In this weeks Tuesday Slot, Irene Parker takes a look at an old friend of Inside Timeshare, the National Timeshare Owners Association, which is now known as the Association of Vacation Owners. The CEO is still our old friend Greg Crist, who was also interviewed by Irene.
Before we go on with Irene’s article we once again highlight the many calls our readers are receiving regarding “claiming compensation” for their timeshares. As usual these calls require a meeting at an office to go over the claim. These are usually enticed by the words “No win No fee”.
But once there, the owners are then told the only way to claim is only once the contract has been cancelled. This is where they are then told that to do this it will cost thousands of pounds!
In many cases we have seen the “client” is then told to just stop paying the maintenance fees, then as we have seen with RSB Legal clients 18 months down the line they find that they are not out of their timeshare and now have arrears in maintenance fees.
AS we highlighted yesterday, just from the number of enquiries Inside Timeshare has received, the amount lost buy these clients is well over the £100,000 mark. So we can only guess the amounts for around 2 years of trading with hundreds of clients, the figure must be mounting now into several million pounds!
Just recently it has been announce that a Norwegian TV company is about to start filming a new TV series called Crimeshare. It will be centered around the late Norwegian businessman Bjorn Lyng and his Anfi dream in Gran Canaria. The series will also highlight many others in this murky world including the late John “Goldfinger” Palmer and his Tenerife empire. It is proposed to be aired early next year, we certainly look forward to seeing that. Follow the links below for further information, open with google and use translate.
Canarian Legal Alliance has also hit the press, Guiade Prensa or Press Guide has published a short article titled “Leaders in Europe in lawsuits of ‘timeshare’”
This can leave no doubt that despite the attempts of others to discredit this law firm, they are legitimate and are doing what they say. Inside Timeshare has published many articles showing their cases, from the lower courts right through to the Supreme Court, even showing the court documents which are easily verified.
http://www.guiadeprensa.com/app/webroot/razon/tribuna_derecho2018/cla.html
At the end of April it was announced that Marriott Vacations have bought out ILG Inc, for a whopping $4.7 billion. What this will mean for ILG members has yet to be seen, but no doubt our readers from across the Great Lake will keep us informed.
Now we move on with this weeks article from Irene.
Association of Vacation Owners
Mission Statement
We vow to relentlessly advocate for improvements – from protection and preservation to expansion and enrichment – to the vacation ownership experience. Our commitment to these efforts will continuously strengthen and support the relationships between the vacation-owner community and the industry at large, ensuring the viability of vacation ownership for generations to come.
By Irene Parker
May 11, 2018
Inside Timeshare considered the National Timeshare Owners Association a friend and an ally working toward a better relationship between the timeshare developer and the member. At Inside Timeshare it seems we are frequently at odds, except in steering members away from the nets of timeshare listing, transfer and resale predators. No one should pay upfront money to get out of a timeshare, or list a timeshare, without carefully vetting the person offering to help. Contact Inside Timeshare or AVO before paying anyone to get you out of your timeshare.
National Timeshare Owners Association is now assimilated into the Association of Vacation Owners AVO.
Excerpts from Perspective Magazine, explaining the metamorphosis:
National Timeshare Owners Association has a new name: The Association of Vacation Owners (AVO). “We are very pleased to expand our alliances to include credible organizations that share our vision to improve education, engagement and support for timeshare and vacation owners” said Gregory Crist, CEO.
The membership based organization is now seeking industry partners who will commit to the AVO Service Pledge and will vow to relentlessly advocate for improvements in communication, protection, and preservation of vacation ownership.
“AVO is also attracting thousands of vacation owners by continuing its twenty-year history of dedication and focus on providing owners with the tools and information they need to strengthen their ownership experience”, continued Crist.
In March 2018, we transitioned from NTOA to the Association of Vacation Owners (AVO). In that transition we find a stronger mission and one that comes with greater collaboration and partnerships in the VO community including working closer with TAG, ,Timeshare Advocacy Group
. TAG is independent and focused on some very disturbing issues. This is important work and we thank all of you for volunteering such time and energy to TAG and to the community.
AVO is a social purpose organization dedicated to educating vacation owners and advocating on behalf of its owner/members. AVO participates in major industry conferences, is involved in the leadership of the Canadian Vacation Ownership Association (CVOA) and is a consumer member of various industry trade associations including: ARDA, AMDETUR, ASUDESTICO, and C.A.R.E. To learn more, visit our website at AVOworldwide.com or email: info@AVOworldwide.com | Toll Free: (833) 2ASK-AVO
http://perspectivemagazine.com/0703201810424/ntoa-to-become-the-association-of-vacation-owners-avo
I asked Greg what specific areas should TAG and AVO focus on to make the timeshare world a better place?
“AVO is committed to finding solutions to tough industry challenges like the secondary market. The secondary market, or lack of, is the Elephant in the timeshare room. It is at the top of the list when addressing member concerns so heads our list of top five priorities.”
- Resale
- Rental and Exchange
- Trade and Transfer
- Divestment
- Redevelopment
Inside Timeshare will be devoting upcoming articles to each of these topics separately, topics meaningful to both owners/members and the developer, albeit from different perspectives. Change is good and members are mobilizing to affect reform. Like any social cause, it doesn’t come easy and it requires meaningful discussion from both sides of the vacation fence. We should all want the same outcome – a Great Vacation!
Members are helping members. If you need free help about a timeshare concern, contact a member of one of these self-help sites Inside Timeshare is convinced is not industry influenced. One member’s recent comment, “I can’t believe I can actually talk to someone!?”
https://www.facebook.com/timeshareadvocategroup/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DiamondResortsOwnersAdvocacy/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/180578055325962/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/465692163568779/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1639958046252175/
Thank you Irene and also Greg, Inside Timeshare wishes you all the best in your work to improve the lot of timeshare owners, we also look forward to reporting on your successes.
Don’t forget if you are contacted by any company regarding resale or claims and you are not sure who or what they are, contact Inside Timeshare and we will point you in the right direction.
Inside Timeshare also thanks those readers who send in the information to share with others, by working together and sharing information it will help others to keep their hard earned cash in their own pockets and not in the pockets of the rogues.
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