Some are reputable businesses, but many often only provide last-minute, limited availability accommodation that is usually low-star rather than luxury. With the addition of expensive flights, supplements and taxes, it could end up costing far more than holidays booked through normal routes, yet to join a holiday club you could be charged thousands of pounds.
In addition, dates or destinations are unlikely to be guaranteed and holidays are often not available when and where you want them. You might end up going nowhere.
They may offer you your cash back after four years, but there is no guarantee that the company will still be here in four years.
Holiday Club reps use the promise of free holidays to encourage consumers along to holiday club presentations, but may not mention the lack of legal rights for those who do sign up for club membership.
Timeshare consumers have 14 days to change their minds afer signing a contract, but holiday club customers do not have these rights, which means there are no automatic cancellation rights for those who change their minds.
Bogus holiday club companies exploit this by employing high-pressure sales techniques to get customers to sign a binding contract. But with no cooling-off period, people should always take the contract away to consider it at their leisure before signing.
Holiday Club Checklist
To avoid being caught by a holiday club that is bogus always use this checklist and take your time to think things through.
- Can you take the contract away and come back in a few days' time with your decision?
- Do you have cancellation rights, and are they written down?
- Is everything in writing in the contract that was promised to you at the presentation?
Don't sign anything, no matter how much you're pressurised, unless you are sure it's exactly what you want. Read any contract carefully and seek legal advice before signing a contract for a holiday club. |