I have today received a very interesting request for advice. Now, I’m not saying it is true but if it is, I would encourage anyone caught up in this, to contact the TCA.
This person in particular entered into a timeshare agreement at Tenerife Royal Gardens, where she was later turfed out when Palmer decided to sell the resort. Not only was she moved to Palmers second resort (the notorious) ‘Island Village’ but she was forced to switch her contract to floating weeks which in our opinion, are illegal in Spain.
To add insult to injury, this timeshare owner is now faced with another closure. The ex-partner of Palmer (Christina Ketley) via her business ‘South Eastern Financial Services’ is said to be closing the resort due to lack of funds, liquidating the resort and once again, acting against the best interests of the consumers by providing them with an ultimatum. The only option being made available to the owners is to move to their floating weeks to Club La Costa.
Again, we cannot confirm if this is fact however, if they are representing this, Ms Ketley must be negotiating with CLC who are assisting her in liquidating a resort.
Why are Club La Costa willing to get into bed with this woman? And more importantly, what if the owners don’t want to go to CLC?
One owner has expressed that they are very uncomfortable with the position they have been put in. And we can’t blame them knowing Palmers criminal history and knowing that Ketley is running his empire (and has been doing throughout the years).
It is believed that Ketley was never just the gangsters partner, she actively assisted in the running of his empire.
The Daily Mail reported earlier this year ;
“that the number of directorships next to her name at Companies House is testament to that. She has six in the UK and seven in Spain. Among her commercial enterprises is a pawnbroker’s shop, second-hand jewellery store and a beauty parlour in Essex. But only her lawyer would claim she was a respectable businesswoman. According to Spanish law enforcement agencies, it is alleged that Ketley played a ‘predominant role’ in Palmer’s criminal empire. One of her firms, named in legal documents in Spain, is Southeastern Financial Services, which is still active and based in Brentwood.
It was ‘totally interwoven’ in Palmer’s ‘organisation’, which had tentacles in timeshare rackets in Tenerife, the papers allege.
In May, Ketley was charged in connection with those activities and, if convicted, faces up to eight years in jail. She denies the charges.
Ketley was at the heart of it. She worked for one of Palmer’s ‘management’ companies in Tenerife.
Those who complained got short shrift. ‘It is a few who want things done differently. Their tactics stink,’ Ketley is quoted as saying in one report after the timeshares began attracting negative publicity.
Many of the people she dismissed so disparagingly were pensioners who had been conned out of their life savings.
In 2001, both she and Palmer were prosecuted for the timeshare racket — not in Spain, but in Britain.
Palmer was jailed for eight years (he served only half his time) for conspiracy to defraud.
Ketley received a two-year suspended sentence after the judge said he accepted that in her dual role of mother and lover, it was difficult to divorce herself from what was happening.
‘You were in a sense caught by your situation,’ he said. As she left court with her legal team and friends, Ketley breathed the words: ‘What a relief”.
What did she do while Palmer was in Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire? She simply carried on where she left off — helping to run his timeshare operation from Essex, the Spanish indictment alleges. Palmer’s right-hand man told investigators he ‘received instructions’ from Ketley during that time”.
Time will tell if Ketley will be held accountable and sentenced by the Madrid Court. But in the meantime, back to the information we have received.
The first point we want to make is that the closure of this resort is causing a frustration to your contract and because of that, you have the right to seek a cancellation of it.
Secondly, and most importantly, floating weeks have been deemed as unlawful in Spain. Because of this, if you are one of the unfortunate owners caught up in this mess, you currently hold an illegal contract and can leave without being forced into a Club La Costa membership.
The TCA invites anyone who has a floating week membership at Island Village (Sundream Vacation Club) who is unhappy with the ultimatum placed on them, to contact the TCA who can provide you with the details on how to get out of this.
Furthermore, if you paid the initial deposit for the timeshare on credit card, we can provide you with the details on how to make a claim for compensation.
*This article previously stated that Ketley was the ‘wife and widow’ of John Palmer. However, this information was incorrect! Ketley was Palmer’s partner in his later years. Apologies to Marnie Palmer, whom was Palmer’s wife, for any distress caused. She had no active involvement in his criminal affairs or timeshare business.*
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