In respect to the temporary removal of the links on the CAB website, we now have the reasons why the links were restored.
A CAB e mail response was received by a TCA timeshare consumer who demanded the reasoning behind the restoration of the links on the CAB timeshare advice pages. That Response from the CAB is contained below.
The TCA will not disclose the author of the request for information, as in truth it is irrelevant, however the CAB response is poignant to the issue, therefore I have published it so that consumers can get an insight into the mind of the way the CAB deal with a complaint.
It appears the issues raised by the original complainer have not been addresses as the CAB have a procedure when dealing with complaints against an industry.
In short they seek advice from Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). A compaint form is on the website
Therefore if Timeshare consumers want change, if they want alternative advice from the industry then they have to act and complaint to Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as they say they will consider the complaints and upon consideration they could tender alternative recommendations.
This came as a bit of a shock to me, as I always believed (naively) that the CAB and the government where different, in that the CAB represented the interests of consumers and not the position of government departments. I always understood that the CAB would listen to consumers and form an independent view and challenge current issues on behalf of consumers for the enjoyment of better consumer’s rights. Here we have an event that consumers are complaining and the CAB ignore the consumer complaints and tow the government line.
Therefore if you follow the investive mind of the CAB this is the procedure. If consumers are complaining the CAB they use a government department to determine the correct advice. Now follow it procedure through. A consumer complains to his MP (about an industry) that MP seeks advice from the CAB who gets its recommendations from the government (controlled by the MP’s). Is that not passing the book round and round and round. How can change ever occur?
This letter is worth reading, regardless strength of feeling either way it’s about perception “we signpost to most industry bodies”
Letter from CAB now you have the tools to act as it is the CMA you have to complain to, to alter the mindset of the CAB
Following your seminar in Leeds I emailed the CAB regarding what you said about RDO & TATOC, this was their reply. It would appear I need to be more forthright in my description of both organisations,
Regards
Bill XXXXXXXXX
On Wednesday, October 1, 2014 1:43 PM, “Iley, Lynda” <Lynda.Iley@citizensadvice.org.uk> wrote:
Dear Mr Bxxxxxxx
Thank you for your e-mail.
Adviceguide is a public facing website that provides practical and impartial advice to its users and, as a resource tool, we signpost to most industry bodies. TATOC and RDO are the industry bodies for the holiday timeshare industry and are recommended by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA aims to make markets work well for consumers, businesses and the economy and acquired its investigating and enforcement powers on 1 April 2014 when it took over many of the functions of the Competition Commission (CC) and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
The purpose of signposting is not to recommend or endorse, it is to advise users of the correct bodies to contact for further help and we have recently re-checked with the CMA that the guidance is correct. They confirmed it was on 11th September 2014.
If you have particular issues with the industry bodies then you should direct your complaint/concerns to the recommending authority, CMA. Their contact details are: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-anti-competitive-or-market-issues-to-the-cma
Thank you
Lynda
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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