The coronavirus pandemic has thrown travel and household finances into uncertainty. Millions of people have lost their jobs, markets have been disrupted, and lockdowns and quarantine rules have affected everyday life. Club La Costa timeshare owners have been impacted too.
Many people with holidays booked in 2020 saw plans cancelled, with hotels and flights refunded. However, some timeshare owners report being told that their prepaid 2020 maintenance fees would not be refunded.
For owners hoping to travel to popular destinations such as Spain and the Canary Islands, the announcement of a 14-day quarantine on return to the UK created another setback. In response, Jet2 cancelled its flight schedule to Spain until November, and other airlines reduced services.
Even for those still determined to travel, current restrictions can make for an unpleasant holiday experience. With further lockdowns and restrictions being imposed and case numbers rising, there has been little clarity on when normal travel will return.
Against this backdrop, many members have been surprised to receive notice that Club La Costa World 2021 maintenance fees are now due for payment.
CLC World
Even if you have been unable to book this year’s allocation, you are still required to pay your 2021 maintenance bill—despite ongoing uncertainty over whether travel restrictions may still apply in 2021.
In the same notification, Club La Costa also told owners who missed out on 2020 usage that they can roll it over to 2021. Even if restrictions are lifted next year, it remains unclear where the extra availability will come from to meet two years of accommodation demand in 2021.
So once again, members are being asked to pay 2021 maintenance fees with no certainty that they will be able to travel—and even if travel is possible, there is no guarantee of availability.
The question is: will you be paying your 2021 maintenance fees?
Club La Costa receives tens of millions of pounds each year in management fees. If tour operators have been forced to refund consumers, why are timeshare resorts able to keep the funds they have received while placing staff on furlough (aside from essential roles such as gardeners and security staff)?
An email was circulated to all members from CLC by Chairman Roy Peires on 23 September 2020. It included an update outlining options for using membership to travel within the UK, given restrictions on overseas travel. Some owners may welcome expanded UK inventory, but many who bought in Spain did so to holiday in Spain—not the UK. This could also be seen as a way to reduce pressure from the difficult task of accommodating members when there is nowhere near enough overseas resort capacity. A UK-based canal boat is not a like-for-like alternative to a two-bedroom apartment in Spain overlooking the sea.
More Spanish timeshare owners are now looking into whether they may qualify to claim their money back. Reports of increasing numbers of positive judgements and awards in the millions are encouraging more owners to consider this as a realistic route to exit their ownership and seek compensation.
M1 Legal, European Consumer Claims’ associated firm of lawyers, have achieved court success against Club La Costa World with 574 cases in the Spanish courts valued at £12.1million and awards totalling £1.7million.
The Bradshaws V Club La Costa
Click here for the Bradshaws’ full story.
Other sources:
https://www.investegate.co.uk/article.aspx?id=202009251600041761A
https://agilitypr.news/Timeshare-Resort-Club-la-Costa-World-Get-12513
If you wish to discuss a Club La Costa maintenance fee dispute, your timeshare problems, or any other enquiries regarding your timeshare, email us at info@ecc-eu.com or call 0800 6101 512.
