The Timeshare Law Firm

  As a national law firm exclusively dedicated to timeshare law settlements and litigation, The Timeshare Law Firm is going to be filling class action cases against major timeshare resorts for mass violations of consumer laws. The Resorts failed to provide government-mandated warnings and advisories to protect purchasers at the time of sale, before they signed a contract. The resorts involved in the lawsuits include “Travel + Leisure Co.” (Formerly “Wyndham”); Holiday Inn Club (Silverleaf Resorts, Orange Lake); Hilton Grand Vacations (Diamond Resorts); Marriott (Sheraton, Vistana, Hyatt); Berkley Group (Vacation Village, Lando, Massanutten); Geoholiday / Sapphire Resorts; ResortCom (Villa Del Group, El Cid); Bluegreen Resorts; Capital Vacations; And Westgate. These lawsuits involve mass violation of Consumer Laws that were specifically designed by Government Regulators to protect Timeshare Purchasers at the time of sale, BEFORE they sign a contract, thus a failure to provide Govern...

  Timeshare Resellers are Lying to You: A Timeshare is NOT a Hedge Against Inflation With inflation on the rise, we are seeing a worrying number of articles written to give the impression that timeshares are a “hedge over” or “beating” inflation. This is categorically not true. The basis of their argument is that with rising prices of hotel rooms, timeshare owners are getting savings on their timeshare when compared to booking costs today. This argument does sound appealing; however, the truth is more complicated than they lead you to believe. These articles claim that the maintenance fees will be less in a year then the actual cost getting a hotel room. These articles frequently will ignore the upfront cost as a factor and, booking restrictions mean sometimes substandard use or no use on a given year. The most important omission, is that maintenance fees usually also rise with inflation, making their whole point moot anyways.   The truth of all these articles is simple,...

       Every prospective owner should always be aware of what kind of timeshare they are being sold. Contract prices and terms can be totally different for two buyers, even though they purchased at the same resort, on the same day. But one common feature is that what is said during the sales pitch usually doesn’t reflect the reality of the contract terms being signed. Timeshares are shrouded in restrictions and costs not readily apparent to the consumer, and typically have a much higher cost than simply booking the room online. They are pushed to consumers through deceptive presentations, often taking 4 to 6 hours that create stressful situations during what should be a relaxing vacation. Timeshare Differences While each case is different, there are two main types of Timeshares: Shared ‘Deeded’ Ownership : These represent ‘true’ Timeshares, in that the room is treated legally as a property owned by the resort condominium and a 1/52 nd interest (a week) is sold to ...

     As discussed in the previous article, “Booking Companies: How Neutral Are They?” , RCI and Interval International, work as an extension of the resorts. The parent corporation, Wyndham in RCI’s case (or Marriott Vacations Worldwide, for Interval International), directs new owners towards the seemingly third-party Booking Company to manage their Timeshare. However, owners soon find themselves buried under restrictions they never knew they had. Purchasers were originally told it would be anywhere, anytime bookings , but there can be fees they never knew to pay, with huge advanced booking requirements and artificial availability, when you could just book it today online. These restrictions are all carefully manufactured by the booking companies to turn a profit at the expense of the consumer. Upgrades      When a timeshare owner uses the booking company, they may glean actual benefit from them, perhaps for several years even, with legitimate bonuses and ad...

     When one purchases a Timeshare, they are often directed by the resort to a booking company to properly make use of it. Companies like RCI and Interval International are seen as neutral parties, working through membership programs and providing access to resorts all around the world. But how neutral are they? Who owns them, and why? What is RCI?      RCI, formerly known as Resorts Condominiums International, is a vacation exchange membership program. By purchasing a subscription for their membership program, the consumer is provided the ability to find, price, and book usage for their timeshares. The services offered by RCI, or its main competitor, Interval International, are usually requested by the resorts in order to manage and book timeshares.      In theory, it sounds reasonable, so what’s the catch? What often goes unmentioned is how RCI operates. They claim to be independent from the resorts, offering their services on an unbiased ...

     The Timeshare Industry thrives on deception, misdirection, and overwhelming pressure, they entrap consumers into high-pressure sales presentations. It’s imperative then for consumers to be informed of these situations, as to best prepare and avoid them if possible.      A recent story coming out of Las Vegas, Nevada, first reported by Channel 8 news, speaks of a family going through this process. They had purchased a timeshare in 1998, under Diamond Resorts. For a little over 20 years, they had few issues, however, their problems began in 2021. On advisement from the resort, they decided to upgrade their timeshare package. But instead of a better deal, they were dealt an extreme monthly fee and heavy restrictions on the use of their timeshare, realizing then that they were charged more per month than it was worth annually. What happened between then and now?      The confusion first began not in the conference room, but completely above...

     When looking to cancel a Timeshare, consumers often find themselves fighting an uphill battle against the resorts. Debt collectors, threatened lawsuits, and false information overwhelms even the savviest of Timeshare owners, and it is easy to lose track of the most important details. The first and foremost among these being the Statute of Limitations, an absolute time limit on when one can challenge their contract in a court of law. It’s a race against the clock to litigate against the resorts, as a case can be dismissed if the Statute has passed the designated deadline. What is a Statute of Limitations      The statute of limitations dictates the maximum amount of time available to pursue a legal action, starting from the date of the alleged offense. In the context of Timeshares, the statute of limitations provides a timeframe by which an offended consumer can pursue litigation against their resort. The timeshare industry is well aware of these li...

       The Timeshare Industry can be ruthless in its dealings, and often, consumers are thrust into a chaotic sales pitch before they even realize what is happening. In these whirlwind situations, it’s difficult to understand who you are truly dealing with, and to whom the contract belongs to.   Vacation real estate corporations use subsidiary shell companies to create different points of contact across the world. And while this information is in the open, the general public is often unaware of who is above or below the company they are currently signing on with, and most importantly, who to get in contact with when their deal has gone awry. It’s an integral part of their scam; misdirection—and should be among the first and foremost thoughts to consider when looking to free oneself from a Timeshare. The Timeshare Industry is Bigger than it Seems Almost every major hotel chain, no matter how localized, has a hand in the Timeshare industry. Smaller chains are ...

       The Timeshare Industry is wrought with disinformation and secrecy, often seeking to entrap their consumers with false promises and deceptive contracts. But, once the fraud is uncovered, how does a Timeshare owner free themselves from their contract? The simple solution would be to just sell their Timeshare to someone else, but the Resorts are well-prepared for this route, and reselling a timeshare can be just as worrisome as purchasing one. Why Resell?      There are several reasons why an owner may consider reselling the Timeshare instead of pursuing legal divestment, the first among these is convenience. When an owner first learns that they have made a costly mistake, they scramble to be rid of their timeshare as quickly as possible. Litigation takes time, money, and unlike Fraud companies that “guarantee” success, you must be able to win in court to succeed. Consumers who have just learned that they have been scammed are reluctant to pay ...

When consumers look to purchase a Timeshare, they are naturally concerned with one major factor, the alleged savings. By owning a portion of the location, one is led to believe they are entitled to a discount on booking costs, included packages, and getting exclusive deals not normally offered to the public. This is far from the truth however, and Timeshares usually cost owners roughly 400-1000% more than a regular vacationer would pay to book the room or resort online.   Even the promise of ownership itself is a falsehood meant to appeal to the emotions of prospective consumers. Hidden Fees The theory behind the deception is a simple one, getting consumers to pay annually or even monthly for a property they may only utilize for one week out of the year. It begins in small increments, an affordable monthly payment that appears to be a fraction of the cost for a normal booking. What the resorts do not make clear is the high interest rates and additional charges of “maintenance f...