🔗 Share this article

One 100-year-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast 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 engulfed by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

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

Emergency repairs took a full day after the host hauled the tree off the property, but the traumatized couple worried the building might be unsafe and chose to book a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform remained unperturbed. "We understand this may have caused some inconvenience," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree lying on the terrace," she responded to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the worry and trauma instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Peak Season Vacation Issues Surface

Now that the peak travel period has concluded, numerous travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

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

The growth of booking websites has led to a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies display worldwide property portfolios on their websites and promise to satisfy travel dreams on a budget.

Customer safeguards, however, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Regulatory Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal recourse for holiday disasters under travel protection regulations, but those who reserve accommodation through online booking services find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

Some platforms advertise additional protections, but your contract is with the person or company 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 paying double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive notification about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to reimburse customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After two and a half months of similar automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had continued long enough and summarily closed it. The host concluded that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be offering a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "transform the event into a positive story."

The platform eventually issued a full refund 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 weekend stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were stuck inside the property for the majority of their only 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. "Finally they sent a locksmith who attempted for several hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he threw up to our window and we lifted up a tool and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It was discovered unfastened bolts had jammed the mechanism. By then it was nearly 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 complete reimbursement to make up for her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but kept 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 trying to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners informed 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 following four months attempting unsuccessfully 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 says. "I don't understand how a business can operate this way with no accountability. The extra disappointment is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

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

Rating Processes

Reviews do not always reveal the complete picture. A recent consumer report highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to miss a current deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform countered that customers could readily sort reviews by the most recent or worst ratings so as to make their own choice on a property.

The same report stated that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not taken down. The platform answered that it depended on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that availability was up to date.

Regulatory Grey Area

The problem 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 emergency, but getting payment for a interrupted stay is a more difficult battle. Both typically 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 option if the dispute continues is legal action," 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: "One might claim that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both companies are based overseas and have significant financial resources."

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

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

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