ITRA

[Stockholm43]

What I have to say is not applicable to ITRA . I have looked at their website & have spoken to a member of their staff on the phone .If you look at their website you will find they are no longer involved in timeshare resale .They are now trying to assist people who have had a raw deal with timeshare "sharks".The reason for this message is to do with the sale of timeshare through Incentive Leisure Group(ILG) & Reclaim
Early in 2001 my wife & I were approached by ILG to spend a discounted holiday near their offices in Spain .They were aware we were trying to sell our timeshare which was at the to be ill-fated Lanzarote Beach Club .We agreed to sell the timeshare to ILG for £6,500 & to "invest" £4,500 in their Holiday Club , Timelinx .This money to be "invested" with a company called Reclaim : the idea was to reclaim all or part of the money after 51 months .The agreement was signed at their offices in March but the Reclaim certificate & conditions did not arrive till May . By then it was too late to back out : if we had realised the implications we would never have got involved .We duly applied to Reclaim in 2005 & were turned down on a technicality .So that was our £ 11,000 out of the window !We wrote to ILG & Reclaim by recorded delivery to no avail . O.K. we were gullible but ILG were businesslike in every way ;but they would be wouldn't they : there was a good chance that they would get a cut from any mistakes made by clients of Reclaim who were obviously working hand-in-glove with ILG . ILG claimed to be a completely seperate company . What went on behind the scenes is anybody's guess !We approched the Royal Gibralter & Spanish Police (Reclaim was registered in Gib)but in spite of the RGP investigating Reclaim for fraud nothing ever came of that line of enquiry . We considered trying to claim through the Spanish courts but any compensation we might have got would have been eaten up with legal costs ,besides ILG & Reclaim could afford the best lawyers .Timelinx was another non-starter :on enquiring about exchange accomodation on the Florida Gulf Coast we were only offered about ten hotels . We knew from previous membership of RCI that there were a great number available in that area .We also enquired about accomodation in Barbados : the reply we received was " you find the hotel & we will arrange a discount" .Needless to say we made our own arrangements !
From what we have seen & heard in the media we now know we had got involved with one of the worst scams around .We know there are many people who have been caught up in this despicable scam . If there is anyone who has managed to actually get any money from these "get rich quick" organisations or who has succeeded in sueing them in the Spanish courts we would be interested in hearing from you . We notice ILG are still in existance & claiming to be award winners ....awards for what we would like to know !!
ITRA will look into our case especially if anyone else comes forward with similar situations so we keep our fingers crossed

[Full Monty]

What you need to know about ILG is all here.

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2009/06/incentive-leisure-are-fraudste.html

However the idea that ITRA are likely to help you I suspect is wide of the mark.

1. Money up-front = scam.

2. Invitation to an office = scam.

If you are asked to put money up front then don't. If you are asked to go to an office take no means of payment with you. Sign nothing. Give them nothing.

The letters ITRA were associated with a notorious scam company.

Personally I suspect the "Owner's Action Group" is a variation.

Check they are solicitors or that the firm of solictors they claim to be using really know them and are acting for them.

You might care to look here:

http://www.gotimeshare.org/timeshare-news/00521-consumer-alert-%E2%80%93-owners-action-itra-and-bridge-view-consultants-ltd

For a legal action (GLO) to go ahead there is absolutely no reason for ITRA to be involved. Nor is there any way they can make money unless the solicitors are giving it to them. Solicitors share money are not words normally found together in the same sentence.

There are a number of real GLO's instigated by TCA which give you the names of solicitors to contact.

Personally I'd start there.

[wingiwong]

Stockholm43 Have a look at the Timeshare and Holiday Club forum site re Incentive Leisure Group.

[quote="lostalot"]Have just seen on TCA site that action is being taken against quite a few holiday clubs.If you paid by Credit Card and feel that you have been conned go onto Timeshare Consumers Association site. Click on news, this will take you to Timeshare News Headlines. Scroll down to holiday clubs, click on this to get full details.
The list includes Club Class Concierge and Incentive Leisure.[/quote]

I registered on this site as lostalot suggested - http://www.timeshare.org.uk/hc.html
If you register with them they are gathering information for a Group Compensation Claim. The information is being collated by FRA Solutions for the TCA and then the information is sent to Hausfeld & Co LLP, Solicitors in London.

I registered 3 weeks ago but I had also written to the Credit Card company with as much information as I could. I did this on behalf of my parents and am delighted to say have just recovered most of the monies from them. My parents were approached by ILG in 2007 and paid them over £6,000. My parents didn't know they had bought into DWVC Holiday Club. They also had a Reclaim Certificate to reclaim after 51 months.
Don't let them get away with it - they are nothing but crooks!!

[Stockholm43]

Thank you Full Monty & wingiwong for your advice & information . I am fully aware of ILG & it's background .Regards ITRA , having been caught out once I am not likely to pay any company money up front .Unfortunately ILG were paid the deposit by debit card & the balance by bankers draft so claiming compensation through a CC company is out of the question .You folks have given my wife & I a fresh insight & energy to try a new approach to recovering our hard earned cash .Thanks again .

[holsorhell]

There seem to be new timeshare resale companies springing up constantly and i know i'm not the only one being cold called by them. How do they know i'm selling, simple, because it's advertised. There's loads of advice on where not to try to re sell a timeshare but does anyone know where we can sell or at least try to sell a timeshare legitimately? I've had my timeshare up for sale and rental with 'Visions of the World', (a UK based company who i understand are legitimate) for several months but nothing has resulted sad to say.

[lostalot]

Ask yourself, who would want to buy one.