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(20 December) The OFT has launched court action against three companies and individuals involved in the marketing or sale of holiday club memberships and other similar products, alleging that the traders mislead people about the sale of their timeshares. The companies subject to the court action are Incentive Leisure Group Limited, Personal Travel Group Limited and Geo Demographic Market Research Ltd (previously known as the Direct Marketing Partnership Group Ltd). Details

(1 December) Spanish police arrest 26 timeshare resale operators, mostly of German origin, alleging that they deceived timeshare owners into paying substantial sums to sell their timeshare.

(17 November) ABTA hits out at lenient sentencing of five involved in running St Frances Marketing, Exeter on 11 November See here

(11 November) Five indviduals involved in the running of St Frances Marketing Ltd. (also trading as “Buena Viva”) in Exeter plead guilty to offences under Consumer Proctection regulations – see Here

(24 October) Mail on Sunday expose problems for perpetuity owners in Macdonald resorts. See Here

(21 October) BBC Watchdog expose Personal Travel Group as a dodgy organisation.

(18 September) More than half (61%) of complaints about Barclays Bank to the Financial Ombudsman resulted in a decision in favour of the consumer compared to the average of 44% for all the main banks.

(16 September) A Banbury man is arrested in connection with an alleged fraud by Spanish based Golden Sands Marketing.

(5 September) Shakespeare Classic Line issue County Court claims against purchasers who cancelled membership of Dames de la Mer.

(20 August) Link Financial (as assignees of GE Money) lose their claim in the Manchester County Court in respect of a purchase made into Club la Costa.

(28 July) Garry Leigh, boss of Incentive Leisure Group and many other dodgy businesses, is killed in a motoring accident. Details and here

(16 July) European Consumer Centres warn tourists to Spain to avoid “fractional ownership” scams. More

(13 July) Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (“BIS”) issue a consultation paper on the implementation of the Timeshare Directive. Details

(24 June) The Daily Mirror criticizes TV personality Jennie Bond involvement with Club la Costa. Details

(14 June) County Court claims are sent to owners in Clube Praia da Oura (Petchey Leisure) who have refused to pay their annual fees.

(13 June) A Spanish Court rules that Anfi Sales, Gran Canaria, must refund double any deposit taken illegally during the cooling off period. The ruling applies to purchases made since 1996.

(4 June) London solicitors, Edwin Coe LLP. launch a claim against RCI Europe on behalf of timeshare owners who allege that RCI has denied its members the opportunity to get fair exchanges.

(1 June) Pennsylvania authorities require BlueGreen Corp. to cancel timeshare purchase contracts and return all money to consumers who claimed they that they were unable to get the promised holidays.

(28 May) Malta is to introduce a tough new law to control timeshare touts operating on the streets. Instant fines will be levied with the intention of stamping out anti-consumer practices which are damaging the image of Malta as a friendly holiday destination.

(28 March) Lawyers lodge a claim in the High Court, London, against GE Money Consumer Lending Ltd and Clydesdale Financial Services Ltd (t/a Barclays Partner Finance) on behalf of 300 consumers alleging misrepresentatiion by St Frances Marketing Ltd. and Easysave Finance Ltd., both of Exeter.

(12 March) A group of British and French consumers launch a compensation claim in the Lanzarote courts in respect of their loss of membership of Lanzarote Beach Club and/or International Vacation Club. More

(8 March) At a further hearing in Exeter Crown Court – see news on 17 December 2009 – the five individuals, Marc Herbert, Michael Girvin, John Girvin, Carol Small and Karen Henthorne, and St Frances Marketing Ltd were sent for a trial, possibly in November.

(12 February) Marriott International announce that they won’t invest in any new timeshare develpments in the near future because of weak consumer demand.

(7 February) Subscribers to Which? Magazine are being asked if they have been approached by companies offering to sell their timeshare.

(7 February) Pueblo Evita fail in a court attempt to force an owner to pay annual fees.

(6 February) The Timeshare Consumers Association (“TCA”) launch a further compensation group in respect of members of Club la Costa.

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