The Timeshare Trap While On Vacation
Dealing
with the sales pressure
As a prospective timeshare owner enjoying a family vacation, you were lured with a fancy gift in return for attending a promised 90-minute presentation, which eventually turns into a 6 hour grinding, hard sales pitch. Such is the plight of many vacationers - subjected to the coercive pressure of signing on that dotted line, shown beautiful ocean view condos in paradise by the sales rep, then later discovering your timeshare unit overlooks the parking lot, or promised fun-filled years of vacations for you and your family then told “sorry, not available” when trying to book your desired travel dates.
This is standard
operating procedure for the major timeshare resort companies, and how they are
sold to unsuspecting vacationers throughout the world. Maybe you didn’t get manipulated
with the misleading sales techniques, or maybe you did – either way here are some
things that you must make sure of prior to signing that Timeshare contract.
The boiler room hard sell tactics are
used to persuade a consumer that the timeshare membership is a fantastic deal.
Most of the details of the contract are missing in the verbal presentation by
the sales reps, which are designed to make one decide impulsively on emotions.
Not getting conned into the timeshare sham requires rational thinking and being
alert to all the statements they make.
The tactics include:
- Coercing you to buy for gifts already accepted
- Saying offer is for a “limited time only” and you must buy now
- Arguing with your objections rather than answering your questions
- Keeping you for much longer than the stated time
- Not telling you about the right to cancel during rescission period
- Stating the timeshare is a great investment and its value increases over time
- Sending in their snarky manager after you say no, for more high-pressure tactics
If a timeshare owner answers yes to experiencing
any of the above, then he has been conned into the purchase and is within your
rights to exit the Timeshare contract.
Be sure
to read the fine print
The timeshare contract might be pages and
pages long, but reading the devilish fine print is a must to do. The sales representative
will say it’s a value of a lifetime, or the timeshare is an “investment”, or for
a “limited time” one can buy the timeshare for a mere fraction of the original
price, and other high pressure statements to get you to sign right there, right
now – DO NOT FALL FOR THE SCAM. Remember that the resort sales rep is just
trying to force the sale. Take the timeshare document home and read it all – every
section is important. Every timeshare contract contains a public
disclosure clause or a public offering statement. Carefully read it and,
preferably, have a timeshare attorney examine it as well.
Beware of
misleading and false claims
The typical sales presentation lasts anytime
between 60 minutes to 4 hours. Most people end up signing a timeshare legal
contract only because they were coerced and pressured to do so. Timeshare
owners report that they were told that purchasing a timeshare is a fantastic
investment that can be resold any time without a problem.
Unfortunately, surveys and studies show
that there is virtually zero resale value, usually for mere pennies on eBay or
Craigslist. Even for the timeshare owners lucky enough to find a buyer, they timeshares
sell for very low prices. Once a timeshare owners sign on the dotted line of a timeshare
contract, they are glued to a purchase they never wanted in the first place but
now are obligated to pay the loan and maintenance fees.
If you are thinking of exiting a
timeshare contract, it is advisable to research the services of a reputable
timeshare attorney to help you navigate the complexities of timeshare law.
Confirm
the verbal promises of the resorts
Timeshare sales reps are very skilled at
what they do. They make amazing, too-good-to-be-true promises while you’re sitting
at the presentation table. Most of these promises do not materialize for the
average timeshare owner. If you have been promised anything verbally, should get
it in writing as well.
Analyze every detail of your timeshare contract,
from your timeshare fees, to vacation weeks available, assurances of
booking the vacation dates you want, cancellation policies, etc. If some parts of
the timeshare of the contract seem overly complex, that is by design. A solid,
knowledgeable timeshare attorney, rather than the resort property representative,
would likely provide an unbiased opinion.
Timeshare owners need be assured that timeshare exit is
possible, one just needs to know the owners’ rights and options. The best way
to find out what those right and options are is to get a no-cost consultation
from a proven timeshare cancellation lawyer.
While difficult as it
may be for a current timeshare owner – with no experience in getting rid of a
timeshare – to figure out if an attorney is necessary to exit your timeshare.
Owners should seek out renown, prominent timeshare attorneys in the
timeshare cancellation industry, preferably with decades of experience in timeshare
law. A results-driven legal professional such as this can help guide timeshare
owners through the ins and outs of the exit process.
Timeshare transfer and release may be quicker and more
legitimate route to take using a timeshare attorney. Before hiring a timeshare
attorney, a timeshare owner should research the law firm’s success rate, client reviews and BBB rating. Use the legal system to
get the results needed – legitimate release from a timeshare contract.
Comments