Welcome to another Letter from America, this week Meryl Reyman gives her insights on the timeshare industry, or as we prefer to call it “Nightmare on Timeshare Street”.
Inside Timeshare and Timeshare Advocacy Group
has received 285 timeshare complaints since January 1, in response to our articles, from timeshare members angry about purchasing a product, most allege they were deceived into buying, signing a perpetual contract with no secondary market. We received 257 complaints for all of 2017.
Given the dramatic increase in the volume of complaints, Irene will only be posting our Friday’s Letter from America to allow more time to respond to our readers. In addition, Irene is working on a research project with a team of advocates.
We hope other contributors who have previously submitted articles, will continue to submit articles and we encourage new submissions from others who would like to contribute to our cause – educate the public to prevent or at least slow the volume of complaints from angry timeshare buyers, tired of the deception.
WHY IS NEVADA THE “WE SEE NOTHING” STATE
AND MISSOURI THE “SHOW ME” STATE
By Meryl Reyman, a Nevada resident
August 24, 2018
Our most vulnerable and valued citizens—elderly, disabled and military—are often defrauded by the timeshare industry. Since there is no federal protection in the U.S., victims must rely on the states they live in to protect their interests. However, timeshare buyers typically buy a timeshare in a state other than their state of residence, so must file a timeshare complaint in the state where they purchased the timeshare. Some state Attorneys General are listening. Nevada is not one of them.
Nevada seems to be under the thumb of the timeshare industry and is profiting from the millions of dollars that are taken out of the pockets of the victims of timeshare fraud. Despite repeated complaints of a very serious nature, and high ticket sales, the Nevada Attorney General, via the Nevada Real Estate Division and the Nevada BBB, deny consumers cavalierly by stating “you have no proof” even when a pattern of deceit and bait and switch tactics are its own proof. The volume of similar complaints is compelling and compounding. In timeshare Mecca Florida, proof is even harder to come by because it is a two party state, meaning both parties must be aware of an in-person meeting being recorded.
Recently the Better Business Bureau of Missouri published a report detailing a pattern of predatory practices by timeshare sales agents and “Get you out of your timeshare scams” in Branson.
Consumer Tips from the St. Louis BBB:
Don’t Fall for Deception, Pressure and Traps Disguised as Vacations: A Better Business Bureau Study of the Missouri Timeshare / Vacation Club Industry
Look on the secondary market first. If you are interested in buying a timeshare, you may save thousands buying on the resale market. Be fully aware of what you are purchasing and from whom you are buying to ensure a smooth transaction. Make sure you have in writing the terms of the sale and what each side is responsible for paying at closing. Read the contract carefully and ask questions of the seller.
- Don’t bow to pressure. Take time to think about your decision. Ask the salesperson to send you written information about your possible purchase, including a contract that you can review. There is nothing that says you have to sign the first thing that is shown to you. Let the deal breathe before you figure out if it is right for you.
- Do your research. Compare travel savings with online travel services or local travel agents. Also, check out the company with bbb.org.
- Act fast if you are not satisfied. If you sign a contract for a timeshare or travel club, you have a short window to cancel the contract if you don’t like what you purchased. Don’t wait until after you get back from your trip to take a second look at the contract and research the company you are dealing with or it may be too late. Also, always pay with a credit card so you can challenge the charge should something go wrong with the purchase.
- Do it yourself. If you want to get out of a timeshare commitment, do the work yourself. First, turn to the property from which you purchased the deed to see if there is a deed-back program in place. If that does not work, you may have to turn to the resale market. You likely will have to make a deal with a buyer to sell the timeshare. That option often is still cheaper than dealing with a resale or liquidation company that may charge you thousands of dollars to do the same work for you.
The Message as we interpret it:
Given the perpetual nature of the timeshare contract, the lack of a viable secondary market, and rising maintenance fees, consumers can find themselves stuck – with points eventually foreclosed or taken back, only to be sold again to the next unsuspecting vacationer.
DON’T FINANCE A VACATION or any Luxury Item AT 12% TO 19% and don’t believe a word a timeshare sales agent says. As the St. Louis BBB recommends, check with a licensed secondary market resale broker. We recommend contacting a member of the Licensed Timeshare Resale Broker Association before buying any timeshare. http://www.licensedtimeshareresalebrokers.org/
Timeshare is a multi-billion dollar industry propelled by powerful lobby dollars. The media needs to help their public by shining a light on the deceptive practices so that the consumer can make an educated decision as to whether the timeshare product makes sense for them.
Inside Timeshare, and Timeshare Advocacy Group, whose mission is to shine a spotlight on the timeshare industry, has received about the same high number of complaints directed against Florida, Nevada, Missouri, Hawaii, California, and Virginia sales centers. Of these states, only Nevada and Florida have routinely dismissed the customer by falling back on the oral representation clause.
For more information, please contact me at: Merrey@cox.net or Timeshare Advocacy Group: https://www.facebook.com/timeshareadvocategroup/
Meryl Reyman is a retired attorney and former senior executive of a large marketing/advertising agency located in New York City. Meryl is now a resident of Henderson, NV. She successfully rescinded a timeshare contract after learning little of what the sales agent said was true.
Thank you to Meryl for your advocacy efforts. If you or someone you know needs help with a timeshare concern, contact one of these self-help groups that Inside Timeshare feels is not industry influenced.
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/
This week Inside Timeshare has received many more complaints from disgruntled US members, these have been passed on to our Advocacy teams who are now working with them to sort out their problems. We have also been receiving many requests for information from our European readers, the bulk have been from the UK and all revolve around the growing claims and cancellation business. Most of the requests are about the many companies that we have already highlighted, but it will not be long before a few new names start to emerge.
The unfortunate thing is that there are some genuine law firms working very hard to help owners who are stuck in the timeshare rut, but how do you sort out which is which?
If you have been contacted by any company or have found one on the internet and want to know the truth about them, use our contact page and we will point you in the right direction. Remember doing your homework will always save you a whole lot of stress, plus it will also keep your money where it should be, in your bank!
Join us next week for more on the murky world that is timeshare, have a great weekend and if you are going to a timeshare resort, beware the “update” meeting!
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