01908 881058 info@timeshareconsumerassociation.org.uk Donate

The Timeshare Consumer Association (TCA) was founded in 1997 by Mr. Alexander (Sandy) Grey to help make timeshare owning an enjoyable and value-for-money form of holidaying.

Sandy Grey was a maverick in the industry expending copious amounts of time assisting people with timeshare problems. Without his assistance and knowledge many timeshare consumers would have suffered at the hands of some very unscrupulous people. Sandy’s empathy was limitless in this field and with little help from others he developed links to reform what was in his mind, a very corrupt industry. In saying this, he was also aware (after much investigation) that there were many companies and brokers who shared in his beliefs and together, and after forging relationships with them, the TCA flourished.

On the 29th of April 2013, Sandy died of Motor Neurone Disease. As a result of his sudden death much of his work and many of the research files could not be recovered. In January 2014, after consultation with some of Sandy’s trusted apostles, The Timeshare Consumer Association (TCA) was reborn with the blessing of his family and friends. No doubt, we have a big task ahead of us to try and fulfil Sandy’s aspirations. As all the access codes and files were lost a vast amount of his work and records will have to be rebuilt in the coming months. That said we have done much work and research to recover some of those important findings so as to action advice.

In line with Sandy’s founding principals this association will not be sponsored by the timeshare industry and will not court or knowingly receive donations to promote their services. At all times the recommendations to consumers will be reviewed so as to protect the independence of the advice given and to the sole benefit of consumers.

To achieve our objectives the TCA will:

  • Provide help and assistance including specialist advice to consumers and their legal advisors, to enable consumers to avoid pitfalls and to resolve timeshare problems. This service is provided, free of charge and the telephone is manned Mon – Fri 10:00 – 17:00 (1-2 lunch) by our dedicated volunteers.
  • Provide active support for owners and owners clubs to realise the full benefits of their timeshare ownership.
  • Provide a central resource of consumer oriented information on timeshare matters for the media and other consumer organisations – including the encouragement of a positive public attitude to responsible, honest, timeshare operators.
  • Publicly expose anti-consumer practices and organisations which operate in a manner detrimental to timeshare buyers and owners.
  • Lobby UK and European Governments and regulatory bodies for improved protection for consumers in the timeshare environment.
  • Collect information on frauds etc. for action by enforcement authorities.

Whilst the new TCA is UK based, it provides services across the whole of Europe and to English speaking residents further a field.

TCA has established links with similar consumer organisations throughout Europe to strengthen the impact of it’s work.

Chronological history of TCA ownership and control

  • 1997 – Alexander (Sandy) Grey forms the TCA and launches first website.  The purpose is to share advice and experience and provide a measure of protection to timeshare victims
  • 1999 – The popularity and demand for TCA’s help and advice increases site traffic exponentially.  Multiple volunteer staff are recruited and Sandy Grey decides to register TCA as a UK company.
  • 2013 – Sandy sadly passes away; TCA continues under the stewardship of former associate David Cox.
  • 2014 – TCA David Cox and Stephen Boyd assume official directorships of the company.
  • 2015 – Cox and Boyd resign as directors.
  • 2015 – TCA domain name (and therefore website control) sold by Cox/Boyd as part of a large portfolio of internet assets to Tolmex Ltd.
  • 2020 – Tolmex Ltd sells entire portfolio of internet assets as a job lot to European Consumer Claims (ECC) which included the TCA domain name.
    • ECC does not take ownership of the TCA company itself, nor registers directorship with Companies House.
  • 2020 – Following a 2 week inventory of the Tolmex Ltd internet assets ECC decides TCA does not align with the rest of its portfolio. They divest the domain to a TCA volunteer (Keith Dewhurst) who has requested the same at no charge.
  • 2020 – Keith Dewhurst re registers the company with Companies House and assumes sole directorship.
  • Since 2020 – Keith Dewhurst, along with various unpaid part time assistants continues to assist and advise timeshare owners on a volunteer basis.  See Keith Dewhurst bio here.

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