Timeshare complaints rise

THE timeshare pigeons have come home to roost, five or so years since complaints about the industry's hard-sell tactics soared.

Now, a new batch of grouses is hatching, this time by consumers who are still waiting for promised payouts or finding it difficult to claw back their investments - not only in timeshares, but other purchases from gold to beauty packages.

Complaints lodged with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) against cashback schemes have shot up dramatically in the last six years, from two cases in 2003, to 62 last year. So far this year, there are already five.

Most of them have to do with timeshare companies, which have topped Case's list of consumer complaints for the last decade.

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