What the timeshare inquiry means for frustrated consumers
A complaint to the consumer goods ombud is your best bet for redress for now
The National Consumer Commission’s (NCC’s) inquiry into the timeshare and vacation ownership industry has recommended a review of the laws that apply to these contracts and the appointment of a regulator to deal with the industry. But at the release of its much-anticipated report on its inquiry into the industry in Pretoria, MacDonald Netshitenzhe, the chief director of policy at the department of trade and industry (DTI), said law reform was not likely to happen next year with it being an election year. In the meantime, NCC commissioner Ebrahim Mohamed encouraged consumers to lodge complaints with the consumer goods and services ombud (CGSO), who would assess the extent to which industry was “willing to allow consumers to exit contracts without penalty, in particular, the nefarious in-perpetuity contracts”. The NCC is a statutory regulator whereas the CGSO is not, although membership of the ombud scheme is compulsory for any supplier of goods or services, as defined by the Consumer...
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