Timeshare Maintenance Fee

TrickyD55

My UK timeshare week has been cancelled as the resort has closed due to Covid restrictions. My timeshare contract says that after payment of the annual management fee I'm entitled to occupy the property. So if they can't offer me my week, do I have to pay the annual fee? I'd really appreciate some legal advice if possible. 

eskbanker

If you're looking for legal advice in the formal sense of the term then you'd need to pay a solicitor for it, but there's nothing in that brief contract excerpt that suggests any right to withhold a management/maintenance fee.

Thrugelmir

Read the small print of your contract. The maintenance and upkeep of the development still needs to be paid for. Along with fixed overheads such as insurance. Failure to pay could result in some form of forfeiture. 

Dickie2shoes

I got in touch with the Timeshare Advice Centre (see their website) who seem to be very knowledgeable. They have made contact by phone but they haven't yet told me if there is anything they can do. I suspect they are a front for a legal firm so they may be able to help the OP. I know this does not really answer the question but I thought I'd share the info.

Randolf_B

This is very interesting, I had no idea that such an organisation existed. I've been reasonably happy with my timeshare in Madeira, I went in with my eyes open, the provider was very flexible, and the employees in the resort itself are professional and courteous. Covid hasn't been a problem, as the resort has allowed banking of scheduled weeks. Maintenance naturally has to continue to be paid even in the event that the scheduled weeks cannot be taken, but they will be taken at some point so it all works out fine in the end. I hope the OP managed to get things sorted. Despite what I've commented here, problems may be on the horizon with my timeshare because during lockdowns the accommodation was closed and the opportunity was taken by the owners to undertake some refurbishment. Alternative accommodation was provided once restrictions eased, on a comparable comfort level, for those able to travel. Now that the refurbishment is complete and the original timeshare accommodation is about to reopen, correspondence is being sent to timeshare members which suggests that the owners won't be meeting all of the costs of the refurbishment, but that timeshare members will be sent statements indicating how much their fees will increase. There's nothing in the contract which permits this as the pre-planned work was not "force majeur" (the only clause which allows the owners to increase fees beyond inflation). There was no prior consultation with me or other members as far as I know about the work. Has anyone come across anything similar? What could the consequences of a refusal to pay be? Thanks in advance for any thoughts any of you may have on this.