Vacation Nightmares: Tourists Battle for Compensation as Bookings Go Wrong

One 100-year-old oak tree crashed down on the initial day of a vacation. 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 rental cottage in Provence, France was engulfed by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would collapse," James remembers. "Had it fallen moments earlier, we could have been critically hurt or fatally wounded."

If it had come down minutes earlier we would have been seriously injured 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 rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have created some disruption," wrote the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the unresolved case with a upbeat "Stay safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened was you experienced a loud sound and observed a tree resting on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to focus on the worry and distress instead of celebrating a special memory."

Summer Travel Issues Emerge

With the peak travel period has ended, countless travel nightmare accounts are emerging.

Unlucky travelers report being locked in or unable to enter their rental – if it was real – or left stranded at night in strange cities when it did not. Stories include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these ruined holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that refused refunds.

The growth of rental platforms has led to a rise in travelers arranging their own holidays. These companies showcase worldwide property listings on their platforms and promise to satisfy travel dreams on a limited funds.

Consumer protections, however, have not caught up with their widespread use.

Regulatory Gaps

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

Some platforms advertise extra protections, but your contract is with the individual or company providing the accommodation.

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up paying double the amount for a hotel. They have yet to receive information about whether they are responsible for the damaged rental car. Despite the platform's protection pledge to refund customers for major issues, the company stated it was up to the host to agree a refund; the host insisted 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 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 "transform the event into a beautiful story."

The platform finally issued a full refund along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its health and safety policies.

Trapped

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 most of their only full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door failed.

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she states. "They eventually sent a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to fix the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he threw up to our window and we hoisted up a tool and tools. With us levering the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to extract it. It was discovered unfastened bolts 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 trapped, yet the host faulted us for using the lock

Pocock asked for a full refund to make up for her spoiled trip and the stress. The booking platform indicated this was at the decision of the host. The host not only declined, but kept her €250 deposit to cover the replacement lock. The deposit was eventually returned by the platform but Pocock felt she was due 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 told him they were overseas and could not help and suggested him to find alternative accommodation for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the following four months attempting in vain to get this reimbursed.

"The platform has basically 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 extra frustration is that the property in question is continues being listed on the platform."

The platform reimbursed both customers after intervention. The company confirmed the host who had left Philip out of his rental had failed to its inquiries. When asked why unscrupulous accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should review guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Rating Systems

Reviews do not always reveal the complete picture. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's standard setup was displaying reviews it considered "relevant." This means that it is simple for users to overlook a current flood of reviews warning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could readily sort reviews by the newest or lowest score so as to make their own decision 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 relied on hosts to abide by its rules and ensure that availability was up to date.

Regulatory Uncertainty

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

Major platforms promise to help find other accommodation in an emergency, but getting compensation for a disrupted stay is a tougher battle. Both typically rely on the owner to do the right thing.

The industry needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Because online platforms essentially police themselves, the only course of action if the dispute continues is lawsuits," analysts say. "But against whom? 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 investigate your complaint thoroughly and try to pursue them, but this is a legal uncertainty. Both companies are registered overseas and have significant financial resources."

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

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

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