(30 Dec) Platinum Travel.com Ltd. has given written undertakings to Glasgow City Council that it will stop making misleading claims about the holiday club memberships that it sells.
(21 Dec) The Office of Fair Trading announce that they are to appeal the ruling made on 12 November in respect of the Consumer Credit Act.
(15 Dec) DTI has closed down Echo Beach Vacations Ltd, Sheffield, for failing to honour promises of “free” holidays.
(1 Dec) As part of a new campaign to reduce “mass-marketed scams” the Office of Fair Trading plan to crack down on holidays clubs which they call the “new timeshare”.
(26 Nov) Hazel Green Village Club/Wootton Creek Village Club resolve to wind up.
(24 Nov) The Isle of Man planning department granted outline planning permission for a leisure complex which includes 51 timeshare suites on the island.
(16 Nov) Timeshare Consumers Association launch “Sunterra Compensation Group” in liaison with law firm Irwin Mitchell.
(12 Nov) The High Court rules that Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 does not generally apply to oversaes transactions. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) have said that they are considering appealing this ruling.
(12 Nov) Hazel Green Village (aka Wootton Creek Village) closes as a timeshare resort. A Special General Meeting has been called for 26 November with a resolution to wind up the Club.
(20 Oct) DTI petition for Charter International UK Ltd, Chaterline Services Ltd and Countrywide Enterprises UK Ltd to be wound up.
(6 Oct) Macdonald Hotels abandons a claim for £800,000 against the three committee members at Loch Rannoch Highland Club and have agreed not to attend the Club AGM on Saturday 8 October.
(1 Oct) Langdale Leisure launch a new timeshare development “The Lodges on Loch Ness” in Scotland.
(1 Sept) Members of the Loch Rannoch Highland Club are told that the Club made a modest profit in its first year of independence, despite having reduced annual fees by 18.5% , and that fees for the current year will be further reduced by 5%
(28 July) Bankruptcy proceedings are started against John Palmer by lawyers Irwin Mitchell on behalf of successful compensation claimants.
(21 July) The Office of Fair Trading are to apply to the High Court tomorrow asking for a declaration that Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 applies to transaction abroad.
(20 July) John Palmer wins the right to have his “security” status reviewed by the prison authorities.
(19 July) John Palmer applies to the High Court for the right to be moved to an open prison. The Home Office is expected to object on the grounds that he could not be trusted and that there is a serious risk that he may escape.
(16 July) Malcom Bruce, MP for Gordon, launches a campiagn in the UK Parliament to include holiday clubs within the same laws that protect timeshare buyers.
(1 July) Maltese Government introduce a law (effective 25 May 2004) to control timeshare street touts by licensing.
(24 June) John Palmer is ordered by the Court to pay one of his mistresses, Saskia Mundinger, £3M.
(23 June) RCI Europe plan a £7M direct marketing campaign to try to improve its relationship with European members.
(22 June) Citizens Advice launch a website to help shoppers who encounter problems with goods and services bought in another EU country. Citizens Advice say that four out of ten complaints relate to timeshare and timeshare-like purchases. Link: www.eurocounsumer.org
(29 May) Macdonald Hotels plans for a hotel, private housing, 90 timeshare apartments and a golf course in Aberdeenshire are threatened by resistance by the local planning committee.
(28 May ) The European Commission plan a major crackdown on rogue traders through much tougher laws and greater cooperation between authorities throughout Europe to enforce these laws. Specifically targeted are “holiday clubs”.
(28 May) Brothers, Ronald and John Popely, and 6 others have, been disqualified from acting as directors of companies in the UK as a result of the DTI investigation into the failure of Hever Vacation Club, Hever Racing Club plc (and eight other companies) which were wound up in 2000.
(20 May) John Palmer is ordered to pay £3.89M compensation, plus costs, in respect of the civil claim originated by the TCA and managed by solicitors Irwin Mitchell.
(10 May) De Vere Hotel group obtain planning permission for a golf and leisure resort on the banks of Loch Lomond which includes 96 “five star” timeshare lodges.
(6 May) John Palmer criminal compensation claimants receive payment of their claims in full.
(2 April) Eric Vickers – who ran Time2Share in Aberfoyle – is convicted of fraud and sentenced to 200 hours community service and ordered to pay compensation (see 23 November 2003)
(1 April) A survey by Interval International and Marriott Vacation Club International indicates that approx. 13% of UK adults are interested in purchasing holiday ownership.
(12 March) First payments are made to Palmer victims under the criminal compensation order.
(25 February) John Palmer, jailed for fraud in 2001, was ordered to pay £3.25M into court within 28 days or lose the right to defend the compensation claim made by many of his victims.
(11 February) The Office of Fair Trading obtains undertakings from Cyber Travel (UK) Ltd, and Meridian Marketing Ltd that they will not, in future, make misleading statements to consumers. Mr Peter Johnston, an ex-director of Cyber Travel (UK) Ltd, also gave similar undertakings.
(8 February) Loch Rannoch Highland Club AGM decisively rejects proposals by Macdonald Hotels which would have enabled Macdonald Hotels to recover the management contract for the club.
(29 January) Flanesford Priory Owners Club (managed by Sunterra Corp) is wound up and it is resolved to sell the property.
(28 January) Following the appointment of a Receiver to Thurnham Leisure Group, Sunterra announce that they have purchased the common areas and assets of Thurnham Hall, Cromer Country Club and Club Britannia for approximately £2M
(27 January) The appeal by John Palmer against the compensation order is rejected. Over 400 victims can now expect to receive compensation within a couple of months.
(6 January) Office of Fair Trading (OFT) obtained an undertaking from Discovery Concepts Ltd and director Mr Frank Madden not to mislead consumers about “free” holidays offered to attend presentations for holiday club membership and their relationship with timeshare exchange companies. The Company and Mr Madden also undertook to notify consumers of their right to a 7 day cooling off period under the “Doorstep” Regulations where the sales presentations took place in a hotel.
For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk