Booking.com Partially Liable for Rental Issues, Jerusalem Court Rules
A family that booked a vacation apartment through Booking.com experienced a significant discrepancy between the advertised property and reality, leading to a lawsuit. Upon arrival on August 6, 2025, for a three-day stay costing 1,448 shekels, they found broken furniture, a moldy smell in the bathroom, and a cracked glass sliding door that posed a safety risk. Additionally, municipal roadwork near the apartment severely hampered access. The family left after only 90 minutes and incurred an additional 2,474 shekels for a replacement apartment.
The family sued both the apartment owner and Booking.com, seeking 12,000 shekels for distress and 1,026 shekels for the cost difference of the alternative lodging. Booking.com argued it was merely an intermediary, not party to the rental agreement, and not responsible for property listings or external issues like roadwork. The apartment owner, who did not file a formal defense, reportedly dismissed the claims, stating pre-arrival checks found no issues and that she offered assistance which was refused.
The Jerusalem Small Claims Court ruled that while Booking.com is not responsible for internal maintenance issues like broken furniture or mold, it bears partial responsibility for the access problems caused by the roadwork. The court reasoned that Booking.com could have provided a warning about potential access difficulties, citing user reviews, and stated that the platform's vast number of listings does not exempt it from all liability. The judge emphasized that "hospitality is not just the room itself but also the reasonable ability to reach the room."
Ultimately, the court ordered the apartment owner to pay the family 1,026 shekels for the cost difference. Both the owner and Booking.com were jointly ordered to pay 2,000 shekels for distress, a sum lower than initially sought, with the court considering the family's own responsibility in not verifying accessibility beforehand. This ruling contrasts with a previous case where Booking.com was absolved of responsibility due to insufficient evidence and late reporting by the claimant.
