Seasons Holidays shocker. Are timeshare bosses profiteering from the pandemic?

Seasons Holidays accused of 'staging coup' to oust devastated members at cherished Northumberland timeshare resort

Track record

Seasons Holidays have made the media several times over alleged poor treatment of timeshare clients. Slaley Hall Lodge owners first began calling out for help in November 2021, over what they explained was Seasons 'pressurising members' into giving up their timeshares (along with a large sum of money) so that the wealthy, Bristol based timeshare company could use the members' weeks in a more profitable manner.

Cornish couple Andrew and Wendy Wilkinson fought a long battle with Seasons over their expensive membership rights being allegedly taken from them, contrary to the conditions of their expensive membership. Seasons reinstated these access rights after a national media attention

Then Stirlingshire couple Joe and Linda Ashby made national headlines after telling media and consumer groups that a one year membership of Seasons Holidays costing £21,000 ruined them financially and destroyed their health.

Media attention

The above cases made the media in national newspapers, BBC radio consumer programs and leading timeshare consumer websites.

Slaley Hall Lodges owners have been championed by BBC Radio 4's award winning You and Yours program in November 2020, during what they describe as an earlier push to get them out of their ownerships. Elderly owners told of being 'bombarded with high pressure phone calls asking them to not only give back their treasured timeshare memberships, but also to pay Seasons Holidays up to £15,000 for the privilege of doing so.

The Ashby's case made headlines in the Scottish Sun, as well as the Daily Record and Daily Express as well as many other smaller outlets.

The Wilkinsons also made an impact in the media with thanks to a media campaign organised by consumer associations.

Slaley Hall latest outrage

Slaley Hall Lodge owners have been fighting for over two years to prevent their ownerships being taken from them (despite having paid large sums of money for long term memberships at the club). The global pandemic has meant that many UK families are rediscovering the joys of holidaying at home, and this has pushed the cost of British holidaying accommodation sky high. Because of this the Slaley Lodge members believe that Seasons have their sights set on finding a way to get rid of the current members from the club, and make lucrative deals to rent them out via outside companies

Previously Slaley members had been protected from potential money grubbing schemes to take their lodges from them by the club constitution.

"There are seven voting members on the committee," explains committee member Helen 62, a retired teacher from Lancashire. "Deliberately an odd number to protect owners. The constitution allows Seasons to control three of the seven committee positions with four for independent owners. This balance is designed to safeguard owners’ interests from nefarious tactics by management companies or other entities.

Barry and Sharon Hurley, the the directors of Seasons Holidays seem to have found a way to defeat this constitution. Their son, Jack Hurley has become a lodge owner, and Seasons have used their block weeks to vote Jack onto the committee as an 'independent owner.'

"After that," continues Helen, "the Hurleys installed him as chairman of the committee. And now Seasons has announced that it is motioning to dissolve the owners club and its constitution. It has also advised that if this is carried, then all lodge assets will be liquidated.”

This shocking series of events has been reported in the Daily Mirror as well as on current affairs TV show Look North

Seasons real motivation for the scandal?

An article in Travel Weekly dated November 19th 2021 has perhaps revealed the potential reason Seasons have gone to such extreme lengths to wind up the timeshare club and force out existing owners.

The article announces that a company called Landal Green Parks will take over all UK resorts owned by Seasons, including Slaley Hall Lodges. All these resorts (according to the Travel Weekly reports) will be bookable from January 2022.

This deal has been done apparently before the Slaley Hall Owners Committee has even voted to disband the the timeshare club.

"The fact that Seasons have made this deal before the committee has even voted is the clearest possible sign that they believe they have the vote in the bag," comments Andrew Cooper, CEO of European Consumer Claims."Installing the Seasons owners son Jack onto the committee and trying to pass him off as an 'independent owner' is an insult to the Slaley Lodge members' intelligence.

"These timeshare owners have every reason to feel cheated. We will be watching developments with interest."

Help for timeshare owners

Slaley Hall Lodge owners are a relatively rare group of timeshare owners who are happy with what they own and want to continue using their club. In 2021, with many owners wanting to escape the expense of their memberships, companies like ECC can advise on your options

For advice on timeshare compensation claims or relinquishment of memberships, contact our team for free, confidential advice.