Is It Time to Leave Your Cameron House Timeshare?

An interesting article, written by the Mail on Sunday’s consumer champion Mr Tony Hetherington and published on the 12 November 2017, came to our attention.  The article outlines the plight of an 80-year-old couple who purchased a Cameron House timeshare on the picturesque shores of Loch Lomond back in 1993.

The story highlights the inequity of timeshare ownership, the burden of what was once considered to be a fashionable way to holiday and to assure families of holidays for years to come. The nightmare of timeshare was not to unfold for some two or three decades.

The couple in the article purchased their timeshare back in 1993. The timeshare purchased is owned by Cameron House Owners Club. The couple, now in their 80’s, began to realise the timeshare was becoming a financial burden. They spent several years of worry and uncertainty, trying to terminate the timeshare themselves. They tried from 2004 – 2012 to sell the timeshare, all their maintenance fees at the time were paid up-to-date and the couple handed over their ownership certificates/original paperwork to Cameron House and thought nothing more of it. They thought they had offloaded their timeshare burden forever.

Unfortunately, this was not the case and the couple have recently been contacted by Cameron House with demands of thousands of pounds in Outstanding maintenance fees. They are now being pursued for the sum of £3,010.00 and the threat of debt collection agencies taking over the debt if the funds remain unpaid.

The elderly timeshare owners explained that they both have medical conditions and, therefore, can no longer make use of their timeshare as they once did.

Cameron House Hotel boasts additional lodges, of which some belong to celebrities. Not only is the resort appealing and glamorous, with celebrity owners such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Ryan Giggs, but it also promotes an affordable way to own a luxury holiday home in the picturesque Loch Lomond.

It is not uncommon for us to see that timeshare owners have suffered a substantial shortfall in their retirement income into their later years.  However, timeshare maintenance fees have consistently increased and beyond the yearly rate of inflation. What was once a happy holiday home is now a financial millstone around their necks.

The stress and worry for this unfortunate couple continues, as they count the cost of simply buying something that they once got great enjoyment from, but which has now turned into a nightmare; a decision they no doubt they deeply regret, tarnishing the memory of many happy times spent enjoying their timeshare. For this couple, the nightmare doesn’t end there and they have now been informed that the selling of the timeshare is unlikely to clear the debt owed and they will be responsible for any shortfall.

To the couple’s dismay, they have now discovered that the contract states that the ownership is in perpetuity.  This means that when the timeshare owners pass away, the resort could make a claim on their estate.  To add insult to injury, the couple have been advised that use of the resort may be prohibited whilst their unpaid maintenance fees remain outstanding.

A timeshare blogging site tells how they tried to contact Cameron House Hotel to discuss a possible exit policy. They were Suggested that, although contracts were in perpetuity, they did operate an exit policy. Cameron House, when asked for details of their exit policy and cost, declined to provide this information.

If you have been affected by the above please contact our friendly team on 0121 272 3100