There is a phenomenon in human psychology in which—strangely—we are more likely to think of our own future selves as we would think about a stranger than as if that person were, well, us. The sellers of timeshares—who, in a just world, would be incarcerated for how they treat good people—know this full well. Just like other salespeople, they spend their time scouring psychological literature to seek out any advantage they can glean over the motivations of other people—particularly those whom they would like to fleece for their hard-earned money. But in this industry, unlike other industries where a certain level of trust must be maintained over time (even in car sales, a dealer will recognize you’re likely to need another car in the future and will try to earn that future purchase by a measure of fair-dealing), this is a high-risk, high-reward (for them) purchase they’re trying to get you to agree to—and they know you may never buy another timeshare again, since you’ll already be set with your annual vacation getaway. For … life? Wait, how long will you be on the hook for that timeshare, anyway?
Many who purchase timeshares—a full 74 percent or so—are shocked to later learn that the contracts they have signed are for a term described as “in perpetuity.” As in perpetual. As in FOREVER.
You read that right. These contracts define no fixed end-point to their terms.
Yes, some go into the contract knowing this—these people have generally been sold on the idea that they are buying something that will benefit their children after they pass. They may not consider that their children may well consider the timeshare a burden, given those annual maintenance fees that increase every year (even if the timeshare “mortgage” has already been paid or the timeshare goes unused). Depending on terms, if that timeshare interest is handed down, the company can go after those heirs for those maintenance fees for as long as that contract lasts. Which is, again—FOREVER.
So, if you’ve signed the dotted line being aware of such perpetual terms—or even if you signed for, say, a mere 50(!) years—you have thought of your future self (the paying self) as a stranger. And you have thought of your heirs in the same way. Because the timeshare sleazebags have convinced you to do so.
Contact us today—time is of the essence!—if you are having second thoughts about that timeshare you bought. We will look at the specifics of your case. We can draft an unassailable cancellation letter to ensure your freedom from the sale if we are given enough time—and we can look into the details of the sale if the cancellation period has passed. At The People’s Advocate, we are passionate about helping consumers fight back against the timeshare scam industry.