Holiday Horrors: Travelers Battle for Refunds as Reservations Turn Sour

A 100-year-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 enormous tree destroyed their table and chairs and damaged their rental car's windscreen.

The vacation home in Provence, France was covered by branches that broke the living room window and damaged the roof. "I was convinced the ceiling would cave in," James recalls. "If it had fallen minutes earlier, we could have been critically hurt or killed."

If it had fallen minutes earlier we would have been critically hurt or killed

Urgent repairs took 24 hours after the host winched the tree off the property, but the shaken couple worried the building might be unsafe and decided to book a hotel for the rest of their week-long stay.

The booking platform showed little concern. "We understand this may have created some disruption," stated the first of many similar automated messages before concluding the pending case with a cheerful "Stay safe. Stay healthy."

The host displayed little concern. "All that happened 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 Issues Surface

Now that the summer season has concluded, countless holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unlucky travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their rental – if it was real – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it did not. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, unsafe equipment and illegal sublets. One common factor unites these spoiled holidays: they were booked through digital reservation services that declined refunds.

The expansion of rental platforms has prompted a increase in travelers organizing their own holidays. These platforms showcase worldwide property listings on their websites and guarantee to fulfill travel dreams on a limited funds.

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

Regulatory Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal recourse for holiday nightmares under travel protection regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's cooperation.

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

James and Andrew had paid £931 for their week in the Provençal cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, ended up spending twice that for a hotel. They still await notification about whether they are responsible 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 agree a refund; the host claimed the decision was the platform's.

After two and a half months of identical automated messages in response to James's complaint, the platform announced 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 eventually issued a complete reimbursement along with a £500 voucher after questions were raised about its 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 left trapped the property for most of their single full day in the city after a safety lock on the front door failed.

"The host dispatched a repair person, who was unable to help," she says. "Finally they sent a locksmith who tried for multiple hours to access the lock from the outside. He had to purchase a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we lifted 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 loose screws had jammed the mechanism. By then it was almost 4pm."

We would have been at serious risk if there had been an emergency while we were trapped, yet the host faulted 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 decision of the host. The host not only declined, but kept her €250 deposit to pay for 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 reserved 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 suggested him to find somewhere else for the night. He spent an extra £123 on a hotel room and has spent the intervening four months attempting in vain 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 can't comprehend how a business can function this way with no accountability. The additional 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 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 complete picture. A previous 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 warning that a listing is a scam or not available.

The platform responded that customers could easily organize reviews by the most recent or worst ratings so as to make their own decision on a property.

The same report stated that listings that had been repeatedly reported as scams were not removed. The platform responded that it depended on hosts to follow its terms and conditions and ensure that availability was current.

Legal Uncertainty

The problem 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 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 industry needs greater regulation, according to consumer advocates. "Since online platforms effectively police themselves, the only option if the dispute continues is lawsuits," experts 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 investigate your complaint properly and try to pursue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based abroad and have significant financial resources."

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

A representative states: "Government agencies are on the side of consumers and we have brought into force tough new fines for violations of consumer law to safeguard people's funds."

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