Club La Costa Disgusting Customer Service and Misleading 'Prize Luxury Holidays'.

CHR15

I can't for the life of me understand why CLC would buy back points.

There is no tangible item, it is just numbers on a piece of paper, the points mean nothing to CLC. They can simply make them up at a whim.

I can see WHY they would have a resale value on the open market, you would essentially be buying something some poor soul has spent many thousands on, for a reduced fee, which you can use to take a better holiday....

I struggle to understand why CLC would even suggest they WOULD buy them back, if it isn't a simple out and out scam (which we all know it is because they WON'T buy them back)

nicechap

maksipup wrote: »

I would have thought that it was obvious that the memberships have value to CLC in that they can continue to receive membership fees and maintenance which would be lost otherwise! (As you seemed to recognise on post 48). The e bay issue I already answered with my opinion. Also do remember that we have been running in a recession where holidays are the last things on a lot of peoples minds just now.

A word of caution on your preferred method of booking villas on a one by one basis: The Daily Mail has an article today saying police believe the biggest UK Holiday scam to be the rise in numbers of people booking villas privately which are non existant.:(

I'm struggling with your offered logic.

You say they have a value in that CLC will go on getting maintenance (sounds sensible) but CLC will not buy them back (so no value?) but will charge 50 -75% of the original purchase price (from what you said on deleted thread) to transfer ownership (sounds outrageous for an administrative change), which I presume puts off people buying (e.g. ebay) and leaves (some) members with no option but to return the membership? so Club la costa don't get any maintenance fees (sounds barmy to me).

I thought the biggest scam from the Daily Mail was benefit scroungers, MPs expenses and bankers. Do you agree with their old article on club la costa? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-588269/Read-Free-holidays-cost-fortune-continued.html

I've never had any problems with booking direct, exercise common sense and pay balance on arrival works for me. Lot safer and less risky than joining your gang. I'm so much better off than if I had joined.

marleyboy

The tricks they pull
According to the Office of Fair Trading, there are a large number of holiday companies all trying to attract potential customers by dangling a "free" holiday. The basic OFT advice is "don't go to the presentation". But if you succumb, how do you defend yourself? Be prepared for some psychological tricks. These include:
· Grinding you down with sessions lasting up to six hours.
· Baffling you with figures that you cannot check or even add up unless you are brilliant at mental arithmetic.
· Facing a bewildering variety of sales people.
· The good cop/bad cop routine where one of two sellers "befriends" you and makes jokes, even sometimes against the holiday firm.
· Making you feel ashamed if you don't sign up because you are either betraying your family or yourself.
· Bombarding you with information and confusing you as to your legal rights.
· Shaming you into signing as refusing would signify personal poverty and weakness.
You should always ask about cancellation rights and demand them in writing. If sellers refuse to give them or the terms are poor, walk away.
Check that all verbal claims are in the contract. Demand time to read this or walk away.
Never be pressured to stay by the promise of a "free" holiday at the end. There are always charges which may make the holiday expensive.
And don't be impressed by membership of "holiday club" or "timeshare" bodies. Some try to police members but they have no statutory clout.
The OFT website - www.oft.gov.uk - has helpful consumer advice.
Earlier this week, the Department of Trade and Industry presented petitions to wind-up holiday clubs The Travellers' Guild, Buckingham Leisure, Travel Concepts LLC, Riverside Travel Services and Cost (UK) in the public interest following an investigation under the Companies Act.
But while this means the companies will be shut down, victims of these firms may never again see their money - often nearly £6,000 a head. The ultimate ownership of at least one company in this group lies in the tax haven island of Nevis.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2003/jul/19/budgetingforyourholiday.scamsandfraud

mpython

Originally Posted by mpython
maksipup, if I recall your past posts correctly, you've taken 150 weeks holidays over 20 years with club la costa (which in all likelihhod, the equivalent could have been bought much cheaper elsewhere but no doubt you will disagree) and you say its now paid for itself.

Memory letting you down mpython, average 12 weeks/year for last 5 years including this one. Yes, already proved it has worked out cheaper for standard we have experienced. From original posting works out about £100 for each week from original investment up to the end of this year. With maintenance added, still worked out pretty well. Average maintenance when we started in 1991 (not with Club La Costa) was £87. Average maintenance paid per week last year worked out about £220-£230 if I remember correctly. Private rentals at the resorts we have stayed in have varied from between £400 per week to £1000. Maybe I am just one of the many lucky ones!

How many people do you know that book 7 and half weeks holiday in 5* accomodation each year? So how many members of MSE do you think your views are helpful to?
I know of quite a few with 7,8,9,10 weeks or more, mostly retired. We exchange experiences and views while on holiday with other members. I really do not know how many people any of these posts are helpful to but I thought that anyone could look at this site without being a member. By the way not always 5* occasionally 4* and a couple of 3* thrown in, (they were in Venice so we put up with it)!

Can you give my regards to brad an angelina next time you see them?

maksipup wrote: »

Sorry don't know anyone called Brad and Angelina but we did meet Barry Manilow in Venice.

Which bit of my memory was letting me down? I said if I recall correctly you've taken 150 weeks holiday over 20 years, which you seem to have subsequently re-admitted???

Anyhow, based on your figures you've paid £15,000 to join, and another £2,700 maintenance last year, which over 20 years would have been £54,000, or a total of £69,000, which works out about £460 a week.

Do you always mis-represnt your purchase like this?

I suppose if you do holiday for 12 weeks a year, I shouldn't be too surprised that you have met people in a similar position, however, that wasn't what I asked, my question remains:

How many people on MSE do you think your views are helpful to?

maksipup

nicechap wrote: »

I'm struggling with your offered logic.

You say they have a value in that CLC will go on getting maintenance (sounds sensible) but CLC will not buy them back (so no value?) but will charge 50 -75% of the original purchase price (from what you said on deleted thread) to transfer ownership (sounds outrageous for an administrative change), which I presume puts off people buying (e.g. ebay) and leaves (some) members with no option but to return the membership? so Club la costa don't get any maintenance fees (sounds barmy to me). Of course if they buy them back they still have no maintenance coming in and they have had to pay out so it probably makes financial sense to them. Not so barmy but of course no use to members leaving!

I thought the biggest scam Once again you misread, I said HOLIDAY scam and the quote was from the police from the Daily Mail was benefit scroungers, MPs expenses and bankers. I've never had any problems with booking direct, exercise common sense and pay balance on arrival works for me. Quite agree, then only the deposit is at risk Lot safer and less risky than joining your gang. Looks like quite a lot would disagree with that. I'm so much better off than if I had joined. I am happy for you.:j

Once again: The cost of transfer is 50p per point. not necessarily 50-75% of purchase price unless of course you pay way under the odds in the first place in which case even with the 50p/point there are bargains to be had, admittedly partly at the expense of whoever is selling or giving the membership away. If you buy say 2000 points for £100 as has happened, the fee would be 1000% of purchase price, if you buy 2000 points for £2000 the fee would be 50%, 2000 points for £4000 would see a fee of 25%. and so on......;)

mpython

maksipup can't seem to make up his mind about the value of club la costa membership to club la costa. These quotes are from a discussion regarding barnkruptcy and Club La Costa taken from a website I'm a member of:-

Reply to a member from Club La Costa:-

"You ask us to put an intrinsic value on your membership. It is very difficult to put a figure on a membership such as this as what you have joined is a lifetime of luxury holidays. You have membership of a club which guarantees quality standards and services with outstanding facilities. I would think a lot of people would think this is priceless." - obviously haven't seen devoncourt hotel lately...

And another Club La Costa reply to another member:

"We would like to advise you that Club La Costa does not run any resale or buy back programmes and we are therefore unable to give a resale valuation on your membership."

This was from a member who had to declare themselves bankrupt.

"The official receiver wrote to CLC asking them to value her 'investment' but they refused to do so. After many months of waiting despite her own solicitor writing to CLC the receiver had to admit defeat and her investment is valued at £0.00."

mpython

maksipup wrote: »

Once again: The cost of transfer is 50p per point. not necessarily 50-75% of purchase price unless of course you pay way under the odds in the first place in which case even with the 50p/point there are bargains to be had, admittedly partly at the expense of whoever is selling or giving the membership away. If you buy say 2000 points for £100 as has happened, the fee would be 1000% of purchase price, if you buy 2000 points for £2000 the fee would be 50%, 2000 points for £4000 would see a fee of 25%. and so on......;)

Appreciate the explanation.

Is it always 50p a point?

maksipup

mpython wrote: »

Originally Posted by mpython
maksipup, if I recall your past posts correctly, you've taken 150 weeks holidays over 20 years with club la costa (which in all likelihhod, the equivalent could have been bought much cheaper elsewhere but no doubt you will disagree) and you say its now paid for itself.

Memory letting you down mpython, average 12 weeks/year for last 5 years including this one. Yes, already proved it has worked out cheaper for standard we have experienced. From original posting works out about £100 for each week from original investment up to the end of this year. With maintenance added, still worked out pretty well. Average maintenance when we started in 1991 (not with Club La Costa) was £87. Average maintenance paid per week last year worked out about £220-£230 if I remember correctly. Private rentals at the resorts we have stayed in have varied from between £400 per week to £1000. Maybe I am just one of the many lucky ones!

How many people do you know that book 7 and half weeks holiday in 5* accomodation each year? So how many members of MSE do you think your views are helpful to?
I know of quite a few with 7,8,9,10 weeks or more, mostly retired. We exchange experiences and views while on holiday with other members. I really do not know how many people any of these posts are helpful to but I thought that anyone could look at this site without being a member. By the way not always 5* occasionally 4* and a couple of 3* thrown in, (they were in Venice so we put up with it)!

Can you give my regards to brad an angelina next time you see them?



Which bit of my memory was letting me down? I said if I recall correctly you've taken 150 weeks holiday over 20 years, which you seem to have subsequently re-admitted??? Yes I did say 150 weeks over 20 years. Your revised quote here of course left out where you originally said it was with Club La Costa which I have never said, I did say we moved to CLC when they took over the resort we had timeshare with.

Anyhow, based on your figures you've paid £15,000 to join, and another £2,700 maintenance last year, which over 20 years would have been £54,000, or a total of £69,000, which works out about £460 a week. Maths is obviously a strength with you on a par with observation. I also said when we started out our maintenance for the weeks we had was £87 per week. Now risen to £220-£230 per week. I could go back the paperwork and work out accurately total maintenance costs over 20 years but frankly I can't be bothered and anyway what would be the point?

Do you always mis-represnt your purchase like this? No misrepresentation from me. Anyone can see the mistakes on this thread are all yours I am afraid.

I suppose if you do holiday for 12 weeks a year, I shouldn't be too surprised that you have met people in a similar position, however, that wasn't what I asked, my question remains: (or changes to!)

How many people on MSE do you think your views are helpful to?

Once again you misquote yourself as your original question asked how many MSE members. As my posts are more accurate than yours, hopefully more people will accept them than do yours:D

mpython

maksipup, please accept my apologies for alleging you stayed with club la costa for 20 years of holidays, I can understand your embarrassment arising from such a suggestion so now understand your reply, though I only read what you had written in response.

You obviously have some degree of insight into me, as my first degree was actually in Maths & Physics, and you will, of course have seen the words 'which over 20 years' : this is so we can compare like with like - as I said in an earlier post, you will no doubt disagree with me, but hey ho.

You have the figures to hand but you seem to skim over any awkward bits, how is that not mis-represntaion? You are asked a question and ignore it, you are asked it again, albeit with slightly changed words but no change to intention - and twist away from it again, how is that not mis-representation?

I will admit I do make mistakes when posting and will apologise when I get things wrong - its a shame your friend can't seem to do that on CAG. So for the benefit of others, will you tell us, how many people on MSE do you think your views are helpful to, or, how many members of MSE do you think your views are helpful to?

maksipup

mpython wrote: »

maksipup can't seem to make up his mind about the value of club la costa membership to club la costa. I know the value we have had and are having as I have shown you. These quotes are from a discussion regarding barnkruptcy and Club La Costa taken from a website I'm a member of:- Which website is that mpython?

Reply to a member from Club La Costa:-

"You ask us to put an intrinsic value on your membership. It is very difficult to put a figure on a membership such as this as what you have joined is a lifetime of luxury holidays. You have membership of a club which guarantees quality standards and services with outstanding facilities. I would think a lot of people would think this is priceless." - obviously haven't seen devoncourt hotel lately...

And another Club La Costa reply to another member:

"We would like to advise you that Club La Costa does not run any resale or buy back programmes and we are therefore unable to give a resale valuation on your membership."

This was from a member who had to declare themselves bankrupt.

"The official receiver wrote to CLC asking them to value her 'investment' but they refused to do so. After many months of waiting despite her own solicitor writing to CLC the receiver had to admit defeat and her investment is valued at £0.00."

As we agreed no little or no financial value, only holiday value through savings when booking holidays over a number of years!