Vacation Horrors: Travelers Struggle for Refunds as Bookings Go Wrong

A century-old oak tree toppled over on the first day of a vacation. Minutes after James and his partner Andrew had finished eating breakfast on the terrace, the massive tree destroyed their table and chairs and crushed their rental car's windscreen.

The rental cottage in Provence, France was covered by branches that shattered the living room window and harmed 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 fallen 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 worried the building might be unsafe 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 caused some disruption," wrote the first of many identical automated messages before closing the pending case with a cheerful "Keep safe. Be well."

The host displayed little concern. "The only incident was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree lying on the terrace," she replied to the couple's refund request. "You decided to remember the worry and trauma rather than celebrating a special memory."

Summer Vacation Issues Surface

Now that the peak travel period has ended, countless holiday horror stories are coming to light.

Unfortunate travelers report being trapped inside or locked out their accommodation – if it was real – or abandoned at night in strange cities when it did not. Accounts include filthy bedrooms, dangerous equipment and unauthorized sublets. One common factor unites these spoiled holidays: they were booked through online booking platforms that declined refunds.

The expansion of booking websites has prompted a rise in travelers organizing their own holidays. These companies display global property listings on their websites and guarantee to fulfill wanderlust on a budget.

Customer safeguards, though, have not kept pace with their widespread use.

Regulatory Loopholes

All-inclusive customers have legal options for holiday nightmares under consumer travel regulations, but those who book accommodation through third-party platforms find themselves dependent on their host's willingness to help.

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

James and Andrew had spent £931 for their week in the French cottage and when they felt sufficiently endangered to return, found themselves paying twice that for a hotel. They still await 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 approve a refund; the host insisted the determination 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 continued long enough and summarily closed it. The host decided that since repairs had cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be offering a refund either. She proposed that instead the couple celebrate their survival and "transform the event into a positive story."

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

Trapped

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

"The host sent a maintenance man, who was unable to help," she states. "They eventually 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 wrench and tools. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith hammering it from the outside, we finally managed to remove it. It turned out unfastened bolts had jammed 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 requested a complete reimbursement to compensate her ruined trip and the anxiety. The booking platform said this was at the decision of the host. The host not only refused, but withheld her €250 deposit to pay for 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 trapped outside the London flat he booked for £70 when, upon trying to check in, he found the key safe empty. The owners told him they were abroad and could not help and suggested him to locate alternative accommodation 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 won't reply to them there's nothing they can do," he states. "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 advertised on the platform."

The platform refunded both customers after involvement. The company verified the host who had locked Philip out of his rental had not responded to its inquiries. When asked why dishonest accommodation providers were not delisted, it said customers should read guest feedback to ensure a property was "the right fit."

Review Processes

Ratings do not always reveal the whole story. A previous investigation highlighted that one platform's standard setup was showing reviews it considered "important." This means that it is easy for users to miss a current deluge of reviews warning that a listing is a fraud 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 multiple times reported as scams were not removed. The platform answered that it relied on hosts to follow its rules and ensure that booking information was up to date.

Legal Uncertainty

The problem for travelers who do not get what they paid for 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 struggle. Both tend to rely on the owner to do what's fair.

The sector needs more regulation, according to consumer protection experts. "Since online platforms essentially self-regulate, the only option 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 legal action in their country."

They add: "One might claim that the online marketplace failed to investigate your complaint properly and try to sue them, but this is a grey area. Both firms are based overseas and have significant financial resources."

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

A representative states: "Authorities 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: "Businesses selling services to domestic consumers must follow local law, and we have strengthened oversight authorities' powers to make sure they face severe penalties if they do not."