The action comes after 1,200 people complained about the sales tactics. And the fact that they couldn't cancel memberships they had been pushed into buying.
That's a big number in the OFT's book, though it's less than the consumers' gripes about dodgy builders and used car salesmen.
The companies - Personal Travel Group and Geo Demographic Market Research - were accused of using misleading and unlawful marketing tactics.
Timeshare owners were invited to presentations, lured by the promise that they'd be able to get rid of their timeshares and maintenance charges.
In fact, they faced high pressure sales pitches for club memberships costing up to £12,000.
Sales staff said they'd be able to get most of the money back but didn't come clean about restrictions which applied.
And they played on fears that their children would be liable to pay the timeshare maintenance fees.
Trading standards officers in Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, North Somerset and Durham assisted in the investigation.
The OFT started the court action late last year. It has obtained interim enforcement orders until a final court hearing at a future date.
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ReplyDeleteIt is great that the The Office of Fair Trading decided to prevent different companies from pressuring their members/customers from purchasing holiday club memberships. If anyone notices that this organization has no prevented other companies from pressuring them into their decisions they could always look for timeshare relief
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