Platinum Weeks / UK Weeks

duff67

Last week, I was informed by my sister that she felt she had been gullible and was being harassed by calls to her mobile.

Visiting her yesterday, it appears she had a call many years ago from a firm called Platinum Weeks, where if she paid money, she was promised cut-price or cheaper holidays. It appears she paid and has continued to pay when they have rung with 'offers' or suggestions that her benefits from the scheme will stop if she doesn't maintain payments.

It's hard to get all the details from her at present, but I have two letters from 2021, headed Platinum Weeks and UK Weeks.

After searching the internet back home, I noticed that this 'company' may have been on the BBC Big Scams many years ago and may operate under many names.

Fortunately (for me, not for them), my sister received a call while I was with her. I took the call and spoke with a female operator, Rashina. She was wondering if my sister wanted to pay her new 'due' payment. I kept things calm as I didn't have much research at that early stage, but suggested that my sister was unsure of what she had signed up for and that I would be looking into it.

I am relatively aware of Consumer rights, so my early request was to request copies of her telephone calls, especially the original one, as there has been no signature obtained. My view was to check if all essential information had been imparted before the sale and that the company had complied with the Consumer Contract Regulations.

I was passed on the a 'senior', and he was evasive, stating that another number, available to call on Monday, would provide. I have tried that number and it doesn't connect.

It reeks of a scam, so a couple of questions to the experts to confirm my own 'rusty' understanding:

1) Does anyone know this scam/firm/operator - I want background before approach and also to learn if its worth contacting the firm (if it turns out to be legit with poor tel operators) as I'm under a duty to explore before approaching my sisters c/card company from where all the payments have been met.

2) Does the C/Card company have a duty of care to my sister, concerning these payments made?. I have requested a copy c/card statements from 2021, but wouldn't be surprised if it started earlier. 

(The payments I have located so far that my sister has paid are £540.09 (Jan 2025), £362.21 (Apr 2024), and £479.68 (June 2024), so all above the £100 c/card position for Section 75 claim)

Is there a cut-off period for reclaiming these payments from her c/crad company on the basis that the payment has been made but no promised service received?

My sister appears to have become more and more vulnerable with age (now 60 years) and is gullible enough with callers. I will, of course, now be putting protection in place, eg, Caller ID and seeing if her mobile will block unwanted callers and a ring doorbell so that she ignores any physical callers she doesn't know.

I have said to my sister that the most important thing is that she mentioned it. I do, however, want to get her funds back, if possible, and with you guys helping with added knowledge, i will be better armed.

Thanks for any support or assistance in reply


Info so far found on paperwork:
www.platinumweeks.co.uk
www.ukweeks.com
43, Berkeley Square
London W1J 5AP

sheramber

This seems to be you get a ‘cheap’ holiday but have to attend a high power sales event to persuade you to buy into timeshare

https://timeshareconsumerassociation.org.uk/2020/10/26/platinum-weeks-a-one-way-ticket-to-timeshare-ownership/

born_again

duff67 said:

Last week, I was informed by my sister that she felt she had been gullible and was being harassed by calls to her mobile.

Visiting her yesterday, it appears she had a call many years ago from a firm called Platinum Weeks, where if she paid money, she was promised cut-price or cheaper holidays. It appears she paid and has continued to pay when they have rung with 'offers' or suggestions that her benefits from the scheme will stop if she doesn't maintain payments.

It's hard to get all the details from her at present, but I have two letters from 2021, headed Platinum Weeks and UK Weeks.

After searching the internet back home, I noticed that this 'company' may have been on the BBC Big Scams many years ago and may operate under many names.

Fortunately (for me, not for them), my sister received a call while I was with her. I took the call and spoke with a female operator, Rashina. She was wondering if my sister wanted to pay her new 'due' payment. I kept things calm as I didn't have much research at that early stage, but suggested that my sister was unsure of what she had signed up for and that I would be looking into it.

I am relatively aware of Consumer rights, so my early request was to request copies of her telephone calls, especially the original one, as there has been no signature obtained. My view was to check if all essential information had been imparted before the sale and that the company had complied with the Consumer Contract Regulations.

I was passed on the a 'senior', and he was evasive, stating that another number, available to call on Monday, would provide. I have tried that number and it doesn't connect.

It reeks of a scam, so a couple of questions to the experts to confirm my own 'rusty' understanding:

1) Does anyone know this scam/firm/operator - I want background before approach and also to learn if its worth contacting the firm (if it turns out to be legit with poor tel operators) as I'm under a duty to explore before approaching my sisters c/card company from where all the payments have been met.

2) Does the C/Card company have a duty of care to my sister, concerning these payments made?. I have requested a copy c/card statements from 2021, but wouldn't be surprised if it started earlier. 

(The payments I have located so far that my sister has paid are £540.09 (Jan 2025), £362.21 (Apr 2024), and £479.68 (June 2024), so all above the £100 c/card position for Section 75 claim)

Is there a cut-off period for reclaiming these payments from her c/crad company on the basis that the payment has been made but no promised service received?

My sister appears to have become more and more vulnerable with age (now 60 years) and is gullible enough with callers. I will, of course, now be putting protection in place, eg, Caller ID and seeing if her mobile will block unwanted callers and a ring doorbell so that she ignores any physical callers she doesn't know.

I have said to my sister that the most important thing is that she mentioned it. I do, however, want to get her funds back, if possible, and with you guys helping with added knowledge, i will be better armed.

Thanks for any support or assistance in reply


Info so far found on paperwork:
www.platinumweeks.co.uk
www.ukweeks.com
43, Berkeley Square
London W1J 5AP

For S75 you are going to have to prove breach of contract &/or misrepresentation.

So you need their T/C.

Timeshare is a very hard one to prove, as these companies have everything nicely covered.

Grumpy_chap

I have no knowledge of the company mentioned.

The payments that the OP has located and referenced in the thread seem a bit irregular.  The letters are from 2021.  The payments the OP has located are possibly indicative of quarterly:
 - April 2024
 - June 2024
 - January 2025
 - now the latest request April 2025
That would mean there is a payment September / October 2024 that is not recorded.
One assumes, also, that the quarterly payment would have started back in 2021.

What do the original letters say the payments are for?

From what has been posted in the OP, this rather looks like a subscription (or membership) to receive unique discounts on future holidays.  Whether the discounted holidays were taken or not, that probably means that there is no comeback for breach of contract / S75 as the "service" paid for - the subscription to receive details of holiday discounts - has probably been provided.  If this is what the subscription was for, then the best action is to cancel the ongoing subscription.  

However, the amounts paid seem rather high for a subscription to receive discount holidays.  Is it possible, as Sheramber suggested) that this is a timeshare company and the OP's sister purchased a timeshare back in 2021 and the ongoing quarterly payments are maintenance / service charges connected with that timeshare?  If that is a possibility, then simply cancelling out the ongoing costs and refusing to pay won't absolve the sister of the liability.

duff67

sheramber said:

This seems to be you get a ‘cheap’ holiday but have to attend a high power sales event to persuade you to buy into timeshare

https://timeshareconsumerassociation.org.uk/2020/10/26/platinum-weeks-a-one-way-ticket-to-timeshare-ownership/

From my early findings, it's not Timeshare. Moreof  a payment for potential 'cheaper breaks'.

duff67

born_again said:

duff67 said:

Last week, I was informed by my sister that she felt she had been gullible and was being harassed by calls to her mobile.

Visiting her yesterday, it appears she had a call many years ago from a firm called Platinum Weeks, where if she paid money, she was promised cut-price or cheaper holidays. It appears she paid and has continued to pay when they have rung with 'offers' or suggestions that her benefits from the scheme will stop if she doesn't maintain payments.

It's hard to get all the details from her at present, but I have two letters from 2021, headed Platinum Weeks and UK Weeks.

After searching the internet back home, I noticed that this 'company' may have been on the BBC Big Scams many years ago and may operate under many names.

Fortunately (for me, not for them), my sister received a call while I was with her. I took the call and spoke with a female operator, Rashina. She was wondering if my sister wanted to pay her new 'due' payment. I kept things calm as I didn't have much research at that early stage, but suggested that my sister was unsure of what she had signed up for and that I would be looking into it.

I am relatively aware of Consumer rights, so my early request was to request copies of her telephone calls, especially the original one, as there has been no signature obtained. My view was to check if all essential information had been imparted before the sale and that the company had complied with the Consumer Contract Regulations.

I was passed on the a 'senior', and he was evasive, stating that another number, available to call on Monday, would provide. I have tried that number and it doesn't connect.

It reeks of a scam, so a couple of questions to the experts to confirm my own 'rusty' understanding:

1) Does anyone know this scam/firm/operator - I want background before approach and also to learn if its worth contacting the firm (if it turns out to be legit with poor tel operators) as I'm under a duty to explore before approaching my sisters c/card company from where all the payments have been met.

2) Does the C/Card company have a duty of care to my sister, concerning these payments made?. I have requested a copy c/card statements from 2021, but wouldn't be surprised if it started earlier. 

(The payments I have located so far that my sister has paid are £540.09 (Jan 2025), £362.21 (Apr 2024), and £479.68 (June 2024), so all above the £100 c/card position for Section 75 claim)

Is there a cut-off period for reclaiming these payments from her c/crad company on the basis that the payment has been made but no promised service received?

My sister appears to have become more and more vulnerable with age (now 60 years) and is gullible enough with callers. I will, of course, now be putting protection in place, eg, Caller ID and seeing if her mobile will block unwanted callers and a ring doorbell so that she ignores any physical callers she doesn't know.

I have said to my sister that the most important thing is that she mentioned it. I do, however, want to get her funds back, if possible, and with you guys helping with added knowledge, i will be better armed.

Thanks for any support or assistance in reply


Info so far found on paperwork:
www.platinumweeks.co.uk
www.ukweeks.com
43, Berkeley Square
London W1J 5AP

For S75 you are going to have to prove breach of contract &/or misrepresentation.

So you need their T/C.

Timeshare is a very hard one to prove, as these companies have everything nicely covered.

Again, I'm happy that it's not a timeshare arrangement, although looking at these words on one of the letters, perhaps ?

' You have purchased the UK Weeks service, including:

6 weeks of accommodation over a 1-year period.'

Whatever the arrangement is, she should be able to cancel it by stopping all future payments, I am certain. Any arrangement of this nature is based on pressure, but is still able to be cancelled - surely?

duff67

Grumpy_chap said:

I have no knowledge of the company mentioned.

The payments that the OP has located and referenced in the thread seem a bit irregular.  The letters are from 2021.  The payments the OP has located are possibly indicative of quarterly:
 - April 2024
 - June 2024
 - January 2025
 - now the latest request April 2025
That would mean there is a payment September / October 2024 that is not recorded.
One assumes, also, that the quarterly payment would have started back in 2021.

What do the original letters say the payments are for?

From what has been posted in the OP, this rather looks like a subscription (or membership) to receive unique discounts on future holidays.  Whether the discounted holidays were taken or not, that probably means that there is no comeback for breach of contract / S75 as the "service" paid for - the subscription to receive details of holiday discounts - has probably been provided.  If this is what the subscription was for, then the best action is to cancel the ongoing subscription.  

However, the amounts paid seem rather high for a subscription to receive discount holidays.  Is it possible, as Sheramber suggested) that this is a timeshare company and the OP's sister purchased a timeshare back in 2021 and the ongoing quarterly payments are maintenance / service charges connected with that timeshare?  If that is a possibility, then simply cancelling out the ongoing costs and refusing to pay won't absolve the sister of the liability.

I'm thinking quarterly payment, but until I receive her copy c/card statements, I will not know.

If it is a quarterly payment, then again, it can be cancelled just by stopping it. 

She states she has asked time and time again to cancel it, but it has fallen on deaf ears.

My thoughts are to cancel and NOT pay a pound more, then if it's legit - see you in court perhaps,

duff67

My direction would be to the Bank for letting this go through. The amounts are high for a quarterly subscription and on the basis of not taking up any 'value' because there is nothing given apart from words that it's there, then she has been mis-sold/misrepresented on the initial telephone conversation, and thus the initial tel contract is void.

If I can't get original details from an 'obstructive company' (thats if I get to speak with anyone) the c/card is my only choice?

duff67

I have just found a letter with an attempt at T&C on the reverse (attached). The last point seems to suggest that the T&C need to be signed and returned. (Image 2 shows they are not and have not been.) Image three is from the front of the letter, which again, suggests cancellation will occur if not signed and returned. (Image 3).

I think this is in her favour, but I will take any help

sheramber

It may not be a scripting.

Many years ago we had one of these calls.

In our case it was to attend  an event at a resort. 

At the end of the day you were given a hard sell to buy a timeshare.

My friend ‘won’ a cheap holiday to Spain on the same pretext.
 She had to attend a hard sale event for a timeshare on one day of the holiday.

The other snag was flight times were very limited  and at inconvenient times. 

This could be similar.

You are offered a  so called cheap holiday but have to attend an sales talk to persuade you to buy a timeshare.  

if the person pays for the holiday but doesn’t go they have the money.

They may get commission on timeshare sales. 
 

The OP did say they asked if  they offered   Cheap holidays and incentives. 

These are one off offers, not a subscription.  

The OP’s sister kept buying so they keep calling.

They probably don’t know if she ever took up any of the offers and won ‘t care either way,

Easy money. 

user1977

duff67 said:

My direction would be to the Bank for letting this go through.

I'm not sure what you expect banks know about individual transactions - they aren't required to check that a purchase seems good value or sensible. And a 60 year old is hardly likely to be deemed "vulnerable" by age alone.

My feeling is that this all sails on the correct side of legal - but we've had similar stories here before where companies have been surprisingly willing to cancel and even give partial refunds, presumably because they don't want the hassle/publicity of a continuing complaint.