ITRA

by **Full Monty** on Thu Sep 03, 2009 21:05 pm

"They want me to go to stafford to meet them with a veiw to getting compensation for my timeshare costs and will offer me a gettout plan to rid myself of my timeshare and future maintenance costs".

No they don't. They want you in front of them to give you a hard sell for a holiday club and a reclaim voucher that seems unlikely to pay out.

by **JohnSmithB** on Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:45 am

I am a very disgusted timeshare owner! I was sold a dream when I purchased it. They told me it would be an investment, that the annual fees would rise in line with inflation and that if I ever wanted to sell it, my resort would be more than pleased to assist me. The first year was fine but then my resort was brought out by a large consortium, and things changed dramatically the maintenance immediately doubled and has considerably increased since. When I found it to be too much financially, I approached my resort and asked them to assist me in selling to which I got a point blank "NO" and a referral to their recommended resell company to which I paid £750 marketing costs. That was 5 years ago and I still have my timeshare, along with the privilege of endless phone calls from unscrupulous firms claiming to have a buyer for me or offering more marketing services but always at a further cost to me. Once bitten twice as shy I´m afraid!

Due to my plight and the anguish it has caused me over the years, I decided to research the industry and the way it operates, so I could have a better understanding of the facts and the truth. I have found the level of corruption staggering, I cannot find a nice thing to say about any company whether it is Hilton, Disney or RCI, they are all as equally dishonest and unscrupulous as each other, which leads me to this website.

Having trolled through the numerous comments written throughout these pages, I noticed a pattern starts to show, it seems there are a number of ring leaders; "Full Monty" for example, who like to spread their wisdom and assist newcomers, befriending them with kind remarks and interesting facts. But the theme is always negative if not slanderous against the companies and organisations publicised. So being a little curious I did some research on Holiday Watchdog to see who is behind it and low and behold I found that in 2008 TripAdvisor has acquired Holiday Watchdog and TripAdvisor is owned by the same company that owns Expedia and INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL. Now is that simply a coincidence or is this site actually a timeshare "mole" designed to encourage bad reviews and derogative information against any competition that may be of financial cost to this industry giant?

I challenge the moderators of this site to explain themselves and justify their tactics because having worked in sales, I do find a company that needs to demoralise the opposition as being both weak and afraid. But then I am not surprised they are running scared, there is a huge Class Action court case happening at this moment against RCI in America and it is almost at its peak, a few weeks ago the judge ordered RCI to inform all of their US members of the pending case. Can you imagine how damaging that will be to the entire industry and the knock on effect it will have in Europe?

Do you not find it strange that there is not one piece of advice on this site that explains how one can be free from their timeshare nightmare? Do you not find it odd that every organisation mentioned is labelled a scam? Is it not coincidental that the ring leaders use scare tactics to warn people off of every solution to escape their timeshare misery or any form of recompense?

As this topic highlights; ITRA has recently formed a British group litigation similar to that in America, and the success of the US case will undoubtedly fuel their advance considerably. It is time to fight back against all this corruption! We the timeshare owners have been systematically treated like trash and we should be joining forces and standing up against these aggressors rather than cowering behind their lies and deceit. I am very pleased to have joined ITRA´s lawsuit and it did not cost me a penny! I strongly advise everyone here; that is of course those who are not employed by the site to mislead people, to do the same as you definitely have nothing to lose and so much more to gain!

Visit www.itra.net I know you will find the website far more informative and helpful than the demagogic and salacious poison published here on what is nothing more than a timeshare funded graffiti board.

Let the battle commence!!!!

JSB

by **tsuser** on Sat Sep 05, 2009 18:18 pm

Quite a rant, and one that has left me more than a little confused. You start by saying that you believe the company which now owns your timeshare resort is on the unscrupulous side, but then seem to be complaining about people like Full Monty who have been saying the same think for a long time.
He, and others, also warn against being sucked in by the supposed resale companies who demand an upfront fee and then do nothing. You have personal experience of this side of the industry too from what I read in your post.
My question is "What is your point?" What if there is a link between the companies you mention? The vast majority of posts on HW & TA are expressing honest opinions from people with no involvement with the timeshare industry apart from being owners - happy or unhappy.
The class action currently being undertaken against RCI in the USA is common knowledge on any and every timeshare related site, not just those to which you refer. Are you seriously suggesting that no negative opinion or fact relating to timeshare ownership should be posted because it could be damaging to the industry?
As to your assertion that there is not one piece of advice that explains how to be free of the timeshare nightmare - I suggest you may want to research somewhat further than you already have. The advice is there if you care to look.
The reality is that it is extremely difficult to rid yourself of timeshare once purchased, and more difficult still in the middle of a global recession. Some companies will take back ownership under certain circumstances, others will hold people to the letter of the legally binding agreement into which they entered when they purchased. Some units will trade through the likes of Ebay if the price is set low enough and some actually do have a financial value.
There are two consistent pieces of advice offered to anybody attempting to sell their timeshare - (1) Never pay upfront fees (2) Never deal with any cold caller no matter how promising their pitch may be.

by **Full Monty** on Sun Sep 06, 2009 19:46 pm

I have no connection with the holiday industry nowadays, and I am retired. My backgorund is on here elsewhere and it is possible to find it by simple search.

I have not nor have ever tried to "befriend" anyone. If someone asks me a question I answer to the best of my ability.

My advice on timeshare is simple. Don't get involved. If you are involved it is extremely difficult to get out of. That's why I say don't get involved.

If someone cold calls you saying they have a buyer they don't. If someone invites you to their office - Sale, Maidenhead, Tenerife or whereever to sell them your timeshare - don't go.

From your letter it semmed you had worked that out for yourself. What I have done other than what you have worked out - well I am not sure........

by **christineG** on Fri Sep 11, 2009 16:38 pm

Hello and thank goodness I have found this website through putting ITRA into the web search engine (now I check out anyone who contacts me re my timeshare - not very trusting). These people ITRA have been ringing me for ages and ages numerous times at first I did ask how they had got my number - they pray on people's desperation to get rid of their timeshares - I had paid (bearing testiment to my desperation and gulibility) an extortionate amount to companies who say they can sell your timeshare (mine is in the states. One of those companies was Etoo - so now I know where they got my number from!!!! I received yet another call today from 'owner services' saying they had a 'road show' coming to areas and could i make it - I had almost been swallowed up again by the desperation to rid myself of this millstone around my neck until I had told the guy that I wasn't that bothered now and that I was looking to gift my two weeks timeshare in the florida sun to a charity - he responded by saying why not talk to the guys who are there they will be able to give you advice on resale !!!!! Oops now Mr man you have raised my suspicions once again - I won't by the way after reading this site (thanks for those who posted on re: ITRA) attending the appointment and believe me I would rather give my timeshare away than get caught up with such sneaky greedy and unscrupulous people again!!!!!!. p.s. I should have realised when I first checked their website (with an advertisement for Etoo on it - the very company they said they were fighting a claim against amongst others!!! oh how sad that there are many of us in this world that are extremely trusting!!!).

by **GJM** on Mon Sep 14, 2009 09:51 am

I was contacted by ITRA asking me to join the Class Action Group and to go to a meeting in Stafford where I could relate my bad timeshare experiences and find a way of painlessly getting rid of my timeshare. Is this a scam?

They said they wanted 30,000 timeshare owners to join and each would get about £8,000 if the action was successful. They have two offices, one in Maidehead and one in Stafford. They said they also do a number of roadshows. They wanted me to take all my timeshare documents - and my wife had to be present also????

I did some calculations.

They said each meeting would take about an hour. Being (very) generous, I am assuming that each office would have 7 meetings a day, 5 days a week, for 52 weeks (also assuming they work Easter, Xmas, and Bank Holidays).

Therefore, 2 (offices) x 7 (meetings) x 5 (days a week) x 52 (weeks a year) = 3640 timeshare owners. At this rate it will take 8.5 years to get the required number of owners for their class action.

Is this a scam - certainly.

What they will get is an up to date list of disgruntled timeshare owners and the opportunity to get them to sign up to 'something'. Their current lists are so out of date. I still get cold called to sell my timeshere I sold 15 years ago.

by **Full Monty** on Mon Sep 14, 2009 17:20 pm

The nubmber of people could be changed by doubling the number of meetings - or offices or whatever.

In the end though it will still be a scam.

It will only stop when people stop falling for it. Then they will find some other way of scamming people.

by **christineG** on Sat Sep 19, 2009 16:31 pm

I have had numerous phone calls from someone too saying that they are from a company seeking to get compensation for people who were mis-sold timeshares at first I thought that they seemed genuine and I checked out a website that detailed the court case against another exchange company but not II. The telephone calls kept coming anyway I got a phone call last week asking me to go to a roadshow that was being held in Lincoln to discuss with the people there whether I was eligible to be included in the compensation - they said I would have to take my timeshare paperwork to 'prove' I owned it - it would take about 30 mins to verify - I told the person that called - I had contacted a number of charities to see if they could make use of my holiday in Florida and that I was willing to give them the deeded timeshare two weeks in Florida - That's when I became suspicious as he said then you need to speak to the 'resale' guys that will be there and they have a lot of advice to give you and help you with this .... I bet they do!!!! Suspicions raised I did another search on the web and reached this site - hence I did not go to the appointment in Lincoln - and I haven't had a call asking why I didn't!!!! I am now certain, as I had tried to sell my timeshare through Etoo at great expense that this is where they got my details from.... I arranged to rent my timeshare out this year through the resort hotel - its not much but it does help towards paying the maintenance fees.... I will continue to try to get rid of it - I hope one day that I will - everytime I talk about it - it makes me feel physically sick!!!

by **JenniferKiely** on Sat Sep 26, 2009 10:52 am

I have been contacted by a company called "A Solution" who say they want to help me with a compensation claim for being mis-sold timeshare. I am presuming from reading other replies that this is a scam? They say there is nothing to pay it is a no win no fee action?

by **lostalot** on Sat Sep 26, 2009 20:47 pm

If you go onto the Timeshare Consumer Association (TCA) site, you will find details of compensation claims been started against certain companies.Think the one you are asking about could be a scam.