As of November 1, those involved in timeshare sales will be required to obtain a $200 license issued by the government and clearly disclose their terms and conditions.  They will also be required to post security.  The parameters of the security have not been fully determined yet.

The current timeshare regulations are over 10 years old and the timeshare industry has endured many changes.  The new regulations are up-to-date with the timeshare industry’s current practices and will ensure that consumers are well-informed of all the details before purchasing a timeshare.

“The past recession had a significant downward impact on both developers and buyers of vacation property, condo-hotels and timeshares, and I believe the government is trying to provide greater protection for the consumer,” says Chris Wein, president of Multifamily Operations at Calgary-based UBG.

He goes on to say that the government is simply updating its regulations to match the rest of the jurisdictions in North America.

In addition to the new license and security provisions, other stipulations include:

• Requiring timeshare developers and sellers to fully disclose their terms and conditions, including a full description of the timeshare property, the time period the owner can use the property, the number of points provided under any applicable points programs and the total cost to the buyer including all fees.
• Allowing buyers to cancel their contract within a year if the timeshare does not meet the new requirements.
• Ensuring the timeshare owner has use of the property even if it is refinanced by the developer.
• Preventing the timeshare businesses from misleading sales tactics, including misrepresenting the availability of prizes, gifts, discounts, etc.

You can read more on this story in the Calgary Herald.

It’s the passion of the company from the co-founders through entry level representatives.  It’s not just a job for us.  We want to go the extra mile for people because we know of the issues timeshare owners are going through and want to help.  It’s a higher purpose and a passion.

Interviewer:                       All right, for the record, if it’s okay, what is your name?

Maryanne Younger:        My name is Maryanne Younger.

Interviewer:                       Are you satisfied with the service that Timeshare Relief has provided?

Maryanne Younger:        Yes, absolutely.

Interviewer:                       Are you still paying for your timeshare?

Maryanne Younger:        No, I am not.

Interviewer:                       Did you enjoy receiving the notification of final transfer?

Maryanne Younger:        Yes, we are.

Interviewer:                       Did you try any other service to get out of your timeshare?

Maryanne Younger:        Most definitely.

Interviewer:                       What service?

Maryanne Younger:        Well, we had several different kinds of ways of getting out of it.  Not a timeshare relief, but just trying to sell it and having different companies calling us constantly to – trying to go with them, and, you know, having to pay, you know, upfront and things of that nature, where they were just not being upright as far as that kind of thing is concerned because they just wanted to advertise a period and use our money for their purposes more than my purposes.  So, we were not satisfied, ever, until we met you.

Interviewer:                       On a scale of 1-10, what is your overall satisfaction level with our service?

Maryanne Younger:        I would say a 10.

Interviewer:                       Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with Timeshare Relief?

Maryanne Younger:        Well, I thought it was a very interesting way of being introduced to you.  We got something in the mail inviting us to a meeting, and you showed your overall company on the video and — it’s been a while – I’m trying to remember all the little things.  All of your people were just so kind and generous and willing to listen. And working with us was a little bit of a chore because we were trying to do this I think on a day that the banks were closed, or some kind of, you know,  interesting thing, and they were patient enough to wait so that we could be approved because my credit card would not allow for that much money to be taken out of account, which weren’t a lot of money, but we were very strict, so I’m sure you want to cut that part of it out.  But overall, we were very happy with all the people that worked with us.  They were very informative, very interesting, and loved the idea of possibly even having an opportunity to work with you.  That’s how much we liked you.

Interviewer:                       Based on your experience, would you recommend our service?

Maryanne Younger:        Absolutely.

Interviewer:                       Okay.  It sounds like you were pleased with your experience with us.  Thank you so much and have a nice day.

Maryanne Younger:        Yes, same to you.  Good luck to you.

Interviewer:                       Thank you. Bye.

Maryanne Younger:        Bye-bye.

Please keep in mind that this Timeshare Relief testimonial was not paid for.  Testimonials are solely the opinion of the people who are interviewed.  Timeshare Relief makes no claim to be able to transfer all timeshares as qualifications do apply.  Nonetheless, all timeshare transfers for clients are guaranteed.

Keep in mind, we have dozens and dozens of client testimonials.  Click here to see more Timeshare Relief testimonials.

Disney Vacation Club, the timeshare leg of the Walt Disney Company, has added a Hawaiian plug to a television commercial airing in Orlando to promote the timeshare club.  They are also having a special sales preview for Walt Disney World’s annual passholders that will include giveaways, a dance party and Disney character appearances.

The new 841-room hotel and timeshare is the first attempt to build a stand-alone resort and attractions in markets away from their theme parks.  The company is hoping that the Hawaiian resort will grow Disney Vacation Club’s membership base, which presently is mainly on the U.S. East Coast.

It will be one of five properties that Disney is selling timeshare interests in.  The others include The California Vilas, Bay Lake Tower, Animal Kingdom Villas and Treehouse Villas, all of which are at Disney World in Orlando.

For more information see the Orlando Sentinel.

The first big update is the new, quick-cut video on the home page.  It shows some of the people that work hard to make sure that each one of our clients is taken care of and that all their timeshares are properly transferred.  There’s an underlying passion to serve our clients and the timeshare industry.  This passion fuels the company with purpose and some would say, joy.  So, the atmosphere at the office is fun and enjoyable.  We hope that comes through on the video.

The redesigned company web portal also provides an improved layout that should help timeshare owners quickly find the information that they are looking for.  The menu bar has the following items: Home, Timeshare Relief, Testimonials, Our Team, FAQs, Charities, News, Webinar.  Check out all of them by clicking on each link.

You’ll also find a contact information form on the right side.  If you want to get out of your timeshare, you can fill in your information and click on the “Submit” button.  One of our friendly & expert representatives will contact you very soon after to talk to you about your timeshare.

You can also see of couple of videos, testimonials, and a feature of one of our consumer advisors.  So, check it out today!

The company had already been shut down in March for being an unlicensed telemarketing company.  When the state learned that it was still operating, agents served a warrant.

The State Attorney General’s Office has been receiving complaints from timeshare owners all over the country.  The complaints were all the same story: the company promised to sell or rent out their timeshare but just took their money and they never heard from them again.

Timeshare owners said they’ve paid thousands of dollars in upfront fees, appraisals and closing costs.  Representatives for the company refused interviews.  Employees deny any wrongdoing.

The Better Business Bureau has given this company an “F” rating and there are over 20 unanswered complaints.

There are no records of any timeshares ever being rented or sold.

Once again, the state of Florida has shut down this company.  There are still other companies operating just as this one did all over the country.

Getting out of your timeshare doesn’t have to be this burdensome.  Contact Timeshare Relief to get rid of your timeshare without having to deal with rip-offs such as these companies.

More information on this story can be found at WFTV.

Margaret Sharp: Having a vacation home can prompt visions of tropical islands and beautiful scenery.  So many are drawn to timeshares thinking it’s an affordable way to have it all.  But for some timeshare owners, what was once a dream has turned into a nightmare.

David MacMillan: We have a location in Las Vegas and they told us that by investing in this timeshare, we’d be able to own property and real estate that we could sell for a profit.

Margaret Sharp: Over ten years ago, David MacMillan and his wife, Cindy Martin-MacMillan, bought a timeshare.  They liked the idea of having vacation property that multiple parties owned and shared.  But the MacMillans soon figured out that along with the property came never ending fees.

Cindy Martin-MacMillan: Maybe you move from one side of the country to the other and you don’t need it anymore.  Maybe there’s been a divorce or a death or an illness and you’re not using it.  But you’re still having to pay the maintenance fees whether you go or not.

Margaret Sharp: So the couple started Timeshare Relief, Inc.  The company helps timeshare owners who want out of their contracts.

David MacMillan: We have a series of disposal companies that find alternative uses for the timeshare.  And they can be anything from vacation clubs to actually selling them in bulk to a large corporation.

Margaret Sharp: And it’s a service that clients appreciate, especially with maintenance fees rising each year.

Nancy Gruttemeyer: What started out as like a $270 maintenance fee kept creeping up and creeping up.

Margaret Sharp: Nancy Gruttemeyer was a timeshare owner for many years, but when her annual maintenance fee skyrocketed, she had to find a way to opt out.  Even Gruttemeyer’s daughter, Jamie, thought the timeshare was more trouble than its worth.

Jamie Gruttemeyer: It’s not like it’s a special heirloom.  It’s something that you really can’t get out of.  Once you’re in it, you really can’t get out of it.

Margaret Sharp: Luckily, Timeshare Relief was able to get the Gruttemeyers out of their contract.  For some other owners, it was the timing that was the problem.  Timeshare contracts only allow owners to use their homes during an allotted time.  Owner, Gerard Hartley owned his property for ten years and never got the timing right.

Gerard Hartley: I never saw it – the unit that I bought, which was in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Margaret Sharp: It’s clients like these that have made Timeshare Relief, Inc. a Best Performance winner two years in a row.

David MacMillan: Our company was started in our living room, and it was just Cindy and I.  And we believed in what we were doing.

Margaret Sharp: Today the company has a sales call center, customer service department, and 50,000 clients in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom.  And in this slowing economy, the company has actually grown.  Their work is in high-demand as people try to cut unnecessary costs from their lifestyles.

Cindy Martin-MacMillan: I always wake up in the mornings saying, “Who am I going to help today?”

Margaret Sharp: The company’s best advice for those of you who are looking in to buying a timeshare is buyer beware.  But for those of you that already own a timeshare that you don’t want, the company is there to help get you out.  For CitiCable 3, I’m Margaret Sharp.

Thanks, Margaret.  Timeshare sales reached their peak in 2007, bringing in more than $10 billion in revenue.  But by 2009, sales dropped by 30 percent and continue to decline.

—

The news program was produced by the City of Torrance for the This Week in Torrance program on CitiCable 3.

Leo Brosseau was in this situation.  He felt like he was going to get “shafted” before meeting with us.  Soon, he realized that Timeshare Relief was there to help him.  Hear it in his own words below…

Interviewer:                       Alright, for the record, if it’s okay, what is your name?

Leo Brosseau:                    My name is Leo Brosseau.

Interviewer:                       Are you satisfied with the service that Timeshare Relief has provided?

Leo Brosseau:                    I am more than satisfied with it.  I wish I’d heard about you ten years earlier.  You did a great job for me.

Interviewer:                       Are you still paying for your timeshare?

Leo Brosseau:                    No, sir, we are not.

Interviewer:                       Did you enjoy receiving the notification of final transfer?

Leo Brosseau:                    I was overjoyed, believe me.

Interviewer:                       On a scale of 1-10, what is your overall satisfaction level with our service?

Leo Brosseau:                    10.

Interviewer:                       Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with Timeshare Relief?

Leo Brosseau:                    Well, I just think – I’d like to tell you that I thought all of your people were more than courteous and patient with people like me, who thought we were going to get shafted in the beginning.  And due to the patience of your own people, I found out that you were doing me a favor.  So, that’s about all I want to say.  I think you done a great job for me and I would recommend you to anybody that wanted to talk to me about it.

Interviewer:                       All right.  It sounds like you were pleased with your experience with us.  Thank you so much for your time –

Leo Brosseau:                    Okay.  You have a good day.

Interviewer:                       You too.

Leo Brosseau:                    Okay.  Bye-bye.

Timeshare Relief did not pay for this testimonial.  The interview occurred after the timeshare transfer process was completed a few months after the initial meeting.  Timeshare Relief makes no claims that it can take every timeshare.  Timeshares must be fully paid off, and must be qualified for transfer.  The timeshare transfer service requires a fee.  If you would like more information, please go to www.timesharerelief360.com and fill in your contact information, or call 1-866-797-0535 and speak to one of our friendly expert representatives.

Timeshare Relief Before Foreclosure

With the economy continuing to sputter, timeshare owners, like you, may want to consider getting rid of their timeshares in order to save their homes.  Timeshare relief may be the only saving grace between being obligated to pay maintenance fees and special assessments versus keeping homes from foreclosure.

Many people are having a tough time right now because they are struggling with paying their mortgage, the bills, and the ever-rising cost of gasoline among other things.  Others have to contend with layoffs, pay cuts, reduction in benefits or other crises that may result in less disposable income.  We have all heard stories about people – some that we know – who have lost homes due to foreclosures in record numbers.

If you own a timeshare, you may be facing an even tougher uphill battle to get your finances under control.  On top of the other bills that can stack up, you have maintenance fees that you have to pay annually on your timeshare that consistently increase over time.   Incredibly, those maintenance fees may not be the only timeshare fees.  Special assessments can come at any time.  You do not want that crushing financial blow at a time of difficulty.  When you put all that together, it seems that there has never been a better time than now to get rid of your timeshare.   Doing so can cut down on the financial hassle your household may be dealing with right now.

Timeshare Relief can help with this burden.  Just call 1-866-797-0535 to speak to one of our friendly and expert representatives who can tell you more about the Timeshare Relief service.  We can transfer the ownership of your timeshare so that it is no longer in your name, thereby alleviating you of the timeshare fee obligations.

Since you probably financed your timeshare, the best thing to do will be to pay it off quickly to get rid of all those high interest payments.  If you cannot pay it off, at least attempt to transfer the debt to another source, like a credit card or borrow from a friend or family member.  Timeshares with liens on them are next to impossible to dump.

The market is currently flooded with timeshares that don’t have mortgages. It’s hard enough to find a buyer for a timeshare that is currently paid off, so if you have an existing mortgage on the timeshare you will experience great difficulty selling it.

Timeshare Relief can only take timeshares that are completely paid in full.  Clients pay Timeshare Relief a fee for this service.

According to Examiner.com, this new attraction is advantageous for timeshare owners in the Orlando area, but is it really?

First of all, Orlando has been experiencing near record-breaking heat this summer.  The heat index has been reaching 100 degrees since the attraction opened to the public.  It’s a little hard to enjoy the festivities in the midst of a heatstroke.

Plus, let’s say you are a true Harry Potter fan, and it just so happens you own a timeshare in Orlando.  Are you really saving money?

Universal Studios has their own vacation packages that you can tailor to your own needs.  For instance, A family of 4 can get hotel, transportation, park tickets and discounts for $829.  That’s just one of many packages.  Not to mention there are travel agencies and other websites that can get the perfect package for you for even less.  How much is your timeshare going to cost you whether you use it or not?

The best thing to do is get rid of the timeshare and plan your vacations the way you want them when you want them.  No more worrying about if you can get away during that one week you have your timeshare.  No more annoying maintenance fees that have probably doubled since you purchased your timeshare.  No more timeshare headaches, period.  Let Timeshare Relief get you out of your timeshare and start enjoying those much needed vacations.

Interviewer:                       All right, for the record, if it’s okay, what is your name?

Jim Workman:                   Jim Workman.

Interviewer:                       Are you satisfied with the service that Timeshare Relief has provided?

Jim Workman:                   Yes.

Interviewer:                       Are you still paying for your timeshare?

Jim Workman:                   No.

Interviewer:                       Did you enjoy receiving the notification of final transfer?

Jim Workman:                   Yes.

Interviewer:                       Have you tried any other service besides Timeshare Relief to get you out of your timeshare?

Jim Workman:                   Yes.

Interviewer:                       What did they do and how did they work for you?

Jim Workman:                   They didn’t work for me.  They just took my money.

Interviewer:                       Why did you decide to go with Timeshare Relief?

Jim Workman:                   Just got a flyer in the mail, and thought I ought to try it out.  Best thing I ever did.

Interviewer:                       On a scale of 1-10, what is your overall satisfaction level with our service?

Jim Workman:                   10.

Interviewer:                       Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with Timeshare Relief?

Jim Workman:                   Just, they were very helpful and I’m very appreciative of everything they did for me.

Interviewer:                       Based on your experience, would you recommend our service?

Jim Workman:                   Yes.

Interviewer:                       All right, it sounds like you were pleased with your experience with us.

Jim Workman:                   Yes.  Very much so.

Interviewer:                       Thank you so much and have a nice day.

Jim Workman:                   You too.  Thank you.

Please note that the testimonial was not paid for and does not claim that Timeshare Relief is capable of transferring every timeshare as qualifications do apply.  A timeshare cannot have a lien attached to it and there are timeshares that are disallowed for transfer.  The timeshare transfer service provided by Timeshare does require a fee.  Interested parties should call the special hotline at 1-866-797-0535.