Summer Bay Resort Timeshare

The ‘Timeshare Boom’ of the 1980’s and 1990’s was a truly remarkable and innovative occurrences in the history of leisure and tourism. The lure of affordable exotic holidays in some of the world’s most stunning locations.

Initially the scheme was a major success and delivered on all of its promises. But as time wore on an industry that went unregulated and unchecked began to write one-sided contracts based on the greed of the timeshare resorts & groups.

In recent years customers have continued to fall foul of these manipulative timeshare contracts which have tied them in for many years with inflated fees and lack of availability due to mass overselling. Worse still, due to the total collapse of the resale market in recent years, the salesman’s promise that Timeshare would be an “investment” has proven completely false.

Nearly all timeshare contracts include Maintenance Fee & Management clauses, which are to be paid throughout the entire length of the customers’ contract. But what has caused the most controversy is that maintenance fees are left to the discretion of the timeshare resort or group.

Fees are charged on the premise that all of the members of the scheme, are collectively contributing to the maintenance and management of the resort.

The maintenance fee clause can be described as a ‘Trojan horse’ in a timeshare contract. It is usually hidden away in the small print, allowing the timeshare to increase maintenance fees at their own discretion.

The greed of the timeshares has led them to continue to increase fees, as their customers have signed long-term contracts, meaning customers are legally obliged to pay the fees. No many timeshares are increasing their fees year on year.

Once customers realise the amount of money they are paying in maintenance fees over the duration of the contract – it can be quite staggering.

Depending on the contract a customer signs with a timeshare there could be couple of possible outcomes if you refuse to pay your maintenance fees.

One of the likelier outcomes would be that the resort would put their Credit Control process into place. This will include a series of phone calls, letters, additional fees and potential interest on any payments. You are also likely to incur restrictions on using your timeshare and exchanging and renting.

These events could escalate into further fees accrued with threats of potential legal action, damage to your credit rating and the use of Debt Collectors