BBC Rip Off Britain – holiday clubs

In Friday’s BBC1 Rip off Britain programme, presented by TV personalities Jennie Bond, Gloria Hunniford and Angela Rippon, the problems of signing up to bogus holiday clubs were highlighted. It was reported that these clubs promise luxury breaks at bargain prices but all too often leave their members out of pocket and thorough fed up. Customers are warned not to fall for the sophisticated sales pitch and should follow the advice below:

• Never hand over money unless you are given a contract that you are happy with
• Walk away if you are not provided with a 14 day cooling off period

Mike Haley, until recently Director of Consumer Protection at the OFT, commented “In my experience and the experience of the OFT after 8 years, we have not come across a single one that is not a bogus holiday club”. Although it may be extremely difficult to obtain a refund, he does urge people to make a claim.

Customers who believe they have signed up to a bogus club should seek advice as quickly as possible and remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Where to go for advice

- TATOC: www.tatoc.co.uk
- Your local Trading Standards Office