Advice to timeshare owners during the coronavirus crisis
RDO’S enforcement department, operated on its behalf by KwikChex, has been receiving requests for information from owners as to what the policies will be of timeshare companies and resorts if owners are not able to take their timeshare holiday due to the coronavirus emergency.
KwikChex has already seen individual, positive examples of how this is being handled and in the first instance is recommending that owners make contact with their timeshare developer or resort to check on a case by case basis. We are confident that owners will appreciate that it may also be difficult to determine what the position might be too far ahead as the situation is still ongoing and evolving and circumstances are likely to vary considerably depending on multiple factors, such as resort location and the time of the year holidays are due to be taken.
KwikChex has reached out to developers and resorts to ask that they do their utmost to keep owners informed to the very best of their abilities and also advise KwikChex similarly so it can respond to enquiries.
RDO and KwikChex send their best wishes for the health of all in these trying times in the hope that the crisis passes soon. In the meantime, KwikChex has increased its resources to provide the greatest level of assistance possible to owners.
Wendy Elliot
April 25, 2020 at 12:31 pmI have heard nothing from my time share….I own week 21 at the maritima complex and I understand it is closed ….At the very least they should be paying for us to bank our week or holding our maintenance over to next year .
Nikkie
May 5, 2020 at 10:36 amThank you for your comment, please contact our consumer services on info@rdo.org and provide more information as to where you own.
Heather Janet Flannagan
May 1, 2020 at 7:48 amWell I would like to know where these “helpful “ timeshare companies are! Been a member of Anfi for 15 years now and of no help whatsoever- due to go to Anfi Gran Canaria on 11/5/20 and basically they will not even let this years maintenance carry forward to next year! No refunds either! All they want us to do is change our contracts and sign up to something else. If this is a genuine site that is trying to help please respond! Doubt I’ll hear anything!
Nikkie
May 5, 2020 at 4:08 pmThank you for your comment. We understand from contact with Anfi that you have been in contact on 3 recent occasions with reference to your 2020 week and that Anfi has offered to you various options to ensure that the week booked was not lost, but that you were not happy with the options offered. As you can appreciate the refund of maintenance fees under the COVID-19 pandemic is not a realistic option and we would advise that you contact the customer services team again at customerservice@anfi.es to discuss viable options. We also understand that Anfi reached out to you with reference to another contractual matter which is not related to the COVID-19 pandemic and they are still waiting to hear from you on this matter also.
Adrian Clay
May 11, 2020 at 11:23 pmHi I own weeks 24 & 25 in a T1 room 216 at Dom Pedro Portobelo in Villamoura Portugal, the Aparthotel is currently closed until 29th June which is after our weeks, I have paid the maintenance fees already for this year (€800!!!) & they are telling me there is no refunds for maintenance fees & “Because of COVID-19 the internal exchange are suspended. With no possiblity to change your weeks 24 and 25 the occupancy dates remain from 13.06.2020 until 27.06.2020” so I cannot use my fortnight holiday later in the year this seems very unfair to me especially as we have owned & visited for nearly 40 years. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Many Thanks
Adrian
Nikkie
July 1, 2020 at 9:34 amThank you for your comment, please contact our consumer services on info@rdo.org with reference to your issue with Dom Pedro.
Paul Le Vesconte
May 5, 2021 at 7:16 pmHi Adrian
We have also owned at Portobelo since 1985 and experienced the same as you did last year where we paid our maintenance in March and due to COVID we were unable to travel in May (weeks 20/21) Portobelo were unwilling to be flexible in any way. As it turned out due to Portobelo being closed we could not move our weeks at all. We are now being pressurised to pay our 2021 fees despite Portobelo not being open! Did you get any joy last year?
Paul
Nikkie
May 25, 2021 at 10:41 amThank you for your comment, please contact our consumer services on info@rdo.org with reference to your issue with Dom Pedro.
Susan Eileen Perkins
June 30, 2020 at 10:28 amWe are in the same situation as you we own weeks 25 and 26 at Dom Pedro Portobelo ,we have also paid our maintenance and have asked for some sort of compensation but no joy there.
Have asked to be able to use our time later in the year the answer wasn’t any apartments available. We have paid money for nothing ,we are owners since 1987.
I
Nikkie
July 1, 2020 at 9:35 amThank you for your comment, please contact our consumer services on info@rdo.org with reference to your issue with Dom Pedro.
Paul Le Vesconte
May 5, 2021 at 7:27 pmSusan
We are in the same situation. Did you get any joy at all in 2020?Portobelo are now requesting 2021 fees despite the fact that it is still not open. I am willing to be totally flexible but they appear to be unwilling to negotiate.
Paul
Tracy Ferguson
July 29, 2020 at 1:17 pmHi,
I own a flexible week at Costa SAN Antonio, Malta. I was due to travel in May but obviously couldn’t do this. I’ve contacted them and the6 say 8 have 7ntil March to use my week or bank with DAE which I do not want to do. Any advice please ?
Nikkie
August 10, 2020 at 8:01 amIt would seem from your comment that the resort has offered to extend the use of the flexible week you own until March 2021 at the resort or you have the option to bank the week for future use, but you do not wish take either option offered, our advice is to try to resolve the issue directly with the resort as we are unable to offer mediation services for non member resorts. You can also contact the timeshare helpline 00 44 1823 510625 (free service, trading standards approved), but as the resort has offered alternatives to you we are not sure as to what assistance could further be offered.
Lyn Money
August 26, 2020 at 3:56 pmI have infinity with Mgm Portugal have paid just over £2000 for my maintenance and because of the virus unable to use this year Would I be able to claim back my fee
Nikkie
August 27, 2020 at 8:36 amThank you for your message. MGM are not members of RDO and we would advise that you contact the resort directly to ascertain what your options are.
David & aA ne
December 2, 2020 at 1:31 pmWe have two weeks with MacDonald in Spain that we were unable to use due to Corvid 19. Service charges have been paid and to date all we have been offered is the option to port our weeks to next year for a charge. They have had nothing to maintain relative to the apartment and are further attempting to make money from the effects of Corvid 19, not very caring in my book.
Nikkie
December 7, 2020 at 2:46 pmThank you for your comment, we are unable to deal with complaints regarding non-members and we would advise you to contact the Timeshare Helpline. This free service is funded by EUROC and is operated by Kwikchex, who are approved by the UK Trading Standards: Telephoning from the UK: 01823 510625, Telephoning from outside the UK: 00 44 1823 510625, Email: info@timesharetaskforce.org.