• Bait advertising
• Luring the consumer with attractive advertising around special prices when the trader knows that they cannot offer that product, or only has a few available at that price.
• Bait and switch
• Promoting one product with the intention of selling you something else at timeshare presentations
• Limited offers
• Falsely and wrongly stating that a timeshare product will only be available for a very limited time, or that it will only be available on particular terms for a very limited time. This in short is a delusion if untrue and is used in order to elicit an immediate decision and deprive consumers of sufficient opportunity or time to make an informed choice.
• False Free Offers
• Describing a product as free or without charge if the consumer has to pay anything other than the unavoidable cost of responding to the offer and collecting or paying for delivery of the item.
• Pressure selling
• Creating the impression that the consumer cannot leave the premises until a contract is formed. This in reality is perception of imprisonment and is illegal in every sense of the word.
• Aggressive Doorstep Selling
• Conducting personal visits to timeshare consumer’s homes. When entry has been given then ignoring the consumer’s request to leave and not to return.

Cross border trading

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations also aims to clarify consumers’ rights and simplify the process of cross-border trade which occurs in the timeshare industry.

The regulations give you the same protection against unfair practices and timeshare rouge traders whether you’re buying in the UK or purchasing from a website based in Spain, France Italy etc.

These regulation are enforced European wide and also imparts on every European trader/businesses that advertise and market to all 480 million consumers in the EU, in the same way they do to domestic customers.

The principle aim of the regulation is to boost consumer confidence and give businesses a uniform and transparent EU wide set of rules.

New right to redress

As of 1st October 2014 new amendments have been made to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations which give consumers new rights to redress – specifically if you’ve been the victim of a misleading action/ in-action – for example a false statement – or aggressive selling.

These break down into three key areas:

A right to undo the contract and void them

You will be able to void the contract/club memberships (as long as you haven’t fully engaged with or consumed the product, or received a service in full).

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