Vacation Nightmares: Tourists Struggle for Compensation as Reservations Turn Sour

A century-old oak tree crashed down on the first day of a vacation. Moments after James and his partner Andrew had finished breakfasting on the terrace, the enormous tree smashed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The vacation home 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 remembers. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

Had it come down minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured or killed

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 reserve a hotel for the remainder 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 closing the unresolved case with a cheerful "Stay 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 responded to the couple's refund request. "You have chosen to focus on the anxiety and trauma rather than celebrating a unique memory."

Summer Travel Problems Surface

Now that the peak travel period has ended, numerous travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

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 filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and unauthorized sublets. One shared element connects these ruined holidays: they were reserved through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has led to a increase in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase worldwide property listings on their platforms and guarantee to satisfy travel dreams on a budget.

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

Legal Gaps

Package-deal customers have legal recourse for holiday nightmares under consumer travel regulations, but those who book 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 paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt too unsafe to return, ended up paying twice that for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are liable for the broken rental car. Despite the platform's guarantee program to refund customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to approve a refund; the host insisted 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 summarily closed it. The host concluded 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 "turn the event into a beautiful story."

The platform finally 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 book a flat for a weekend stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter were stuck inside the property for the majority of their single 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 states. "They eventually called 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 wrench 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 jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

We would have been at serious risk if there had been an crisis while we were trapped, yet the host faulted 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 refused, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the replacement lock. The deposit was finally 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 booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners informed him they were overseas and could not help and advised 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 in vain to get this refunded.

"The platform has essentially said that as the owner isn't responding to them there's nothing they can do," he states. "I can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no responsibility. The extra 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 questions. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not removed, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Rating Systems

Ratings do not always reveal the whole story. A previous consumer report highlighted that one platform's default system was displaying reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a current 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 lowest score 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 responded that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was current.

Regulatory Grey Area

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

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted 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. "Since online platforms effectively police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute isn't resolved is lawsuits," 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: "One might claim that the online marketplace didn't manage to investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both firms are based overseas and have significant financial resources."

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

A representative says: "Authorities are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force strict new fines for breaches of consumer law to protect people's money."

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