Time to get out of this relationship

Time-share is a huge industry in SA, with many avid supporters and arguably as many detractors.

On the positive side there are so many magnificent venues that offer surprisingly good value for your money, which involves a purchase price plus an annual levy to cover the resort costs.

It’s all quite fair until the sudden ambush by a “special levy” — something you were never informed of when you visited the resort or perused its beautiful glossy brochures.

Our experience in Cape Town deserves a special mention. We own three weeks [a year] at a Bantry Bay resort where we spent many beautiful holidays in tired, small units, but with views to die for.

But for five of the past seven or eight years we have been unable to occupy our units — two due to noise and dust from the redevelopment of the adjacent building, followed a couple of years later by major renovations at the resort, and then two successive years of Covid restrictions and shutdowns.

Annual levies of about R20,000 for the three units were paid during these years without any compensation other than our right to bank the time for possible future use.

Now we have been informed that major renovations need to be undertaken in 2023, during which time the resort will be closed for half the year. And the management committee requires us to pay a “one-time special levy” of approximately R45,000, over and above annual levies.

As a previous avid supporter of time-share, I am now rushing for the exit. The relationship is fine until you’re ambushed.