Holiday Horrors: Travelers Struggle for Compensation as Reservations Turn Sour

One 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the first 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 crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was certain the ceiling would collapse," 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 seriously injured or fatally wounded

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

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have caused some inconvenience," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before closing the unresolved case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

The host also showed little concern. "The only incident 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 anxiety and distress rather than celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Vacation Problems Emerge

Now that the summer season has concluded, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Stories include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these spoiled holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies showcase worldwide property portfolios on their websites and promise to satisfy wanderlust on a budget.

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

Regulatory Loopholes

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

Some platforms promote extra protections, but your contract is with the individual 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 information about whether they are responsible for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to refund customers for serious problems, the company stated it was up to the host to agree 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 declared the case had dragged on 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 suggested that instead the couple commemorate their survival and "turn the event into a positive story."

The platform eventually issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after questions 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 security lock on the front door failed.

"The host sent a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they sent a locksmith who tried for several hours to fix 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 pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It was discovered loose screws had blocked the mechanism. By then it was nearly 4pm."

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

Pocock requested a full refund 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 declined, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the new lock. The deposit was eventually 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 reserved for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners told him they were overseas and could not help and advised him to locate somewhere else for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months trying unsuccessfully to get this refunded.

"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 operate this way with no responsibility. The extra frustration is that the property in question is still being advertised 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 questions. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Systems

Ratings do not always reveal 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 easy for users to miss a recent deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily organize reviews by the newest or worst ratings 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 removed. The platform answered that it relied on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that booking information was current.

Regulatory Uncertainty

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

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 continue: "You could argue that the online marketplace failed to look into your complaint properly and try to sue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms 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 promoted or made on their platforms.

A spokesperson states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented tough new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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