Details of most frequent complaints

Holiday clubs and timeshares

A typical example of a complaint received by the UK European Consumer Centre about holiday clubs and timeshares would be that consumers are approached by a tout whilst they are already on holiday – they are subjected to pressure selling and end up paying a vast deposit. Consumers often attempt to cancel within a day or two and this is refused. Many hundreds of people get caught in this way.

Another example would be that a consumer may get a phone call at home or a scratch card is thrust into your hand whilst abroad and you're told you've won a 'free' holiday. To get the 'free' holiday, you may have to pay for extras such as flights and other add-ons that make it more expensive than if you'd booked it yourself. You may have to attend a six-hour presentation about a holiday club, somewhere abroad - somewhere you don't want to go, at a time which doesn't suit you.

Our general advice is never to sign a contract straight away without allowing ample opportunity to check it over - which most genuine companies will allow – and always seek independent advice. Holiday clubs are not covered by the EU directive 94/47, neither are timeshare contracts for under three years.

Car rentals

A typical example of a car rental complaint would be when the consumer has to return the rental car at the end of their holiday. If the consumer’s flight is early (or late) and the car rental office is closed, they sometimes leave the car in good faith and return the keys at a drop-off point. Weeks, maybe months, pass and eventually the consumer receives a bill from the car rental firm, charging the consumer for damage done to the car. The consumer, not surprisingly, is totally unaware of this damage and this bill is a total shock – as the consumer left the car in perfect condition. Sometimes the car rental firm will provide photos of the damage (in some cases this photo will have been taken a couple of days after the consumer returned the car).

Our general advice to consumers hiring cars abroad is, where possible, return the car to someone in the office, get them to check the car and sign it off as in good condition. If you have to leave the car, take some photos – showing that it was returned in good condition.

Audio-visual and photographic equipment

A typical example of such a complaint would be that while out in Spain, UK consumers may be keen to take advantage of cheap electrical items – often a camera. They go into a shop (often small independent stores) and are given a full demonstration by a sales person. After an impressive demonstration, the consumer decides to buy the item. The sales person goes out to the back of the shop and brings out a pre-packed, new camera, all ready to go. The consumer pays and goes off in the belief that they have made a good purchase. However, when the consumer later examines their purchase, they find out that it’s not the same item that they were shown in the shop – often, it’s a basic cheap model which they have paid top price for. In other cases, there is no switching of goods – the trader simply claims that a cheap basic model is a superior model.

Our advice to consumers buying goods abroad is that consumer goods must comply with the description given by the seller. The seller is liable to the consumer for any lack of conformity which becomes apparent within a period of two years.

Please contact the UK European Consumer Centre if you need free advice and support in dealing with your dispute with a trader based in a European country outside the UK. The UK ECC provides advice in the following main areas: buying goods and services, online shopping, internet auctions, timeshares and holiday clubs and air travel.