Holiday Horrors: Tourists Battle for Compensation as Reservations Go Wrong

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

The vacation home 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 remembers. "If it had fallen moments earlier, we could have been seriously injured or killed."

Had it fallen minutes 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 feared the building might be structurally unsound and decided to reserve a hotel for the remainder of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We recognize this may have created some inconvenience," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before concluding the pending 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 lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to focus on the worry and distress instead of celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Travel Problems Emerge

Now that the summer season has ended, countless travel nightmare accounts are coming to light.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or unable to enter their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in strange cities when it wasn't. Stories include dirty bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These platforms display global property portfolios on their websites and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a limited funds.

Customer safeguards, however, have not caught up with their popularity.

Legal Loopholes

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

Some platforms advertise additional protections, but your contract is with the individual or business offering the accommodation.

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves paying 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 reimburse customers for major issues, the company declared it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After 10 weeks of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform declared the case had dragged on 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 proposed that instead the couple celebrate 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 two-night 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 security lock on the front door malfunctioned.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "They eventually sent a locksmith who attempted 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 wrench and pliers. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith banging it from the outside, we eventually managed to extract 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 emergency while we were locked in, yet the host blamed us for using the lock

Pocock requested a full refund to make up for her spoiled 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 replacement lock. The deposit was finally 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 booked for £70 when, upon attempting to check in, he found the lockbox empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and advised him to find alternative accommodation for the night. He paid an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months trying in vain to get this refunded.

"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 operate this way with no responsibility. The additional frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after intervention. The company confirmed the host who had locked 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 Processes

Reviews do not always reveal the complete picture. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a current deluge of reviews cautioning that a listing is a fraud 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 responded that it relied on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Legal Grey Area

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

Major platforms commit to help find other accommodation in an crisis, but getting compensation for a interrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Because online platforms effectively police themselves, 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 didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are registered overseas and have deep pockets."

Regulatory bodies say new consumer protection legislation requires online platforms to "exercise professional diligence" in relation to consumer transactions advertised or made on their platforms.

A representative states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have implemented 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 substantial penalties if they do not."