Timeshare owners scramble to escape before 2023 maintenance payment demands

Timeshare owners are legally committed to paying expensive annual fees for their memberships, whether they use them or not. It is possible to escape with expert help. But for those people wanting to avoid the looming 2023 annual fees, time is running out...

Annual fees?

To explain the timeshare trap to non owners, consider the following analogy: Imagine if you went to a hair salon, and they offered you a 'haircut club membership deal' whereby you pay ten or twenty thousand pounds to commit to using their salon for a fixed number of years or decades.

As well as paying this huge lump sum, you also have to pay for each haircut (at regular or sometimes more expensive prices). If you choose to get a haircut elsewhere, you still have to pay for the haircuts from your 'haircut club'. If you decide to grow your hair and don't want a haircut for a while, tough: you still have to pay.

Standards and prices

To squeeze even more mileage out of the analogy: the aforementioned 'haircut club' can put it's prices up whenever they want, and you are legally bound to pay.

They can also drop standards, and use lower quality/less experienced hairdressers. They can decide not to upgrade the décor and equipment over time. You might end up hating the salon and take all your haircuts elsewhere. Maybe the salon can never fit you in for an appointment because they are overbooked (by other members or even people who are not club members).

It doesn't matter. You still have to keep paying.

You'd be pretty annoyed.

Regret

Timeshare owners are pretty annoyed. For decades they have been targeted and sold illegal contracts. They have paid huge amounts of money for substantially nothing at all.

They pay the same as other guests (who never paid a joining fee and instead book online through sites such as Booking.com) to holiday at their 'exclusive' resorts

Members are disappointed with lowering standards and are looking for a way out.

Timeshare companies lock their victims in tight. They aggressively targeted holidaymakers in the 80s, 90s and early part of the 21st century. They serenaded these prospects with beaches and sun-kissed pools, and assured them they deserved this luxury before coaxing them to sign up on the same day.

Later, around 85% of timeshare owners regreted their decision but believed there was no way out.

Timeshare exodus

Expert claims firms can generally help timeshare owners escape unwanted contracts. Most owners are vaguely aware of this, but thanks to timeshare industry propaganda designed to scare people off from exiting their resorts, caution prevents some from doing so.

Once members do find a company they can trust to safely relinquish their ownership, it becomes a race to get out before another expensive annual fee is due.

Act now to avoid 2023 maintenance fees

"It takes an average of two to three months to relinquish a timeshare contract," explains Andrew Cooper, CEO of European Consumer Claims. "Sometimes it takes longer and sometimes its even quicker than two months. But for the majority of current timeshare owners, maintenance bills will be issued in a few months time. So now is the time to get out if you want to avoid being stung for yet another year's maintenance.

"A significant number of timeshare owners' contracts are actually illegal," says Cooper. "When this proves to be the case, the owner is legally owed compensation from their resort as well as having a proven avenue to relinquish their contract.

"The important thing is to talk it over with experts. Anyone who wants to explore options regarding their timeshare membership can get in touch with our team at ECC for a free, confidential consultation."