Report 1: Navy, Chief Petty Officer, 14 years served, and a summary of six reports
https://afterinsidetimeshare.com/?p=1098
Report 2: Marine veteran, 26 years served, active duty when a Hilton Grand Vacation timeshare was purchased
Introduction by Irene Parker
This article was updated on July 20, 2022, to reflect that this Marine Veteran’s dispute was resolved, and his new position with a government agency is moving forward. He offered his Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) account of why his timeshare purchase led to much frustration. A default can put a service member’s security clearance in danger and may even lead to involuntary separation from service. Fortunately, there will be no concern about this Marine Veteran’s security clearance.
My wife reached out to Irene at After Inside Timeshare through a Facebook group that has many exit companies soliciting business. Irene advised us to work directly with Hilton through their owner’s resolution department. Following Irene’s advice, I contacted Hilton.
People who finance a timeshare, military or otherwise, are forced to default if life changes and you can no longer afford the timeshare. You wonder how many people would buy a timeshare if they were aware of the “no exit” situation. Unlike home-ownership, I was unable to sell the property to relieve myself of this property.
Related articles:
Westgate’s Forced Arbitration and the Military Lending Act Lawsuit
https://afterinsidetimeshare.com/?p=982
PDF Link: Westgate Case No 8;22CV-0028-CEH-JSS
Thank you for contributing and sharing your timeshare experience, we also thank you for 26 years of service. These are not the first stories involving service personnel and timeshare, in the previous publication to AIT, Irene and I covered some very disturbing facts, it was “predatory selling and lending” on a horrific scale. All the victims were disabled veterans, many injured in the line of duty.
Over the years writing as Timeshare Insider, I have come across some very despicable practices, the victims all have at least one thing in common, which tends to be age. They begin their “Nightmare on Timeshare Street” after the age of 55, they are the perfect targets. The chances are their families have all grown up and left home, and that home is probably paid for, they’re also thinking about taking up an offer of early voluntary retirement with a good package. This will probably see them through nicely until the pensions kick into full effect.
Bring in the “investments” angle and the sales agent may just have them hooked, it reminds me of the old-style dodgy life insurance salesman that came to the house, with lots of jabber which was designed to confuse. Remember, many at this stage will probably be looking at “investing” their “nest egg”, as far as rogue sales agents are concerned you’re fair game.
This type of sales practice needs to stop and the only way it will stop is if the developers themselves stop it instead of spouting the usual BS: “We are not responsible for what the sales agent says”.
If they will not clean up their act, then the lawmakers need to step in, as they did in Spain & the EU, they didn’t listen and look at what has happened to the industry in Europe.
That is all for this week, please leave any comments on this or any article on the relevant page, it helps others to follow the thread. If you have any specific questions please use any of the details on the contact page and we will get back to you. Have a great weekend, got this one of Baby Dog earlier today, he didn’t realise I’d returned to the living room.
Benn Dover
Anyone that doesn’t think there is a problem is part of this problem. There is no reason to allow this to continue and the powers that be need to do their job.
MLR
It is absolutely despicable that these types of sales practices (particularly when targeting the vulnerable) aren’t illegal! This is criminal, and nothing is going to change until these companies pay the price for their actions.
Jack
The difference between timeshare developers and the mafia is that the mafia isn’t in cahoots with the credit bureaus.
Where are our Consumer Protection agents, in our land of the free? 🇺🇸
😞 😡.
Upon death, our heirs have to quickly go to Probate to disavow this albatross, but also be held financially hostage.
It turns out that WestGate won’t allow Brazilian citizens to take the 4 day tour & attend the “presentation” (manipulation), because Brazil PROTECTS their consumers.
Jack
Upon death, our heirs have to quickly go to Probate to disavow this albatross, OR also be held financially hostage. 😞😡
Becky
Protecting our country is already a incredible responsibility.
Developers don’t deserve to be protected, when they don’t protect our Military. 😡
John
Two days ago, I met a man who is a funeral director. He LOVES his HICV timeshare. He shares 3 traits with other happy owners. He has a very good income. He can plan way in advance. And, he can tolerate the research required to make things work. Almost all military families are NOT in his position.
And it is a moral crime for salespeople to ply their craft on people who are not suited to the timeshare product. “Investment” my butt. Timeshare is an albatross for way too many.
Irene Parker
Well said. We have owned, off and on, four timeshares since 1984. I remained friends with my salesperson from Maui Hill purchased in 1985. When sold properly, a timeshare provides wonderful family times. But I have heard from way to many active duty military and service-related military harmed by unfair and deceptive practices. It begins with, “It’s not a sales presentation. I’m not a sales agent.” A bad timeshare purchase is awful for the young and the old, but to see military careers in jeopardy because of a timeshare is unacceptable. Thank you for reading. Let’s hope the right lawmaker does. Solicitation should be identified as such and the oral representation clause needs to be disclosed before the presentation, especially at dinner road shows.
Debbie
I agree totally shame on them for targeting our Military.
Debbie
This is Great information for everyone that’s thinking of buying a timeshare and anyone that needs to get out of their timeshare.
Charles Hotaling
When will leading government representatives step up and recognize the root cause of the high numbers of time share owners that are not happy and want out. I think it should absolutely wake up government officials at this lit tone of deeper. The lack of legal protections built into timeshare contracts is simply 1-sided and does kit protect consumers that want to exit. There is no resale value however developers continue to rent out weeks while owners are unable and to book a vacation week. The CFPB is missing an opportunity to correct and fix these issues
Marl
Many of the timeshare owner who doesnt know timeshare when engaged with sales agent, thought the same as a good retirement plan and investment. The recession days is not enough to know that there the TS has no resell value nor hard to rent at that short period of time. This is an industry wide issue that the government should start to look at. The Attorney general whose suppose to protect the consumers are also blinded with the facts, they chase the exit company by taking advantage the already desperate TS owners to exit instead of finding the root cause why there exit companies in the first place. Timeshare is not bad if what was presented are true. What is hell is the deceptive sales tactics and the hidden one sided contract. Pls someone need to act to protect not just the military who served dearly to our country but also the victim consumers who rolls the economy.