Bargain Luxury hotel in Cornwall Deal - Is this legal?

richsafe

Hi

Don't often post on this forum so please excuse me if I'm using this incorrectly. However, got sent this amazing deal for a beautiful stunning hotel in Cornwall (3 nights for £49 pp for the 3 nights!) and then read the small print which states:
Terms & Conditions

This offer is available exclusively to married couples, or couples that have been living together for a minimum of 12 months, that are between the ages of 30-65, who have not stayed at a Club La Costa resort or hotel in the past three years and who are UK residents and homeowners in a household with a minimum joint income of £30,000, where at least one partner is gainfully employed. All couples must be prepared to attend together a Holiday Ownership presentation during which they are under no obligation to purchase. However, should you not adhere to any of the above, you will be required to pay up to a maximum of £250 to subsidise accommodation costs. This offer is not available to Club La Costa members.

Is this legal?! How on earth do they ask someone to prove (if god forbid should they wish to after reading that?!) that they have been living together for the right amount of time, earn the right amount of money and are of the right age!

Would like to hear your views and advice

Thank you

Saff
ps I'm embarrassed to say I live in Cornwall after reading that!

gentlepurr

Its typical terms and conditions for any company hell bent on selling you "holiday club" ownership when you get there, you'll be pestered to death for three days and will have paid for the privilege, wouldnt touch it with a bargepole, no metter how wonderful the place looks, sorry

xx

MrsBartolozzi

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?searchid=101481224


Just search our site for Club la Costa and see all the unsatisfied people who were sucked into a "free" holiday! And if you like, google has loads more too. I was stupid enough to answer a few of their questions over the phone a few years ago and they hounded me for months after, even getting quite aggressive with me. I'd leave well alone.

Tigsteroonie

I thought about replying in the same vein (on behalf of Marley, he's out tonight!) but then realised the OP was actually more interested in how CLC could insist on such T&C and how they would be verified.

guardone

I have no direct knowledge of this firm, but they are trying to screen out most punters unless they fit the profile of a typical buyer of their timeshare holiday product. You would need to be very bored to comtemplate this "cheap holiday" as it will be all high pressure to buy their holidays, and lack of funds is no excuse as you have comfirmed that you fit the profile by attending. If you know the development, and would like a regular holiday there, beware of escalating maintenance charges in the future years. I have a spanish timeshare, many "owners" are just giving up as the recession bites, so the annual costs are absorbed by the remaining owners. At some point it may not be viable, and the resale value will be zilch. However, if you like the idea, now is a good time to pay buttons for an existing timeshare from a lapsed owner, note you will have to pay the missing annual maintenance fees, and a legal cost.
Hope this clarifies the issues.

richsafe

Dear all

Thank you for your responses. I have no desire what so ever to go on one of these elitist holidays. What I meant was, does it not go against equal opportunites or something? It seems unbelievably prejudiced to me. I can't believe they can print that stuff as their terms and conditions!

What an awful organisation!

guardone

They are a commercial selling organisation, some people give student discounts, or free films for students, but I cannot afford to sue for discrimination. Imagine they offered a weekend for £250, but once there they might give you an age related discounted, a settled couple discount, and an employed discount.... seems like a free market.
The purpose is to sell you a high price service, and from experience they know they will waste their time if you fall outside the profile.

atruefaker

Does 'married' include civil partnerships too...

jeppy

richsafe wrote: »

Dear all

Thank you for your responses. I have no desire what so ever to go on one of these elitist holidays. What I meant was, does it not go against equal opportunites or something? It seems unbelievably prejudiced to me. I can't believe they can print that stuff as their terms and conditions!

What an awful organisation!

Its not prejudiced, you need to earn a certain income to get the equivalent of a huge loan/mortgage on a timeshare!

Its not a free holiday its pure sales! And now it seems you have to pay!! My brother went on one to Teneriffe and only paid £50 for a week.

DecoSparkle

Was it trenython or hustyns? We went to hustyns on one of these (£99 for four nights for five of us) and the presentation was quite short and not at all pressurised. There were four adults in our group and only the named person (my Dad) had to go, and he was back with us by lunchtime (started at 10am). We had a great time!

As to whether it's legal, I wonder how they enforce it?

f1re_cr4cker

time share= Hard sell