Arizona settlement releases time-share owners from contracts with Diamond Resorts

he deadline for Diamond Resorts time-share holders to file a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's Office in order to be released from their agreement as part of a consumer-fraud settlement is coming up next week.
The $800,000 settlement between the Diamond Resorts Corp. and the Arizona Attorney General's Office was reached earlier this year after hundreds of customers accused the corporation of using "deceptive sales practices" during time-share sales presentations, according to Mia Garcia, Attorney General's Office spokeswoman.
Some of the alleged deceptions are related to the amount maintenance fees could increase annually, consumers' ability to resell time-shares to the public, the existence of Diamond buy-back programs, consumers' ability to rent our their time-shares for a profit, and discounts on other travel needs, Garcia said in a statement.
Consumers must file complaints with the office by May 23 in order to be considered for the Relinquishment Remedy Program, which permits qualifying consumers to return their time-shares to Diamond Resorts without any further obligation.
In order to qualify for the program:   

• Consumers must have purchased Diamond memberships between Jan. 1, 2011, and Jan. 23, 2017.
• Consumers must have either made their purchase in Arizona or have been living in Arizona at the time of the purchase.
• Complaints must include a detailed description of any misrepresentations, false or deceptive statements, and/or false promises that Diamond's employees made during the sales presentation.

Along with taking back time-shares, the settlement requires Diamond to change its business practices and requires the corporation to make specific disclosures during sales presentations.
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Garcia said this is the first time Diamond Resorts has been investigated for consumer fraud and that the office has received more than 500 complaints so far regarding the matter.
In a statement, Attorney General Mark Brnovich gave the following tips for consumers attending a time-share presentation:

• If offered a free gift or tickets, know that most time-share offers require a person to attend a lengthy sales presentation to receive them.
• Remember that time-share companies can't require you to attend a presentation lasting longer than two hours in order for you to receive your free gift. 
• Leave if the presentation is too high pressure.
• Read any contract before you sign it and have an attorney review it, making sure to include any promises made to you by the salesperson in the contract.
• Find out your ability to cancel the contract or the right to cancel.

Those who qualify for the relinquishment program can file a complaint online or by calling the Attorney General's Office at 602-542-5763 in Phoenix, 520-628-6504 in Tucson or 1-800-352-8431 outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.