Seasons Holidays under fire again over "missing" Slaley Hall fees and late accounts

Slaley Hall lodge owners voicing concerns with embattled timeshare company Seasons on Facebook

Company accounts overdue

Two days ago, the Slaley Owners Facebook account posted in the Slaley Hall Lodge Owners Group that Seasons are 6 months overdue filing their accounts with Companies House.  

Group member Christopher wanted to know when Companies House would levy financial penalties against Seasons for not fulfilling this basic corporate requirement.  He was advised that the fine is £750 for being 3 to 6 months late.  Over 6 months carries a penalty of £1500.

Dan Keating from the Timeshare Consumer Association (TCA) comments: "While hopefully this is just an oversight on Seasons' behalf, if they actually do incur a fine through complacency, then it would seem like an irresponsible waste of money.  One hopes that it would not be subsidised from the clients' hard earned maintenance fees."

Annual fees diverted?

The Facebook post also claimed that Seasons were offering a 'financial incentive' for members to pay their annual fees into a bank account controlled by Seasons rather than into the official Owners Club (OC) bank account.

Committee members allegedly reported that Seasons have not given any evidence that those fees paid directly to Seasons were then paid into the OC account.

Carole, another group member is of the opinion that the fines for late filing at Companies House are 'peanuts' to a 'big company.'  She is more interested to know: "in which account our fees have gone, into the owners club account, or Seasons account."  Carole is concerned that, "Seasons are not telling us or the independently elected members where it (the fee money) has all gone."  She wanted to know, "Why is that?"

Carole was answered by Cristopher:  "I suspect that the fees paid direct to Seasons remain in Seasons account on order to try and keep them solvent, or whilst they try to find a buyer!!!"

Negative media

This is not the first time timeshare company Seasons Holidays PLC have attracted media attention regarding unhappy members.  The TCA has been monitoring the Bristol based firm since November 2020:

In November 2020, Radio 4's award winning consumer program You & Yours reported on the claims that Seasons were pushing out elderly members so that they could make more money by renting the lodges as holiday lets.

In December 2020, Andrew and Wendy Wilkinson's case was picked up by the media, regarding allegations that Seasons had unfairly removed access to leisure facilities they had paid for.  After intervention by the TCA, Seasons were able to resolve the grateful Wilkinsons' dispute.

In March 2021 a Stirlingshire couple, Joe and Linda Ashby made the news after what they claimed were high pressure sales and irresponsible loan arrangement procedures from Seasons Holidays sales personnel had (according to the Ashbys) set them on a course to bankruptcy, and ended up costing them their house.  

Concerning

"We don't have any way of knowing if Seasons really are asking for money to go into the wrong bank account, or if so, why," says TCA's Daniel Keating.  "The fact that members are expressing these doubts on Facebook may be telling a bigger story in terms of the relationship between them and Seasons.

"Given the history of disputes that has reached the TCA over the last year, we will be monitoring the situation closely.  Any Seasons members who want to share their story is welcome to get in touch with us here at the TCA, as are representatives from Seasons Holidays."

For free, expert advice on any timeshare related issues, contact TCA on the details below