Death of a Marriott client while waiting for a claim raises questions about the timeshare giant’s approach
Marriott timeshare claims
Across the timeshare sector, many operators have been ignoring laws designed to protect consumers. Since 2016, Spanish courts have awarded significant compensation in successful cases, influenced by the Marriott timeshare Spanish Supreme Court ruling trend that has penalised unlawful contracts.
Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) is no exception. The latest annual MVCI report records $13 million in Marriott timeshare litigation costs, up 36% on the previous year, and warns that Spanish court rulings have increased the company’s exposure to this type of litigation.
ECC is currently managing a portfolio of 373 Marriott timeshare compensation claim files against MVCI, with 310 cases already in court as part of European Consumer Claims Marriott cases.
The total value of these claims is nearly £8 million.
The passing of a client
While Marriott Vacation Club International has previously sometimes paid court-awarded compensation in a timely fashion, like other timeshare companies it can also delay and legally contest payment after judgment. For those asking how long do timeshare claims take Spain, the average timeshare case takes around 18 months to complete once all possible appeals have been exhausted by the company’s lawyers.
In some instances, it can take even longer, contributing to Marriott timeshare claim payout delay concerns for claimants.
Timeshare clients are often elderly. Timeshare companies know—as we all do—that for older people, time can be a more limited commodity.
In November 2024, Steven (name changed out of respect for the family’s privacy), an ECC client pursuing a Marriott Vacation Club claim in Spain, died aged 70. He is survived by his widow, who is able to continue with the case as a Marriott timeshare claim for deceased owner. If Steven’s widow were also to pass away, the claim would likely end—potentially saving Marriott a substantial payout.
According to the Office for National Statistics, a 70-year-old in the UK has a 25% chance of dying within the next five years. For an 80-year-old, the figure is 35%.
Dame Angela Eagle
Dame Angela Eagle DBE is the Labour MP for Wallasey and currently serves as a Minister of State. Last year, Dame Angela led a Treasury Committee session about a different timeshare-related product—one that was also being challenged legally, with consumers seeking financial redress.
This 16-minute segment from the 2024 Treasury meeting shows Dame Angela questioning a Financial Ombudsman Service representative about suspect timeshare-related products and the banks that financed them.
Dame Angela describes the product as ‘dodgy’ seven times. She calls it a ‘con’ twice, and uses the terms mis-sold/mis-selling nine times.
Crucially, the 23-year Westminster veteran put the following pointed question on the parliamentary record, in the context of delays to financial redress: “These timeshare owners are quite elderly people. Are they hoping they’re just going to die in the meantime?”
Expert comment
Greg Wilson, CEO of European Consumer Claims (ECC), says that comment is telling. “Dame Angela was discussing a different timeshare-related product and was not specifically referring to Marriott Vacation Club. However, similar principles can apply across the industry.”
“Mis-sold timeshare owners are typically an elderly demographic. When it becomes clear a timeshare company has broken the law, it is morally incumbent on them to act swiftly to mitigate the harm done to customers.”
“There are hundreds of millions of pounds worth of compensation claims currently in process against the timeshare industry. The age of claimants, and the statistical likelihood that some will die before the process concludes, cannot have escaped these companies’ notice.”
“Any legal delays, or appeals with no or minimal realistic merit, have to raise the cynical question: ‘is it a deliberate strategy to drag the legal process out longer than the claimant can stay alive?’”
“I sincerely hope that is not the case. In that spirit, I am calling on MVCI in Europe, as an industry leader, to contact us and find a way to settle all outstanding claims quickly and to everyone’s satisfaction.”
What to do next
If you are a Marriott owner and believe you may have a mis-sold Marriott timeshare claim, get in touch to arrange a free, confidential consultation.
Our experts are ready to help with your Marriott timeshare compensation claim.
