When purchasing a timeshare, you also purchase a burden. That burden hides itself in the title of ‘Maintenance fees’. If you are paying yearly fees but are unsure where the money is going, ask.
The maintenance fees are set up to ensure the property is maintained. Are your fees rising each year but your property has become rundown?
If timeshare resorts do not perform to the contract then your club can withhold payments from a contractor and in some circumstances unlimited amounts.
If the club is not acting in the consumer’s best interest and the control of that committee is suspect, then the consumers can and should withhold those maintenance fees.
The question is, is that legal?
The answer is yes, if you the consumer believes that the money you pay is being squandered or that the fees relate to other matters other than maintenance fees, you are entitled to withhold the funds pending satisfaction of your allegations.
Of course if that resort does tender reasonable and satisfactory answers, then of course they should be paid. But the question is do they provide the answers? Are they a complete set of answers and do the supporting documents provided detailed explanations as required by law?
Timeshare resorts are sometimes bullies and they state that they don’t have to comply with your requests as they have a policy or they have rules preventing disclosure when in truth, they don’t.
The resort should, recognise that the owners are not going to be taken for fools and that they want their money to be reflected in the quality of their resort. They SHOULD agree to fix the problems and compensate the owners.
They are not exempt from the Law and never have been. So ask away and withhold your funds, withhold you payments until such time as you are satisfied.
Noteworthy – By withholding payment you are breaching your contract. Because of this the resort can cancel the agreement. But look at it this way, if they refuse to answer your questions and ensure the resort is maintained to your standards, do you really want to stay?
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