FAQ

A guest certificate allows friends or family to stay in your Timeshare apartment without you actually being there. If you intend to rent out your apartment either privately or through a third party agency you will need to organise a Guest Certificate in order for your guests to gain entry to the resort.

RCI also operate a Guest Certificate system so you are able to send guests to other resorts within the RCI network without being there yourself. Information about RCI guest certificates can be found on the RCI website.

Current legislation is there to protect the consumer. This protection means that the purchase of Timeshare today is a relatively safe and painless process. The problems arise with the Holiday Packs and bogus products that give the Timeshare industry a bad name.

If you are serious about becoming a Timeshare owner many of the reputable Timeshare companies will allow you to stay at their resorts on an inspection visit so you can "try before you buy". This can be an excellent way of deciding whether the system will work for you as well as giving you plenty of time to talk to other Timeshare owners and find out about their experiences.

Find out more with our guide to buying Timeshare

Many reputable Timeshare companies have moved away from the practice of using Timeshare Touts to market their products to new clients and instead are using the Promotional Holiday approach.

The catch is that you need to spend some of your holiday - usually a morning or an afternoon - attending a presentation about the company's products. For many the idea of "wasting" holiday time in this way is unattractive but for others it is a way of getting a luxury holiday for a fraction of the price.

The secret is to know that you are able to say no. Under no circumstances should you feel pressurised into doing something you are not sure about. However, those days of high pressure tactics seem to be on their way out and we have heard many good reports from families who have attended presentations whilst on a promotional holiday - both those that did and those that didn't buy.

Maintenance Fees are a yearly payment, usually paid to a management company, to facilitate the upkeep and day to day running of your home resort.

Most well-run resorts will manage these fees in a way that will ensure the resort is always kept in a state of good repair with a regular refurbishment plan in place. They will also set aside a certain amount every year to put in a "sinking fund" to cover any unforeseen expenses.

Read more about Maintenance Fees

Always be suspicious of any company who makes an unsolicited

contact. Alarm bells should ring very loudly if the company demands an upfront fee of any description - for advertising, registration,

administration etc.

We receive a lot of complaints from people who have handed over

cash on the strength of a phone call from a company saying they have

a buyer for the Timeshare only for them to never hear anything again.

Rule of thumb: If a company contacts you out of the blue and

requests money upfront - stay well clear.For further information read

our article on Resale Scams

Most Timeshare resorts in Europe and the USA will have units specifically designed for wheelchair access. These modifications include widened doors, ramped thresholds, bathroom grab bars and roll in showers. Many apartments also feature raised toilets, lowered sink and vanity units and lowered wardrobe rails.

If you are thinking of travelling to more exotic destinations it is often worth checking with the individual resort to find out what facilities they offer.

It all depends on what you have bought. Time and time again we see dubious holiday products being lumped under the Timeshare banner. Clubs, packs and all sorts of systems and schemes are wrongly classed as Timeshare by the media and the uneducated.

This misunderstanding is the number one reason why the Timeshare industry has suffered from a bad reputation, but thanks to recent legislation we hope that, in the future, consumers will be protected from any bogus companies who try to operate under the Timeshare umbrella.

Find out more about this legislation and the adverse publicity caused by the Holiday Pack Scammers

Remember you are under no obligation to buy anything so don't feel pressurised if the product is not for you. However, you've been offered something in return for your time so it's only fair that you go along with an open mind.

Most Timeshare companies nowadays adhere to a strict code of ethics and are extremely professional. Legislation is in place to protect the consumer so if you feel that the product would work for you go ahead and buy it. The company will not ask for a deposit and should explain to you your rights with regard to the cooling off period.

First of all you need to give your feelings some consideration. Don't worry; you have a cooling off period. Why do you want to cancel? When you signed on the dotted line you must have liked the idea of having quality holidays and saving some money into the bargain.

Many people wake up the day after a presentation and experience something called "buyers' remorse". They either feel they were pressurised into making a decision or don't fully understand the product they have purchased. Think deeply about what attracted you to the product in the first place. Speak to the company you bought off and ask all the questions that are bothering you.

However, if after considering your position you still want to back out you are perfectly within your rights - simply contact the company and cancel the agreement. Make sure any loans or credit agreements are cancelled at the same time. Above all - don't worry if you don't want it you don't have to have it, just think hard about what a difference first class holidays will make to your life.

This scenario starts with an unsolicited phone call with a friendly voice saying that they have a "corporate buyer" who is interested in buying your timeshare for a figure far in excess of what you paid for it.

Often they will insist that the seller visits an office, usually in Spain, only to find they are the recipients of a hard sell presentation for a "Holiday Pack" product and the company has no intention of buying their Timeshare.

For further information read our article on Resale Scams

Timeshare resorts are located in over 100 countries around the world. There are literally tens of thousands of resorts affiliated to the various exchange networks.

The highest concentration of resorts is in Europe, the USA and South Africa with new developments springing up in exotic locations all over the globe. For more information about the choice of destinations available to you check with your exchange company.

Timeshare Association - Timeshare Owners Committees (TATOC) was formed in 1989 and is the only elected consumer association representing the interests of timeshare owners in Europe.

For more information please visit TATOC

The 1994 Timeshare Directive affords buyers some decent protection nowadays so you should be fine if the company adheres to the following rules:

Either email the details or call our consumer support line, and one of our team will go through the paperwork with you and answer any questions you may have.

You have a few options if you don't want to use your Timeshare this year. You could lend it to friends or family for instance or you could bank the week with an exchange company and have two weeks holiday next year.

If money is an issue you could rent your Timeshare out privately to acquaintances or colleagues or through a third party rental agency. Make sure you check with your resort to see if guest certificates or surcharges apply.

The idea of cash back or "Reclaim" was an idea used to sell white goods a few years ago. If people adhered to the time frames involved they could, after a period of time, claim back the money they had spent on a toaster or a vacuum cleaner etc.

The problem with this system in relation to Holiday Packs is that only a fraction, if any of the money is sent to the Reclaim company in the first place.

For a more comprehensive overview of this issue read our article on Holiday Pack Scams

How much you get back on your Timeshare depends on a number of factors:

There are a number of reputable resale companies out there who, like an estate agent, will sell your Timeshare for a commission. They will take care of the marketing, the selling and the administration so you have to expect to swallow a certain percentage of the price you achieve to pay for the service.

However, please be very dubious of any company that offers to sell your Timeshare for an upfront fee. We hear from people every day who have paid upfront money to a company only to find that the sale never materialises. A good rule of thumb is: No Sale, No fee.

Read about the world of the Resale Scammers here.

Remember you are under no obligation to buy anything so don't feel pressurised if the product is not for you. However, you've been offered something in return for your time so it's only fair that you go along with an open mind.

Most Timeshare companies nowadays adhere to a strict code of ethics and are extremely professional. Legislation is in place to protect the consumer so if you feel that the product would work for you go ahead and buy it. The company will not ask for a deposit and should explain to you your rights with regard to the cooling off period.

In a nutshell the Timeshare system works like this: You buy the amount of time - usually in weekly blocks - you require in the resort of your choice at the time of year that suits you best. That time is now yours to use for as long as the agreement stipulates - usually for life with a traditional Timeshare.

If you wish to travel elsewhere you use an exchange company to swap your week or weeks in your home resort for time at another resort. Either at the time you own or at another time of year.

Find out more about the Timeshare exchange system

The Resort Development Organisation (RDO), formerly the Organisation for Timeshare in Europe (OTE) is the main European Trade body who, according to their website, were "established to improve representation for reputable companies in the vacation ownership industry".

They have around 130 members coming from all sectors of the industry including resort developers, exchange companies, management and marketing companies, trustees, finance houses and resale companies.

Visit the Resort Development Organisation website for more information.