Consumer Alerts - July 2007:

Buyers beware: Aztex Int’l Pte Ltd (Published in C@sebites Issue 105, 12 July 2007)

On 3 July, CASE issued a consumer alert about timeshare resale / leasing company, Aztex Int’l Pte Ltd. In summary, Aztex promises to help consumers lease or resell their timeshare for a fee and to fully refund their fees should the company be unsuccessful in doing so after an 18-month contractual period. However, seven consumers, who have formally filed cases with CASE, have not received their refunds months after their contracts expired. Aztex owes the consumers refunds ranging from $500 to $4500. In one case, the company issued a cheque for the refund to the consumer but the cheque was dishonoured.

To read our full press release, see here

If you are an Aztex consumer who has yet to receive your refund after the end of your contractual period, do file a claim with the Small Claims Tribunals immediately.

So, what should you do if you have been approached by companies that say they can help you to terminate / rent / lease / resell / offload your timeshare? Do exercise your prudence by looking out for these warning signs:

a)  The company is not able to explain how they obtained your personal contacts and information of existing timeshare contracts you own.

b)  The company is not able to substantiate their claims or show proof of their track record.

c)  The company claims to be able to perform timeshare resale and leasing but is not able to provide a list of prospective clients.

d)  The company asks for a lump sum of service fees upfront or in a few installments of large sums.

e)  The company uses scare tactics or pressure tactics to get you to sign a contract with them.

Laundry services: Caught in a spot? (Published in C@sebites Issue 106, 26 July 2007)

You brought your expensive clothes to the Laundromat for cleaning. You expect your clothes to be spotlessly clean when you collect them. But what if the cleaning goes wrong or your clothes get damage in the process? You may be caught in a spot because the contract or invoice you sign is likely to have terms and conditions that limit the liability of the Laundromat to 10% of the cost of the services rendered.

That was the situation one consumer found herself in. She had paid a Laundromat $89 to clean her clothes, which were made of delicate materials. When she collected the laundered clothes, she discovered that one of the items, which cost $368, had been damaged. However, the vendor only offered compensation up to $180.

So, how should you avoid such situations? Firstly, always ensure that you read through the terms and conditions to ensure you are comfortable with the clauses. If compensation is not mentioned, make sure you ask about it and get the vendor to commit their compensation policy in writing. Secondly, some contracts may have clauses that allow you to declare the value of your clothes if you do not agree with the 10% upper limit compensation policy.