Holiday Property Bond

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  • terryw
    terryw Posts: 4,396
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    One must wonder then why the mods don't delete those suspicious posts?
    Good point mate. But someone has to report it first. Why bother reporting when anyone coming from Google can see the other posts and see what a load of cobblers these people really are? Anyone coming here should keep well aware from HPB.

    Terryw
    "If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools"
    Extract from "If" by Rudyard Kipling
  • Paranoia seems to rule here........I happened on this forum and have joined up just to reply to the comments about HPB.....I have been a member since 1991....spent £20000 then...have an annual points entitlement now of 40000 (about 8 weeks hols and can take points free anytime)....never really had any problem booking where I wanted to go....all the sites are brilliant.....myself and my family are up to about hol 50 in the time I have had it....valuation is easy...units (original number of points) x valuation (found in the FT or HPB website)...currently about £18000......always immaculate sites/accomodation, excellent on site management.....cheap deals for winter sun.... my next hol is to the really great site in Turkey, 6 room lovely rooftop appartment (sleeps 5), vast balcony overlooking sea and mountains, on site management couldn't be nicer all for £350 per week user charge (total not per person) plus flights (June) ...for me its a no brainer...but hey guys, stay away, more room for the rest of us in the know......cheers
    ps of course its willed to the children so they will go on enjoying it
  • Surely £20k invested in a high interest account (base rate in 1991 was in excess of 10%) would yield enough per year to make at least the difference between the £350 per week charge and the going rate for a similar apartment. That way you are not tied to their properties and your money is in a (hopefully) more secure financial institution, rather than something which seems to me like glorified timeshare.
  • Yes, sure, but properties are always immaculate, often architecturally interesting (they often feel just as if you were living in a local village in your own local home) excellent on site free facilities, sites are very well mainained and landscaped, very helpfull on site english speaking management, good value flight transfers, excellent good value organised trips (ephesus last year was brilliant, 2 day trip £100 each complete) .....I guess its horses for courses......but really all I'm trying to say is that its far from a 'cowboy timeshare'...even has an elected members committee who seem to have some influence on the management...it all seems very transparent, any problems with the site are fully explained before you book (i.e building close to the Mallorca site in winter at present...with a discount in the points used)...I have never had any doubts about financial probity but I guess you never know...I speak as I and my family have found it.....its has given us some fantastic holidays at a very reasonable price
  • I joined HPB in 1991 and had one good holiday (my first HPB booking) with them when we went to The Dordogne for our honeymoon in August 1993 - using accumulated and carried forward points to do so.
    Since then each break using HPB had some negative aspects to it - from noisy non-soundproofed appartments in the lake district to dirty rooms etc. in Kent. Frequently we couldn't get near the dates we wanted due to the best properties being booked up so far in advance by wealthier retired members.
    Too few properties were offered in the UK, and the ever increasing weekly "non profit User Charge", finally put us off. HPB were never able to justify to me the amount of the "Non Profit" User Charge which seemed quite extortionate as no house keeping is undertaken during your actual stay.
    When I came to sell my Bond Units, which took some time, after 13 years of membership I got back only 61% of what I'd invested. So be warned.
  • 1. Each point is worth around 75p and is priced daily. Today's value is 77.7pence.

    2. Never had to cash in any points in 18 years because they are such good value and always use them. The "capital" remains untouched, if that is what you are concerned about. There is no capital gain. The points are there to be used the following year.

    You could always hang on to the points - maybe when you are older you will enjoy the quality of the properties, the sports facilities, the locations etc etc.

    Each point may be worth around 75p, but will cost you £1, so you've lost 25% of your investment straight away. And as you can't find the value of the points - I've just checked HPB's own website and they're not on there - you won't know what you're getting back until you've sold them back to HPB, by when it's too late. I know because it happened to me. I'm not saying the scheme is crooked in any way, just should only be considered by wealthy people who can afford to invest enough to make it work for them and are flexible in the dates they want - ie retired mainly.
  • Sam_Bee wrote: »
    I'm not being funny, well maybe I am, but is it really odd for the last7 messages (and others) all to be positive, all to be from new members, and all to be added today?

    Not being negative, just find it weird, like.
    :A It may seem weird, but, having been a bondholder for many years, I can assure ANYBODY WHO TRIES IT, WILL LOVE IT!!!

    There's always one or two who will try to be negative about anything, but ask bondholders what they think and they'll tell you - IGNORE THE NAYSAYERS - they're just jealous they can't afford to buy into it!!
  • terryw wrote: »
    Good point mate. But someone has to report it first. Why bother reporting when anyone coming from Google can see the other posts and see what a load of cobblers these people really are? Anyone coming here should keep well aware from HPB.

    Terryw

    As I've just said, those in the know, i.e. true Bondholders in the Holiday Property Bond, can afford to ignore those like you who are negative.

    I am a Bondholder of many years standing and can assure anyone who is interested in joining the Holiday Property Bond that it is a sound investment for those who seek QUALITY NOT QUANTITY!!!

    By the way, you spelt 'away' wrong!:T
  • Incisor
    Incisor Posts: 2,271
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    One must wonder then why the mods don't delete those suspicious posts?
    Delete them? You must be crazy. They tell their own tale. Now anyone can look at this thread and make up their own mind. It doesn't take Einstein.
    After the uprising of the 17th June The Secretary of the Writers Union
    Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee Stating that the people
    Had forfeited the confidence of the government And could win it back only
    By redoubled efforts. Would it not be easier In that case for the government
    To dissolve the people
    And elect another?
  • ksb76
    ksb76 Posts: 26
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    My family have been bondholders since the beginning of HPB and we have loved the various sites that we've used over the years. When my parents joined I was pretty young and they were perfect for people with younger families as they all have pools, tennis courts, games facilities. As my parents have aged, their use has increased, as they now have the ability to holiday outside of school holidays and so make their points go further. I am now 32, with two kids of my own, and am able to make use of the properties now. We recently spent half term in France near Disney - able to get it on a late availability booking, so just because you have kids doesn't mean that you won't be able to get the specific weeks that you want. We also booked the tenancy in Gstaad for August and had a fabulous time. That cost us 1300 pounds for two weeks, which was far cheaper than we could get on the open rental market, and the quality of the apartment was far superior.

    If you holiday a lot - 2-3 times a year, and have children at home, or are approaching retirement, HPB is perfect. You know what you are getting everytime you go away, and the standards are excellent - far better than other self catering accomodation we've stayed in. Yes, you do pay a user charge, but in comparison to actually renting a similar property it is much, much less, so you save there.

    It is an individual decision though, and you have to consider the locations and the stage that you / your family are at. If you were a young couple, no children, then it definitely wouldn't be the right time for you to consider it.

    Kirsty
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