Making Timeshare Safer
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Code of Ethics
High standards of fair and sensible business practice
Owning Timeshare with Resort Properties means you have joined a company that has helped shape the current safe and fair European trading environment
The strict Code of Ethics that has evolved from this work means buyers at RDO affiliated resorts experience fair and decent sales practice.
- Fair practice
- For your protection
- Industry wide
The aim of the Code is to establish standards of practice which ensure fairness in the way Timeshare companies conduct business and market their product.
Resort Properties has worked closely with the RDO over a number of years to establish an industry-wide Timeshare Code of Ethics and can count among its accomplishments the fact that it has helped to influence European Timeshare law.
Contents
In 1999 the RDO found that the Timeshare law in place at the time was lacking and decided to complement it with a Code of Ethics, to be followed by each of its member companies (i.e. Timeshare resorts or clubs). This strict code, in four parts, promoted strong ethical standards across the industry and offered consumers additional benefits when buying Timeshare. Since then, the Code has been regularly updated over the years to reflect best practices within the Timeshare industry.
On 1st March 2005 a single new Code was introduced. For this, RDO consulted with several third parties including the European Commission, the European Consumer Centres, the European Consumers' Organisation, the European Parliament Consumer Intergroup and TATOC (Timeshare Association).
The aim of the Code is to establish standards of practice which ensure fairness in the way Timeshare companies conduct business and market their product. It gives consumers the following main additional rights:
- All members of RDO must offer their clients a minimum 15 day cooling-off period
- Buyers are assured secure occupancy rights and their payments are protected
- The Supplier is responsible for the acts of all its employees, officers and agents who sell holiday products on its behalf
- RDO members must structure their products in such a way that the Timeshare is available for the length of time promised to the consumer
- RDO members must have established procedures in place that ensure the correct long-term maintenance and management of the resort or club
- Details of the Code must be provided to the consumer in the form of a leaflet at the point of sale
- Resale members must offer buyers of resale Timeshare the same benefits of a cooling-off period and protection of advance payments as offered to all other buyers
- Members offering a resale service must clearly disclose to the seller and buyer any relevant information concerning resale marketing, sales and transactions
- RDO resale members must not make cold calls
- Neither must they falsely claim that they have a buyer ready to purchase a seller's Timeshare
These additional rights are only available to consumers who buy Timeshare at an RDO affiliated company such as Resort Properties.
The RDO also works to ensure that there is a strong complaint handling process at the member resorts (as endorsed by TATOC) and so the Code is accompanied by an ADR Scheme (Alternative Dispute Resolution) which further enhances consumer rights.
The success of the Code of Ethics prompted the European Parliament to adopt a new Directive on 3rd February 2009. This new legislation covers the sales and marketing of Timeshare, long-term holiday products, resale and exchange and will be in place in the EU by 2011.
Rewarding for Resort Properties is the fact that as a Timeshare company it has actively participated in the drafting of the Code of Ethics - and subsequently, an update in European law. The RDO's members have an excellent track record in adhering to its new Code of Ethics and Resort Properties is proud to have been instrumental in the Code's development.
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