M1 Legal is on track to break its own records for timeshare compensation awards in 2022.
Justice for timeshare victims
For years, timeshare companies across Europe have been accused of sidestepping consumer protection rules designed to safeguard buyers. In Spain, key laws introduced in 1999 were intended to curb practices such as high-pressure sales tactics and other unfair selling methods.
Many timeshare owners were unlikely to be able to navigate the Spanish legal system, which left some resorts feeling able to ignore the rules without consequence.
That began to change when claims companies such as European Consumer Claims (ECC) started working with specialist timeshare lawyers in Spain, including M1 Legal.
ECC reviews each case individually and refers the strongest claims to M1 Legal. The firm then pursues the case through the Spanish courts to seek justice for timeshare victims.
2022: a year of major court victories
Fernando Sansegundo, head of M1 Legal, said: "Every year we grow and achieve more victories than the year before. By August we had already reached 250 court victories on behalf of our clients, which is several percentage points up from the record set last year."
In the first seven months of the year, M1 Legal helped timeshare victims secure £4.1 million in compensation. That figure was expected to rise to £6.2 million by the end of 2022, which would make it a record year for the firm.
Resorts with the biggest compensation awards
A number of timeshare companies have faced substantial compensation awards. The resort with the highest total awarded against it in 2022 so far is Club La Costa, with £2.1 million awarded.
Other resorts where M1 Legal has won compensation for clients include:
- Anfi — £893,000
- Diamond Resorts Europe — £272,000
- Marriott Vacation Club — over £250,000
Several smaller resorts have also had combined awards totalling £578,000.
Notable individual wins
The average timeshare compensation award is around £20,000, but some cases result in much higher payouts.
In 2022 so far, these are the largest single awards achieved by M1 Legal:
- OnaGrup: £73,658 awarded to a couple from Manchester
- Club La Costa: £69,437 awarded to a couple from Wakefield
- Club La Costa: £52,536 awarded to an Essex couple
Sharing the news with clients is "one of the greatest pleasures in my job", Sansegundo says — which is understandable given that larger awards can be life-changing.
Many clients initially simply want to leave their memberships. Finding out they have also been awarded a significant amount of compensation can come as a complete surprise.
Can you claim timeshare compensation?
Every case is different, but many timeshare owners can challenge their contracts with expert help — and in some situations, claim compensation.
If you want to find out whether you may have a compensation claim, or you simply want to exit a timeshare, contact our expert advisers at the Timeshare Advice Centre. They can assess your situation and provide independent guidance on your first steps towards timeshare freedom.
