Walking away from European timeshare

[Garry]

Does anyone in Canada or the USA have any experience with stopping paying maintenance fees and just walking away from a European timeshare? If so, what happened, if anything?

 

[silentg]

Which one and why?

 

[mogens.h1951]

depends on which developer and maybe also in which country. Please indicate which timeshare resort and where it is located.

 

[Garry]

Which one and why?

Kilconquhar Castle in Scotland. Resort fees increased 10% last year and likely to do so again this year. Resort is older as are most of the owners and support has fallen off badly.

 

[tschwa2]

If you own a May-Sept week you might have some luck giving it away. Even if you own in the cooler months, I would give a go at giving it away before defaulting first. I owned there from 2008-2012. I bought it on ebay uk and sold on redweek a week 24. Before giving it away you will want to find out how much the transfer cost would be and see if the resort could do the transfer or if you need to find a closing company to take care of the transfer and how much that would cost.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Kilconquhar Castle in Scotland. Resort fees increased 10% last year and likely to do so again this year. Resort is older as are most of the owners and support has fallen off badly.

Hi @Garry ,
I would start with the information @tschwa2 posted above.

**************
If giving away does not turn out to be successful
There is a thread in the Mexican Forum about this. Some of it may be applicable to your question.
Here is my "overview" - opinion only.

1) you have no loan - so the "debt' will be small and only owed to the resort HOA or management.

2) Is it deeded or a RTU ( right to use) ?
example :Mexican TS are generally RTU float unit -float week / and so if someone stops paying MF ,
there are no additional problems for the developer; other than having to replace the income by filling the unit.

3) Collection agency stuff is somewhat country specific.

4) Often a resort in Mexico will sell a package of MF debt to a bottom feeder collection agency in the USA for pennies on the dollar.That bottom feeder agency hopes to scare enough people into paying that they make a return on their investment . (In actuality everyone called could tell them to pound salt - since the MF "debt" is from another country and legally - generally not collectible in the USA )

5) The resort may focus their efforts on UK owners who are past due - and chasing you in Canada for an amount under $ 2000 cad isn't worth the effort.

6) Yes - occasionally not paying MF can result be a minor hit to your credit score. If this matters to you , the procedure is to call the various credit
reporting agencies in Canada and dispute the report. Note : Credit Reporting Agencies and collection agencies are not the same .

 

[Laurie]

What they all said. And, there are probably some forums for UK timeshare owners, because there are so many, try googling for something like that. I *loved* our stay there, *loved* the location, and would be thrilled to go back, if we were ever to travel to Scotland again -- I could easily spend an entire week walking different sections of that coastal path.

 

[Garry]

What they all said. And, there are probably some forums for UK timeshare owners, because there are so many, try googling for something like that. I *loved* our stay there, *loved* the location, and would be thrilled to go back, if we were ever to travel to Scotland again -- I could easily spend an entire week walking different sections of that coastal path.

Unfortunately, I'm not a "newbie". I've been a member here for many years and I've tried all the suggestions made above. I tried renting it and I've tried selling it - no interest. It's been over two years that I've been trying to give it away or give it back to the resort, with no interest and obviously no success. I own it free and clear - maintenance fees are up to date - it's Week 19 which is generally the third week in May - it's a 3 bedroom, 3 bath unit stand alone villa - 12 miles from St Andrews and over 100 golf courses within an hour's drive - located in the East Neuk of Fife which has some of Scotland's finest weather. It should have everything going for it but it doesn't.

Thanks for your suggestions and your help.

 

[PrairieGirl]

Garry,
I totally understand your frustration, but trying to give away a resort in Scotland during these last two years of Covid when no one from North America could get there might have been part of the reason. Hopefully you will have better luck now that things are opening back up!

 

[noreenkate]

Just curious- no adds in marketplace currently, nothing on redweek, and a quick search here in the forums I didn’t see any add either…
the only add showing was from 2012 and it sold-

was trying to see what maintenance fees look like…

 

[Garry]

Just curious- no adds in marketplace currently, nothing on redweek, and a quick search here in the forums I didn’t see any add either…
the only add showing was from 2012 and it sold-

was trying to see what maintenance fees look like…

Maintenance fees for 2021 were 723 GBP. I quit renewing my ads on TUG as there were no responses, although I have over 70 free ads in my account. I shall try again as maintenance fees aren't due until June 30. I did have it listed for free on the bargain ads. I put it on a couple of UK sites but never had a response. The latest reviews on TUG and Trip Advisor are not enticing to anyone curious enough to look. The resort isn't as bad as made out to be when compared to a Marriott - European timeshare standards tend to be different, for the most part.

 

[noreenkate]

Well aware of the differences between US and Europe, that review was pretty harsh IMO considering the comparison.

I wish I was in a position to take it but I just picked up few units recently… That is definitely on my list of places to try and trade into as it’s not too far from where my mom grew up - I would live for my children to see the area someday

Wish you the best of luck

 

[Laurie]

Unfortunately, I'm not a "newbie". I've been a member here for many years and I've tried all the suggestions made above. I tried renting it and I've tried selling it - no interest. It's been over two years that I've been trying to give it away or give it back to the resort, with no interest and obviously no success. I own it free and clear - maintenance fees are up to date - it's Week 19 which is generally the third week in May - it's a 3 bedroom, 3 bath unit stand alone villa - 12 miles from St Andrews and over 100 golf courses within an hour's drive - located in the East Neuk of Fife which has some of Scotland's finest weather. It should have everything going for it but it doesn't.

But have you ever tried giving it away here on TUG in the Free Timeshare Giveaways forum (not the ads, but the subforum under Buying/Selling)? That is being suggested here. If you have, I've never seen it, and I still almost always read that forum every day. I never read the ads though. And I just searched on KIlconquhar, in that forum, with no results. (I have used that forum to give one away successfully, btw.) If you haven't, why not try it? Week 19 sounds like a decent week, and your MF's are reasonable for villa size.

I also agree that the past 2 years are atypical due to covid, but that is changing now.

 

[flnewbie]

Sent you a DM

 

[Garry]

Good ideas all. As I recall, I believe I posted the resort in the bargain deals about a year ago but I don't see it there now. In any case, I will follow up with the suggestions. Fees are due the end of June for 2023 use so I have some time. Thank you.

 

[flnewbie]

Very interested, answered your DM

 

[Carolinian]

What they all said. And, there are probably some forums for UK timeshare owners, because there are so many, try googling for something like that. I *loved* our stay there, *loved* the location, and would be thrilled to go back, if we were ever to travel to Scotland again -- I could easily spend an entire week walking different sections of that coastal path.

TimeshareTalk was once a lively UK based European timeshare website. I was once a mod there. The owner sold it, and it was a shadow of its former self the last time I looked. I don't think there was any other site that replaced it.

 

[Agepay]

Hi Garry. Is this still available for sale?

 

[Garry]

Hi Garry. Is this still available for sale?

Not from me. The resort now owns the week. I'm sure they would be more than pleased to talk to you about a purchase.

 

[Agepay]

Thank you, Garry.

 

[silentg]

I’m glad you were able to deed it back, Gary.