Although there are plenty of people across the world who are happy with their timeshares, over the decades there have been thousands of owners for whom this is not the case.
Unfortunately, the industry has been plagued by unethical, immoral and dishonest timeshare salesmen and companies who take advantage of people by using unsavoury, dubious and in some cases just downright illegal tactics to secure a sale, leaving people trapped in a mis sold timeshare contract.
Once the timeshare deal is done, it can be near on impossible for owners to get themselves out of it, sell it on or secure an exit deal. Timeshare companies are not known for being helpful or sympathetic and will do or say anything to keep you in your timeshare. However, timeshare law is complex and with the help of professional, experienced and qualified solicitors there may be a way to have your contract nullified and even get you compensation.
Are You Trapped In A Timeshare?
Timeshares are often promised as being an opportunity to have your very own piece of heaven where you can enjoy your holidays and family getaways, but without the full commitment or expense of owning an entire property by yourself. The reality for some people is that what they get is nothing like what they were promised, and they can find themselves feeling trapped in a costly timeshare with no idea what to do next or how to get out of it.
If you are unsure or have doubts over the legitimacy of how your timeshare was sold to you then it is possible that it was mis-sold, which if proven could go a long way to getting you out of your contract.
What Is Classed As Being Mis-Sold?
This relates to the way in which you were sold your timeshare, the pitch or sales presentation, what you were promised and the circumstances surrounding it. There are a number of ways that a salesman or company may have misled you, pressured you into signing, hidden things within the contract or just outright lied about.
Here are some examples of what could class as being mis-sold;
- Inaccurate verbal, visual or written information regarding the timeshare property. This can include photos or descriptions that were given or shown to you which do not match the timeshare in real life.
- Not being told or informed of vital information regarding the timeshare such as contract length or about the ongoing maintenance fees.
- Not being offered or informed of the ‘cooling off’ period. This is a legal requirement that gives you a minimum of 14 days to consider your decision during which time they are not allowed to take any payment from you. Within this period you have the right to pull out of the contract and have any initial payments returned.
- You were assured, guaranteed or promised that the property was going to increase in value and make you money.
- You felt under pressure from the company or individuals that you were dealing with.
- Is the contract classed as something known as ‘in perpetuity’? This is relevant to contracts signed after 1999 with agreements that last for more than 50 years and are actually illegal.
- Were you allowed a sufficient amount of time to go through the contract and paperwork thoroughly before signing?
- Did they promise you that they would buy it back from you at anytime which turned out not to be true?
What Should I Do If I Was Mis-Sold?
Due to the complexities of timeshare law and contracts it is near on impossible for owners to get out of their contracts without legal help. If you believe that you were mis-sold your timeshare then engaging the services of a reputable solicitor will help to make the process much easier and give it the best possible chance of being successful.
Your solicitor will be able to advise you on next steps and what to expect, but one of the first things they will likely require is a detailed breakdown of the circumstances surrounding your timeshare purchase so having this ready will be beneficial. Also any proof, documentation, paperwork, photos or evidence regarding the sale, the timeshare and how it was sold will go a long way to helping your case.
From here your lawyer will be able to determine the correct legal course of action to take which might be direct to the timeshare company to negotiate a suitable out of court settlement through meetings and mediations or via the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Solicitors You Can Trust
If the circumstances surrounding the purchase of your timeshare were less than legitimate and you feel like it may have been mis-sold to you, then the experts at Sarah Waddington Solicitors are here to help. Simply get in touch and one of our friendly, knowledgeable advisors will be happy to answer your questions and book you in for a free 30 minute consultation to establish the grounds for your claim and offer advice on how to proceed.