The century-old oak tree collapsed on the inaugural day of the vacation. It crashed onto the patio where James and his companion, Andrew, had enjoyed breakfast just moments prior, shattering the table and chairs, and damaging the windscreen of their rental vehicle.
The Airbnb property in Provence, France, was overwhelmed by branches that shattered the living room window and caused roof damage. “I was convinced the ceiling would collapse,” James recalls. “Had it fallen just moments earlier, we could have sustained serious injuries or even fatalities.”
It took a full day for the host to lift the tree off the cottage and conduct emergency repairs, but the shaken couple worried about the structural safety of the property and opted to stay at a hotel for the remainder of their week-long getaway.
Airbnb remained unfazed. “We recognize this may have caused you some inconvenience,” it stated in the first of several identical messages generated by AI, eventually closing the unresolved case with a cheerful “Stay safe. Stay well.”
The host was also unfazed. “All that happened was you heard a loud noise and saw a tree on the terrace,” she wrote in response to the couple’s refund request. “You chose to focus on the stress and trauma rather than celebrating a unique experience.”
As the summer season concludes, accounts of holiday nightmares are pouring in to Guardian Money.
Unfortunate travelers report being locked in or out of their accommodations – if they even existed – or left stranded at night in unfamiliar cities when they did not. There are stories of dirty bedrooms, hazardous equipment, and unlawful subletting. A common theme unites these disastrous holidays: they were booked through online platforms that denied refunds.
The surge of sites like Airbnb and Booking.com has led to more travelers planning their own getaways. These companies showcase a global property portfolio on a platform while promising to satisfy wanderlust within a budget.
However, consumer protections have not kept pace with their rise.
Customers who purchase package deals have legal avenues for travel woes under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements, but those who secure accommodations through third-party platforms find themselves reliant on their hosts.
Some platforms provide assurances of extra protections, but your agreement is with the provider of the accommodation.
James and Andrew spent £931 for their stay in the Provençal property, and when they felt too unsafe to return, they ended up paying double for a hotel. They have yet to determine whether they will be responsible for the damage to the rental car. Despite its AirCover guarantee to reimburse customers for significant issues with rentals, Airbnb stated it was the host’s decision to authorize a refund; the host asserted that the decision lay with Airbnb.
After 10 weeks of repetitive, auto-generated responses to James’s complaint, Airbnb concluded the case had persisted long enough and abruptly closed it. The host decided that since repairs cost her €5,000 (£4,350), she would not be issuing a refund. Instead, she suggested the couple should celebrate their survival and “turn the incident into a lovely story.”
Airbnb eventually issued a complete refund in addition to a £500 voucher after we raised concerns about its health and safety practices. A representative remarked: “We apologize for the initial management of this case, which did not meet our usual high standards. We will be reviewing this internally.”
Trapped
Kim Pocock used Booking.com to secure an apartment for a two-night stay in Barcelona. She and her daughter found themselves confined in the property for most of their only full day in the city due to a malfunctioning security lock on the front door.
“The host sent a maintenance person, who couldn’t assist,” she explains. “Eventually, they sent a locksmith who struggled for hours to open the lock from outside. He had to buy a rope, which he tossed up to our window and we hoisted up a wrench and pliers. With us prying the lock from the inside and the locksmith pounding it from the outside, we finally managed to dislodge it. It turned out loose screws had obstructed the mechanism. By then, it was nearly 4pm.”
Pocock requested a full refund as compensation for the ruined trip and associated stress. Booking.com stated this was subject to the host’s discretion. The host not only denied the request but also withheld her €250 deposit to cover the cost of the new lock. The deposit was ultimately returned by Booking.com, but Pocock believes she deserves the €446 rental fee back.
“We could have been in serious danger if there was an emergency while we were trapped, yet the host is blaming us for using the lock,” she states.
Another Booking.com user, Philip (surname withheld), found himself locked out of the London apartment he had booked for £70 when he discovered the key safe was empty upon attempting to check in. The owners, who were abroad, told him they could not assist and advised him to locate another place for the night. He ended up spending an additional £123 on a hotel room and has been unsuccessfully pursuing a refund for the last four months.
“Booking.com effectively said that since the owner isn’t responding, there’s nothing they can do,” he explains. “I can’t understand how a business operates in this manner without accountability. The frustrating part is that the property is still listed on the platform.”
After Guardian Money intervened, Booking.com issued refunds to both customers. The platform confirmed that the host who had left Philip unable to access his rental failed to respond to its inquiries. When questioned about why problematic accommodation providers were not removed from the listings, it stated customers should assess guest feedback to ensure a property was “suitable.”
Reviews do not always portray the complete picture. A report last year from the consumer group Which? revealed that Booking.com’s default system showcased reviews it deems “relevant.” This can lead to users overlooking new waves of reviews warning that a listing is fraudulent or unavailable.
Booking.com countered that customers can easily filter reviews by the most recent or lowest ratings to inform their choices.
The same Which? report indicated that listings repeatedly flagged as scams were not removed. Booking.com responded that it depends on hosts to adhere to its terms and conditions and keep availability updated.
Grey area
The challenge for travelers who receive subpar services is that their contract is with the accommodation provider rather than the booking platform.
Airbnb and Booking.com pledge to assist in finding alternate accommodations during emergencies, but securing compensation for a disrupted stay can be more challenging. Both companies tend to rely on hosts to act appropriately.
According to consumer advocate and journalist Martyn James, the sector requires stricter regulations. “Since online platforms mainly self-regulate, the only recourse if the dispute isn’t resolved is legal action,” James notes. “But against whom? Since the contract is between you and the host, you’d have to pursue legal action in their jurisdiction.”
He also states: “One could argue that the online marketplace failed to properly investigate your complaint and might try to pursue them, but this is legally ambiguous. Both companies operate internationally and have substantial financial resources.”
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) advises that the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which took effect in April, mandates online platforms to “exercise professional diligence” regarding consumer transactions facilitated on their sites.
A DBT representative states: “This government supports consumers and has introduced stringent new financial penalties for breaches of consumer law to safeguard individuals’ funds.”
They further mentioned: “Companies providing services to UK consumers must adhere to UK law, and we have enhanced the powers of the Competition and Markets Authority to ensure they face significant penalties for any non-compliance.”
