By S. BASKARAN - November 11, 2019 @ 12:04am,Senior manager, National Consumer Complaints Centre

Details: Category: FOMCA DI PENTAS MEDIA; Published: 11 November 2019; Created: 11 November 2019

MANY elderly couples, families, as well as the younger generation, opt for timesharing when they travel to places of interest to cut costs, especially on accommodation.Timesharing is defined as a purchase of the right of use of holiday accommodation for a period of time each year for a specific number of years.Since it was introduced in 1983, the number of timesharing vacation companies has surged.Many consumers are investing in it. This has led to some agents cheating Complaints have been lodged with the National Consumer Complaints Centre.These agents entice consumers via phone calls. They promise people free stay at renowned hotels after their 45-minute presentations. At the end of the sale pitch, customers are given vouchers for the stay.

In reality, consumers are duped into signing up for the timesharing packages without understanding the terms and conditions.Consumers must ensure their full details are recorded in a form.They must also read the fine print in an agreement before they accept an offer.Those who have doubts are entitled to terminate the agreement within the cooling-off period of 10 days.Unfortunately, the agreement usually takes a month to reach consumers via mail.The right procedure is for the companies to send the proposal via email and give the consumers time to read and understand the terms and conditions before accepting the offer.One consumer complained that he was not informed that he could use the holiday package only every alternate year.

Others said each time they applied for the holiday package, it was rejected. The reason given was that the hotel was fully booked as it was the peak season.The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry should let timesharing vacation providers know that they are required to inform consumers of their rights as enshrined in the Consumers Right, declared in 1962.Consumers can make better choices if they have accurate information.It is a great misery for consumers who took loans to pay for the package but not make use of the benefits provided by the companies.The onus is on agents to brief consumers on the terms and conditions of the timesharing agreements to protect them from falling victim to unscrupulous operators.

S. BASKARAN

Senior manager, National Consumer Complaints Centre