems

Reviews do not always tell the whole story. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a recent deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform countered that customers could easily sort reviews by the newest or lowest score so as to make their own choice 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 depended on hosts to abide by its rules 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 contract is with the accommodation provider rather than the booking platform.

Major platforms commit to help find alternative accommodation in an crisis, but getting payment for a disrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms effectively police themselves, 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 legal action in their country."

They add: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are based abroad and have deep pockets."

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

A spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to protect people's money."

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