State of the Timeshare Industry
The timeshare industry is (in my belief) anextremelyincestuous beast! The main players, Managing Directors, CEOs, heads of industry bodies, quite apart from being interrelated, seem to spend all their time hopping in an out of each other’s beds! Being a relative newcomer to the industry,one has to raise an eyebrow and treat is with some huge degree of suspicion, as this type of inbreeding is not and would not be tolerated in most industries.
Let us have a look at some of these players…
The Resort Development Organisation (RDO)
The present incumbent originates from the very FNTC trust company which holds on trust the assets which underpins the fixed timeshare which consumers own. So the trust owes a duty to the consumers to protect their assets, and not to the industry which comprises the developers, the sellers and the managements companies. The FNTC created and formed the RDO, no doubt with the intention of ensuring that the assets were properly managed which is in accordance with its duties to the beneficiaries under the trusts. The problem however, is that the RDO exists to protect the industry. This is a fundamental conflict and causes an obvious imbalance between the industry and the consumer, who does not have a similar body to protect their interests and to fight their corner.
Surely, this is strangely disturbing for a trustee to protect the developers or operators. Of course, this could be entirely innocent; it is possible that FNTC have created the RDO to protect assets of the consumer/owners, but as the RDO is entirely funded and sponsored by the developers/operators, it would seem highly unlikely.
Remember the old saying “he who pays the piper, calls the tune”.
Mind Timeshare
This organisation is run by Alberto Garcia, a former policeman, who is also a Director of the RDO! It is a fact that Alberto and his organisation diligently seek out and exposes wrongdoers within the periphery of timeshare, but surprisingly he does not seem to identify offenders who are members of the RDO.
The company does not hesitate to expose resorts and companies who work outside the RDO and TATOC, but those who are members of the club are miraculously left alone!
Surely this one sided approach and the clear avoidance of conflict with his “mates” who are members of his other organisation, is highly suspect?
Go Timeshare
This is another creation of the RDO as all copyrights on all their documents are reserved to the RDO. This organisation supposedly tenders independent advice and is ignorant of any bad practices that are perpetrated by RDO members.
Again, this web site is entirely sponsored by the members of the RDO and their logos litter the entire site.
Of course, there is nothing illegal with this practice and of this kind of self-promotional aggrandisement… except that it does not occur in other respected organisation or industry.
It ismerely an advertising website for the industry to puff up its chest and claim that everything is swell!
The Timeshare Council
This organisation has been in existence for 24 years and the present head of the RDO used to be a Director. Indeed, the present directors of the RDO are represented in the form of Mr Philip Watson.
What seems to be its purpose? It appears to merely reaffirm the advice of other organisations in a more homogenised way.
The Timeshare Consumer Association (Portal)
This tactless website exists only to promote the RDO and TATOC and has really registered the original web address that Sandy Grey used to highlight shortcomings in the industry, now all it does is buff up the reputations of the very organisations that were an anathema to Sandy!
It is clear to even the most simplest of intelligence that this website was acquired purely and simply to corrupt Sandy’s loyal following into believing that the industry is virginal pure.
The website has no contact address, and trying to find out who actually runs the site is nigh on impossible!
Timeshare Task Force (TTF)
The Timeshare Task Force is the catchy name for the industry’s police force that was set up to investigate wrongdoing in the timeshare industry, but what they don’t tell you is that they seldom (if ever) investigate members of the RDO and TATOC, just those wrongdoers who have not subscribed to these organisations!
They claim to bring together RDO’s own enforcement operation, resorts, timeshare owners, consumer organisations and law enforcement agencies to achieve common goals… except that they don’t look too closely at the underhand tactics of the resort operators; after all, you are hardly likely to bite the hand that feeds you!
Yes, of course, the industry is plagued with a few (if not many) bad and criminal enterprises, however the root cause of the problem lies with the resorts and their flagrant misrepresentations when selling timeshare,and their underhand tactics in bullying consumers into long-term contracts using pressure selling tactics.
“Nowhere to hide for the rogues now,” professes the RDO,“every website, every advertisement run on Google, every cold call is likely to result in an investigation, sophisticated tracing and criminal charges,and in addition to the major cases involving the police, the Task Force will also use private criminal prosecutions to ease the burden on the authorities and speed the process of apprehending the perpetrators.”
What a joke! Firstly cold calling is not illegal (maybe should be, but right now it is not) yet the RDO seem to believe they have a right to investigate organisations for carrying out an activity that is not criminal. The RDO say that they will not rely on authorities to prosecute, they will use private criminal prosecution to bring offenders to justice, yet since its launch many years ago we have not seen one, single private prosecution!
Business Check
For those that want advice, or are seeking resolutions, the RDO provides a reliable service called Timeshare Business Check. What they don’t tell you is that they charge whoever they decide to investigate, berate and reprimand those who refuse to co-operate.
The investigations they conduct is entirely unregulated and the service is provided by an unqualified organisation called KwikChex, and that is worrying because the RDO claim that new heights of quality and integrity have been introduced in the form of The Task Force, which is being managed by KwikChex, the renowned yet lambasted online investigation and verification business.
https://www.timeshareconsumerassociation.org.uk/2014/07/14/kwikchex-evidence-shunned-usa/
So who is KwikChex?
The company is run by Christopher Emmins and the TCA has had many dealings with him, when his firm tried to investigate the TCA. So we turned the tables and investigated him and this is what we found out…
Most startling is the fact that the RDO put this man in charge of this important job in the first place! Or perhaps it is the case that he works out of the same office as a current Director of the RDO, the aforementioned Philip Watson (but more of him later!) yet lives is Spain.
One is starting to build up a picture of an incestuous relationship, especially when you remember that the RDO have on their books and established and successful police investigator (you remember Alberto Garcia from Mind Timeshare) who they overlooked and gave such an important task to somebody who is not qualified in that area!
If it wasn’t so bizarre, many would think that they are only paying lip service to serious investigation – is the whole farrago is one big joke or an elaborate ruse!
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