What Are Timeshare Maintenance Fees?
Timeshare maintenance fees are recurring annual costs billed to owners for the upkeep, operation, and administration of their timeshare properties. Timeshare fees cover services such as housekeeping, landscaping, staffing, insurance, utilities, and general repairs.
What Are Timeshare Special Assessment Fees?
Timeshare special assessment fees are one-time charges issued to owners outside of standard annual maintenance fees. These typically arise from unexpected expenses, such as large-scale renovations, insurance gaps, disaster recovery, or financial shortfalls caused by delinquent owners.
The Rising Burden of Timeshare Fees in 2025
As many regions experience extreme summer weather and prepare for the seasonal shift into fall, timeshare owners nationwide are also bracing for new billing cycles. Over the last decade, we have assisted many timeshare owners struggling with the rising costs of timeshare maintenance fees and unexpected special assessment fees. The purpose of this article is to share insight on the true cost of timeshare ownership. The information is backed by actual client case studies who received 2025 notices and billing statements revealing the escalating burden of timeshare fees, including both maintenance and special assessment fee increases.
Rising operational costs, inflation, and defaulting owners continue to put pressure on resort budgets. The outcome is a growing number of owners who now seek a lawyer to cancel their timeshare rather than continue to absorb these rising financial obligations.
Common Reasons for Increased Timeshare Maintenance and Special Assessment Fees
Several documented factors have contributed to the sharp increase in both routine and special assessments:
Rising utility costs, insurance premiums, and labor expenses
Major renovations aimed at modernizing aging resort infrastructure
Foreclosure of timeshare intervals due to delinquency, decreasing overall revenue
Inflation-driven cost increases and unplanned repair needs
Case Study #1: Sedona, Arizona Resort
2025 Timeshare Maintenance Fees: $1,120
2025 Timeshare Special Assessment Fees: $1,500
2025 Total Amount Due: $2,620
One home resort located in Sedona issued a notice of a special assessment fee of $1,500 per interval to their owners with a due date of August 22, 2025. This came just two years after a prior assessment of $975, raising concerns among owners.
The association cited over 179 foreclosed intervals returned to the association as a major financial shortfall. Additionally, 80 more intervals were in foreclosure proceedings, pushing the count of association owned intervals to over 300 in the small resort. In addition to those, it was stated there are additional outstanding delinquent accounts that if not paid will be foreclosing on in early 2026. This trend has created a gap in assessment income, which the association states is directly impacting their operating budget.
To justify the new special assessment, the association cited several additional ongoing financial challenges, including rising operating and maintenance costs, inflationary pressures, unexpected repairs, and escalating expenses tied to both planned and in-progress renovations.
Itemized list of planned and in progress renovations included:
▪ Replacement of cabinet fronts and vanity tops in all villas.
▪ Replacement of all jacuzzi tubs with a smaller soaking tub
▪ Retiling of all master bathrooms
▪ Replacement of all shower doors
▪ Installation of Back splashes in kitchens
▪ Replacement of kitchen cabinet doors (soft close)
▪ Replacement of front doors with energy efficient doors
▪ Interior painting of downstairs areas
▪ Replacement of sofa beds with new sofa bed sectionals
▪ Replacement of upstairs patio chairs
▪ Addition of various decorative items
These issues, they explained, have strained the resort’s ability to meet its financial obligations through standard timeshare maintenance fees alone.
The association stated:
“We do not have the funds to keep operating as the yearly timeshare maintenance fees are just not enough to cover the expenses.”
Case Study #2: Incline Village & Lake Tahoe, Nevada Vacation Club
2025 Timeshare Maintenance Fee: $2,441
2025 Timeshare Special Assessment Fee: $969.66
2025 Total Amount Due: $3,410.66
Owners of a vacation club tied to resorts in Incline Village and Lake Tahoe received billing statements showing a special assessment fee of $969.66, alongside their regular maintenance bill. The notice referenced a $3.5 million renovation project at the Lake Tahoe resort, including a new roof, exterior siding, and windows.
The letter explained that an “excess amount” of intervals tied to platinum memberships were being foreclosed on, adding financial strain. It also confirmed that an affiliated resort in Sparks, NV was undergoing dissolution.
Based on our experience in this industry, this reflects a broader trend of resorts restructuring and right-sizing aging timeshare projects.
Case Study #3: Honolulu, Hawaii Timeshare
2025 Timeshare Maintenance Fee: $2,944
2025 Timeshare Special Assessment Fee: $2,400
2025 Total Amount Due: $5,344
In Honolulu, owners received a notice dated June 25, 2025, citing a special assessment fee of $1,200 per interval due by August 1. One owner, holding two intervals, was billed $2,400 on top of a $2,944 annual maintenance fee.
The only explanation given was: “HOTEL INCOME SUPPLEMENTAL ASSESSMENT.”
A lack of detail with assessment fee billing has raised questions among owners, especially those responsible for multiple intervals, regarding how funds are allocated and justified.
Vague billing language, sush as this client’s billing statement, is a common source of concern among timeshare owners. Online complaints frequently highlight a lack of transparency in how special assessment fees are determined and communicated. Many owners report receiving invoices with little to no supporting detail, leading to confusion and diminished trust in their resort associations. Similarly, repeated increases in timeshare maintenance fees without clear breakdowns or demonstrated improvements often drive owners to explore legal options, including consulting a lawyer to cancel their timeshare.
The Impact of Rising Timeshare Fees on Owners
For some, timeshare maintenance fees and special assessment fees are justified as a means to preserve their vacation investment. For others, these additional costs become the tipping point that leads them to exit the contract. This has led to a growing number of inquiries to legal professionals and experienced timeshare exit firms.
Our professional opinion is that the trend in 2025 suggests many resorts are struggling to maintain operations without issuing frequent and steep special assessment fees. When standard dues are insufficient, resorts often rely on these assessments to stay solvent. However, that strategy can result in further owner attrition and additional foreclosure activity—creating a cycle of financial instability.
What Owners Should Know in 2025
Budget Transparency: Owners should review their resort’s annual budget and financial statements when available.
Voting Rights: Participate in board elections and budget votes to influence how fees are assessed.
Legal Consultation: If fees become unmanageable, owners may consider speaking with a lawyer to cancel timeshares or review alternative timeshare exit options.
Growing Timeshare Costs in 2025 Prompt Owners to Reevaluate Commitments
As the timeshare landscape evolves in 2025, the financial obligations of ownership—particularly in the form of timeshare maintenance fees and special assessment fees—continue to grow. These costs, often unpredictable and increasing year over year, are leading many owners to reevaluate their participation. Understanding the reasons behind these fees and reviewing case-specific examples may help owners make informed decisions about their future with their timeshare.
If you’re a timeshare owner facing rising fees or unanticipated assessments, you’re not alone. We offer a no-cost consultation to share our professional experience and help you navigate a realistic exit strategy when timeshare ownership no longer makes sense for you family.
