We were victims of a timeshare scam by Diamond VSI. Now it has come back to haunt us
*We were the victims of a property scam in Spain when Diamond VSI talked us into parting with £2,400 for a guaranteed sale of our timeshare. *
*It provided nothing and we decided to write it off as a lesson in life. Five years later we received a mailing from Club Class Holidays who claimed Diamond VSI's "contractual membership rights will be assumed by our company ..." Stupidly, but at what seemed a small annual sum of £55, we paid for two years to see what it was offering. It was another wasted experience and we stopped paying and heard nothing for many years. In May we received emails from a Philip Hill threatening bailiffs unless we pay £495 for "defaulting". *BJ, Lancaster
These semi-literate emails make extraordinary reading. When you demand to see a copy of the contract you allegedly signed, Philip Hill claims the debt recovery agents will bring it and denies court proceedings are a necessary precursor to bailiffs.
Seven companies, collectively known as Club Class, were wound up by the High Court in 2011 after they were found to have mis-sold services. "They are trying to hide behind different names in order to claim fees as if nothing has happened," says a spokesman for Mindtimeshare, a European consumer association for timeshare owners. He advises: "Study the paperwork, as there is no mention in any of the contracts that you have an ongoing obligation to pay."
When I email Hill I receive a reply from Leisure Alliance claiming Hill has been sacked for his offensive correspondence. John Wilson, PR manager of Leisure Alliance, which claims to have taken over the admin of the Club Class companies, insists they remain fully functioning and that it will pursue members for alleged arrears, but, he says, magnanimously, that "given Mr Hill's shocking and inconceivable communications" he'll "cancel" your membership and back off. Anyone else receiving these demands should sit tight, or contact mindtimeshare.me for reassurance.
*If you need help email Anna Tims at **your.problems@observer.co.uk** or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. * Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.
*We were the victims of a property scam in Spain when Diamond VSI talked us into parting with £2,400 for a guaranteed sale of our timeshare. *
*It provided nothing and we decided to write it off as a lesson in life. Five years later we received a mailing from Club Class Holidays who claimed Diamond VSI's "contractual membership rights will be assumed by our company ..." Stupidly, but at what seemed a small annual sum of £55, we paid for two years to see what it was offering. It was another wasted experience and we stopped paying and heard nothing for many years. In May we received emails from a Philip Hill threatening bailiffs unless we pay £495 for "defaulting". *BJ, Lancaster
These semi-literate emails make extraordinary reading. When you demand to see a copy of the contract you allegedly signed, Philip Hill claims the debt recovery agents will bring it and denies court proceedings are a necessary precursor to bailiffs.
Seven companies, collectively known as Club Class, were wound up by the High Court in 2011 after they were found to have mis-sold services. "They are trying to hide behind different names in order to claim fees as if nothing has happened," says a spokesman for Mindtimeshare, a European consumer association for timeshare owners. He advises: "Study the paperwork, as there is no mention in any of the contracts that you have an ongoing obligation to pay."
When I email Hill I receive a reply from Leisure Alliance claiming Hill has been sacked for his offensive correspondence. John Wilson, PR manager of Leisure Alliance, which claims to have taken over the admin of the Club Class companies, insists they remain fully functioning and that it will pursue members for alleged arrears, but, he says, magnanimously, that "given Mr Hill's shocking and inconceivable communications" he'll "cancel" your membership and back off. Anyone else receiving these demands should sit tight, or contact mindtimeshare.me for reassurance.
*If you need help email Anna Tims at **your.problems@observer.co.uk** or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. * Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.