Today, tens of thousands of fractional owners feel trapped in their agreements and developers want owners to believe that getting out of timeshare contracts is next to impossible. Whether resorts dismantle and discredit exit services or intimidate their users with misleading statements and expensive legal teams, their goal is to create fear. While it has been rather difficult for buyers to win timeshare sales lawsuits in the past, the tide is beginning to turn.
Recently, Wyndham has been taking a lot of heat for complaints regarding deceitful sales practices. The unexpected contract terms and total costs have caused many buyers to regret their timeshare purchase. Momentum really started building in the consumer’s favor when they lost a lawsuit with a former employee that claimed they were trained to prey on the elderly. But the last 3 years have been especially telling.
What Drew a Red Flag on Wyndham?
Regulation and consumer protection agencies started to investigate the timeshare giant after nearly 2,000 complaints were filed with the BBB. What’s truly concerning is Wyndham’s refusal to learn from mistakes and alter the aggressive nature of their presentations. Because of this continued disdain for buyers, almost 600 new complaints have been filed over the last year against the travel conglomerate.
While a majority of grievances pertain to unethical advertising and sales tactics, the experience itself has been in question as of late. Hundreds of buyers have had consistent objections with the timeshare product they purchased (problems with availability and upkeep) while others feel they’ve been harassed to pay an amount they never agreed to. The increasing number of complaints has really aided the consumer’s ability to win timeshare sales lawsuits over time.
Owners in Wisconsin Got to Cancel With Restitution.
Although Wyndham remains in complete denial, new allegations have resulted in further losses for the timeshare corporation. On May 29th in Wisconsin, Wyndham reached a $665K settlement with 29 owners that felt as though they’d been taken advantage of by unfair trade practices. This came after the state’s regulatory branches investigated complaints made by timeshare owners who purchased intervals from 2008-2013.
The last thing Wyndham wanted to do was to let even more unhappy owners win timeshare sales lawsuits. Although Wyndham denied any wrongdoing to protect themselves from future allegations, the DOA and DATCP successfully created enough pressure for Wyndham to agree to resolved through settling to prevent further legal prosecution from Wisconsin regulators. The settlement pertained to misleading statements made by sales representatives and high pressure sales.
Payments ranged from $3,259 to nearly $85k per claimant. Aside from complying with the restitution amount, Wyndham was also required to clear the credit records of these owners and rescind their timeshare contracts altogether. After it was all said and done, the timeshare giants was fined almost $100k by the state while racking up over $62K in legal fees.
What’s This Say About Wyndham’s Sales Practices?
While most timeshare companies will never admit they were involved in misconduct, they’ll typically settle to avoid legal prosecution. In both of these instances, it’s exactly what Wyndham did. Unfortunately, not many buyers are equipped to win timeshare sales lawsuits with major corporations. Nobody makes the purchase expecting a court battle.
This is why we’ve committed to sharing news articles like these. Consumers deserve to know the importance of documenting the purchase. Timeshare companies want you to attend their presentations blindly so you can’t prove you’ve been lied to – if the need arises. While salesman may seem trustworthy, in most cases, they’re far from it.
By the looks of things, it doesn’t look like Wyndham is going to make drastic changes anytime soon. Mainly because they don’t believe they’re breaking the rules. In a recent statement made, they reiterated, “We are committed to ensuring our sales practices are compliant with all regulatory requirements while striving to meet the highest standards of fairness and transparency, and continually look for ways to make the buying process more consumer-friendly.”
It’s almost as if they think the settlement is an anomaly. They’re even trying to make the losses seem like some sort of positive outcome for their hospitality chain. A spokesman mentioned, “Businesses and regulatory agencies working together is good for our industry and good for consumers – and we are pleased to have a strong record in this regard.”
Although it appears they aren’t taking ongoing allegations seriously, they’re very well aware of what’s going on. Despite their determination backed by greed, consumers can rest easy knowing that pride usually comes before the fall.
If You Don’t Think You Can Win Timeshare Sales Lawsuits…
If you’re concerned with your timeshare agreement and want to know how we go about legally canceling vacation ownership, we’d be more than happy to go over your options with you. While termination can help you move on for good, there are always ways to work things out with the resort. You can always learn more by scheduling a free consultation with VOC.
