Currently on Ebay, there are over 200 listings for timeshares. Mainly in Europe, the prices range from 99p up to £4,000.
Usually if you are looking for a specific item on Ebay, most of the listings will be similar in price. Although some people will attempt to get that little bit extra, the majority know how much you can expect to get for an item.
Timeshare on the other hand, is a completely different kettle of fish. There are several listings for 1 floating week, in Spain priced at £400. Further down the list, the same listings but by other people are marked at £7000.
In our mind this clarifies one thing. People have no idea what their investment is worth. Some think that it is worth what they paid for it and don’t understand the implications that come with it. Others are desperate to get out and are willing to almost give it away at 99p.
Whatever the reasons are for these roller-coaster price tags, people clearly want to leave their timeshares. And resorting to posting it on Ebay suggests that they have been unable to leave when they have approached their resorts.
Again we are back to the elephant in the room. Why are the resorts caging the Consumers in? Only to be met by legal cases and claims for compensation by the few who escape?
We say it is because they are afraid. If they provide an exit clause, they think it will lose them custom. We say that they think that because they don’t listen to their Consumers. With anything in life, if given the freedom to enjoy something without being forced to enjoy it, ensures you can relax with no bad feeling. You can spend years enjoying the holiday but if it gets to a point whereby you can no longer afford, want or need the timeshare, you can leave.
What we believe is that if the industry broadcasted that anyone could leave their timeshare commitment, if and when they chose and free of charge, the enhancement that the leisure credit companies enjoy would crash. And the Resorts would no longer need to to panic because the Consumers wouldn’t be. Knowing they can leave at anytime loosens the rope and allows them to enjoy there holidays.
The industry wants to keep consumers trapped in the contracts and that is why exit companies are flourishing, because they offer a way out.
“Winds in the east, mist coming in. / Like somethin’ is brewin’ and bout to begin. / Can’t put me finger on what lies in store, / But I fear what’s to happen all happened before”.
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