Complaints over timeshare payments

Timeshare members have complained about extra payments

Welsh holidaymakers are among hundreds of members of a timeshare scheme who have complained about extra payments they are being asked to make.

Members of the Lanzarote Beach Club have complained to the National Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS), BBC 2's Working Lunch has reported.

They claim they are being forced out of the Canary Islands club by extra payments.

Pensioner Eugene McCarthy from Bridgend, south Wales, has owned a timeshare since 1991, but could be forced out of the scheme.

"This year they decided to give us special levies on top of our maintenance fees which virtually doubles the cost as from last year," he said.

"I understand now there's another third and fourth special levies which will double it again.

"I was very surprised really because there was no notice they were going to do this.

Some people have had two or three levies this year, ranging from hundreds to thousands of pounds Virginia Eastman, Working Lunch

Timeshare members usually pay a maintenance fee for the privilege of being allowed to stay at a resort for an allocated number of weeks per year over many years.

However, the Lanzarote members say they are being asked to make extra payments or special levies on a frequent basis which is making the cost of their timeshare unaffordable.

Under normal timeshare rules, levies are issued to cover the cost of exceptional repairs.

But in this case the club's management say the extra levies are necessary to cover a deficit due to the costs of running the club as members leave.

The row is being monitored by timeshare groups, which fear it is blackening the industry's image, and by Interpol, which is looking into the matter.

Shortfall

Virginia Eastman of Working Lunch said Mr McCarthy's case was not unique.

"Eugene is by no means alone and we have spoken to a lot of people who find themselves in a similar situation," she said.

Ms Eastman said that, under timeshare rules, special levies could be introduced to cover expenses such as urgent repairs to a swimming pool, or storm damage.

She said that when people could not pay and left the club, another levy was issued to try to make up the shortfall.

"Some people have had two or three levies this year, ranging from hundreds to thousands of pounds."

Ms Eastman added that Working Lunch understood the NCIS had received about 400 complaints which they were sharing with Interpol.