The satisfaction of our timeshare owners is key. The Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC) has a proud track record of welcoming and actively supporting measures including consumer protection to support our time share owners.
Why State Property Laws Make Timeshare Transfer Difficult for Legacy Schemes
- When interests in legacy schemes were promoted in the 1980s/90s, registration on a property title under title laws in a state was seen as a benefit and protection for the member.
- Unfortunately, as these members age or no longer wish to use their timeshare, the applicable state-based title laws and regulations do not allow for these owners to exit or walk away from their titled ownership without the title being transferred to another party.
- This is no different to how other real property such as a home is treated. Home owners can’t just decide one day they don’t want to pay rates and taxes for example. ATHOC is aware that a number of current consumer complaints relate to the inability of some owners to exit from a legacy scheme. ATHOC has been speaking with regulators over title issues for many years.
- ATHOC welcomes Choice in joining us to petition regulators to make changes that would allow further options for legacy scheme members to exit their timeshare schemes.
ATHOC continues to actively promote measures to protect owners
- ATHOC welcomes regulations that protect the consumer and continues to work closely with ASIC.
- ATHOC’s Code of Practice requires members to ensure they, and their representatives, comply with applicable regulatory requirements and the Code of Practice in the sale and operation of timeshare products. ATHOC treats very seriously any complaints from consumers alleging breach of the Code and will address any such complaints it receives directly with its members.
- The issues raised by Choice do not fairly reflect the industry as a whole and the experiences of the more than 200,000 Australian timeshare families. Any statement or inference that the legacy scheme subject to the Choice focus is representative of our sector as a whole is completely misleading and strongly denied.
Members are Satisfied or Very Satisfied
We objectively track owner satisfaction via independent surveys.
- The most recent survey was conducted independently by the AEC Group using well established research-based principles with a total of 5501 survey respondents.
- Over 65% of timeshare members who responded stated they are satisfied or very satisfied with their membership.
- Almost 10% of timeshare members have a membership in more than one club and almost 50% of current members have purchased additional interests (and many go on to purchase more).
- These numbers show that the majority of club members love and utilise their timeshare and at the same time provide important economic stimulus for the local community.
- Only 351 respondents participated in the Choice survey. This tiny sample size does not accurately reflect reality.
