We often get asked the same questions when clients start a claim against their timeshare resort or holiday club. This is not unexpected; it can be an incredibly worrying and frustrating time. After all many people have been through years of disappointment and frustration after becoming a timeshare owner. Not to mention the financial strain that it comes with and the endless unsolicited phone calls, emails and letters from timeshare exit companies. Here are just some of your questions we receive on a daily basis:
How long will the process take?
That all depends on the resort and your circumstances surrounding your claim. We aim to get through claims as quickly as possible, but each case is different and is judged individually. Anyone offering to complete your claim with a certain timeframe is probably acting in bad faith as this is uncertain to specify when dealing with credit providers, banks, and timeshares all at once.
Do I have to terminate my contract before making a claim?
Yes, but once the termination process has been completed, the matter will be forwarded to our claims experts and they will assess the claim, once they have considered the documents.
I am getting cold called, are these people legitimate as they have told me you are a scam?
No. Cold-calling is a criminal offence. If the companies who were contacting, you were legitimate then they would not be committing criminal offences. If you ask them their names and their contact details, it is unlikely they will provide the same.
I have been told that I must have confirmation from the resort or what you are doing is worthless?
As above, it is entirely proper that a party to a contract who believes that the other party has misrepresented the contract or breached its terms, can provide notice in writing that they are seeking to rescind the contract. This applies in any situation, not just timeshare.
Why aren’t we going to court?
The issuing of proceedings is an expensive process. In the event that you did not succeed, you may be liable to pay the costs of the other side. This is a risk to which we do not wish to expose you to. In addition, we do not consider it necessary to issue proceedings, as the same result can be achieved without that added cost.
There are numerous examples of where a timeshare resort will allow a member to exit their membership without paying a fee. Clearly, the offer is an attractive one, as the years of paying ever-increasing maintenance fees will have taken their toll. The chance of escaping them is very enticing. However, the devil is in the detail, as a clause is usually inserted within any such release, in which the member confirms that they will bring no claim against the resort, or any claim relating to the membership. In the current climate, that would be a terrible mistake, as the potential of a claim is likely to dwarf any potential savings of maintenance fees.
