Timeshare Maintenance Fees - a never ending trap?

May 18, 2011 - PRLog -- The question of what happens if you cannot continue paying your timeshare maintenance fees comes up a lot on timeshare forums and blogs, and it can be complicated depending on the exact procedures outlined in your particular contract. If for whatever reason you stop paying your maintenance fees, you are likely to start receiving threatening calls from the timeshare company or a collection agency working on their behalf, and may potentially face legal action.

We have come across many instances of timeshare owners complaining about rising maintenance fees, making their timeshare no longer viable. Here are just a few typical comments:

Gary said: "I bought a timeshare in 1995, but have never used it. I offered to give it back for free because I don't want to pay maintenance fees for something I don't use. When I called the resort they said they couldn't take it and I have to keep paying the fees".

Dave said: "We owned our timeshare for 20 years, never set foot in it after buying it, but exchanged it and went somewhere every year. The maintenance fees kept going up, and it became increasingly hard to find an exchange, so we decided to get rid of it. I advertised in large cities withing 200 miles, got one reply, but it was the wrong week. So I looked on E-Bay and Craigs List, and saw there were a lot of timeshares listed, but no takers".

Sharon said: "My father is retired and my mother died. He cannot use the timeshare anymore and the company keeps charging additional maintenance fees. He had not paid the fees the last couple years hoping they will take it back but they say they can't take it. He added my name on it for survivorship, but I don't want it either and I don't want to be stuck with his problem. Is there anything we can do. We want to give it back and save them collection costs but they don't want it back".

These timeshare complaints are typical of the situation many timeshare owners find themselves in today. Suitable exchanges are rarely available, and unfortunately the timeshare resale market is in rapid decline to the point now where it has been estimated that the chances of a successful resale are around 1 in 1000 and even those that do manage to transact a successful resale will only receive around 20% of their original purchase price at best. So most timeshare owners feel they will be burdened with rising maintenance fees forever.

At Owners Action our objective has always been to support the consumer in timeshare disputes and over the years of operating have entered into dialogue with thousands of timeshare owners from which we have discovered a pattern of abuse, deception and even fraudulent issues that have been systematically perpetrated by many of the major timeshare industry players to the detriment of owners.

With the support of our members and sponsors who have funded the investigation of these issues we are now pursuing the coordination of a claim to the courts on behalf of timeshare owners who can justify due cause for refund compensation, distress and damages on the grounds that their timeshare purchase was not of merchandisable quality.

Contact Owners Action to find out more vis the website: http://www.ownersaction.com

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Our objective is to support the consumer in timeshare disputes. We have discovered a pattern of abuse, deception and fraudulent issues that have been systematically perpetrated by many of the major timeshare industry players to the detriment of owners.