Clubseasons - Is it a con???

grifhe_2

I've just "won" a prize to the value of £3750!

Just a word to those who think they can use the holidays for a few years, while the fees are low... then walk away... When you take on a timeshare you will be asked to sign a contract, you are legally bound to continue to pay the maintenance fees until you sell the week to another person. (This in itself may be difficult if the company keep giving the weeks away for free!) if you do not keep up the maintenance payments the company can take you to court for defaulting on a debt.

With "floating weeks" you buy the promise of accommodation that may or may not be available when & where you want it. The cheap breaks are usually the weeks that are left un-booked, available at short notice. Which as I see it are being sold twice... think about it, someone has in theory already paid a maintenance fee for that week; or mid week / weekend if the company splits it; then if no one takes it up they sell it again to you... nice!

I already own a "set week" timeshare in Scotland; with which I'm very happy; my advice would be if you want a timeshare do some research - to buy a "set week" go and look at the site for your self. Most timeshare sites will, (as we found when looking to buy), allow you to stay at a reasonable cost while looking, you do have to tour several available units while there but it gives you a feel for the place to see if it is right for you. Then it is a case of deciding the time of year that will suit you & waiting for a unit to come onto on the market that is the right size for your needs.

If you do not want to use your week any given year there are several "exchange" companies (that do not own timeshare of their own) with whom you can deposit your week (but only if your maintenance fee is paid on it) & draw out a week elsewhere for each week you deposit, of course someone else has to deposited the week & location you want though!
It is possible to bank weeks for future or advanced use.... PLEASE Compare costs between exchange companies before committing yourself. Just because a resort uses a particular company for unsold weeks you are not tied to that company. Some charge up-front but, as we found out, this can lead to poor value for money if no exchange is made. However "no deposit deals" are available to un-booked units worldwide through whichever exchange company you choose. The only company I've found that doesn't charge up-front fees is dialanexchange.com but maybe you will all advise me otherwise!

One final note.. fixed week timeshare is usually sold on a 99yr lease type of agreement so just be wary of the implications for the value of the unit you decide to purchase. We bought in Scotland because the law is different & ownership is in perpetuity so we can leave it to our children if we want to.

Sorry this has gone on a bit but I would hate anyone who couldn’t afford it to get tied up in an agreement they regretted. Try the following link for more advice: http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_world/travel/timeshare_and_holiday_clubs.htm

Happy holidays

C_G

[FONT=&quot]I also received a registered post letter from this company. They seemed a little annoyed when i said that i have to pay [/FONT][FONT=&quot]£337 [/FONT][FONT=&quot] for this so called FREE PRIZE. I asked for email confirmation and have enclosed the reply for anyone interested. I will not be taking advantage of this offer as im sure with a little hunt on the Internet and using the fabulous flight search on this site i can blow thi price out of the water.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]C_G[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

---

[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT][FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]CONGRATULATIONS ON WINNING A FREE CLUBSEASONS MEMBERSHIP WORTH £3750![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I am delighted to confirm that you are one of our prize-winners drawn in this month’s daily Win 4 Now / Grand Prize Draw. More than 23,000 British families already enjoy their holiday with Seasons every year – and now you can join them; your introduction to Club Seasons is enclosed. Please visit [/FONT][FONT=&quot]www.clubseasons.co.uk[/FONT][FONT=&quot] for comprehensive information about your membership.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Your Membership, which normally retails for £3750, enables you to enjoy a holiday for up to four people in any luxurious villa, cottage or apartment at any of our resorts in the UK or overseas EVERY YEAR until 2069. Club Seasons members also enjoy many other benefits. Once you have activated your Membership, you will be able to request your first 7 night holiday at any Seasons Member or Selected Resort for any date in 2007. Alternatively, you can join now to secure the dates of your choice for your main holiday in 2008, and perhaps book a Members short break later this year! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To ensure your resorts and club facilities remain in the same standard as you see today, all Members contribute an annual management fee: in 2007 this is only £337 (including all on site utility charges). Your first holiday entitlement can be booked up to 12 months in advance, whenever you choose to travel subject to availability including all school holiday periods. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]As a gesture of goodwill I have been authorised to contribute one quarter of the initial management fee in respect of your first holiday which can be in either 2007 or 2008. This means for just £252.75 you could enjoy a week of luxury on dates of your choice for up to four people either at one of our award-winning UK resorts or perhaps overseas. This works out at less than £64 per person for a 7-night holiday! [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We are offering new Club Seasons Members a 100% Money Back guarantee. If you are not entirely satisfied with your first stay at a Seasons resort, you can surrender your Membership and receive a full refund of any management fee paid (notification required within 14 days of return).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If you have any further questions, or wish to activate your membership now, please call the Membership Office on 0800 448 448, Between 11 am until 8 pm Monday to Friday), [/FONT][FONT=&quot]or email [/FONT][FONT=&quot][EMAIL="info@clubseasons.co.uk"]info@clubseasons.co.uk[/EMAIL]. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Seasons Holidays plc’ and sent to Membership Secretary, Seasons Holidays plc, 86-90 Victoria Street St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 3TG. For your convenience we will also accept payment by debit/credit card.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You must activate this Membership within 14 days of the date of today’s letter, or our audit department will randomly re-allocate your prize to another same-day entry participant.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We look forward to making you feel especially welcome at Seasons, and trust that yo;u and your family will enjoy many happy holidays and short breaks with us in the future.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yours sincerely,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Leanne Halliday - Membership Secretary;[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

pandapaws

What a load of tosh!:rotfl:

Off to the shredder...

Bubbleicious5

spokeshave wrote: »

Well, It's half way through the year, so they lose very little by giving you this year's membership free - but don't forget, it's £2950 each year thereafter, plus the maintenance fee of £320.

For that you get a four person holiday, so that if there are already four of you, it could be OK at around £750 each plus the maintenance fee. Depends if you regularly spend that much on a week's break.

If you are just two and don't want to involve friends, it looks pricier, but if you regularly go away with friends, on a sharing cost basis, it might look better.

What they don't say on their site is how they intend to deal with membership or maintenance in future years. They could, say, double it! On the other hand, you could accept the freebie and cancel before the next year is due...unless taking the 'prize' ties you in to a further year of membership.

Ask some more quaestions!

S

WRONG! You don't pay £2950/£3750 each year thereafter, that is the lifetime membership cost. You pay the maintenance fee each year. In the letter I got this is reduced by 50% for your first 3 years.

Bubble

mghnew2you

I find it absolutely amazing the number of people who have posted on this topic who have never made posts before, and who all joined at around the same time! Me thinks it's the same person under lots of different aliases, spouting the same load of rubbish that they posted on other posts about this "prize"!?! :mad: :mad:

enigmaL

Bubbleicious5 wrote: »

WRONG! You don't pay £2950/£3750 each year thereafter, that is the lifetime membership cost. You pay the maintenance fee each year. In the letter I got this is reduced by 50% for your first 3 years.

Bubble

So, let me guess, you're nothing to do with this company. So why would you, a new poster on the forum, feel the need to bump a thread which is over a year old.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

And then people wonder why we're cynical sometimes on here.:think: