M1 Legal enjoys another huge April, securing £501,400 in Spanish timeshare claims awards

After six years of pursuing justice for owners at one of Spain’s longest-running timeshare resorts, M1 Legal is now seeing that work pay off in court.

Major court wins for Pueblo Evita owners

Pueblo Evita, one of the oldest timeshare complexes in Spain, has issued contracts that M1 Legal says are unlawful, in line with problems seen across the wider timeshare industry. A key obstacle for many owners has been identifying which companies can be held liable and pursued through the courts.

In April 2022, that position shifted after M1 Legal successfully brought claims against:

● Maintenance company MB Benalmadena S.L.U.

● Pueblo Evita Marketing Company Ltd

Torremolinos Court No. 3 declared both companies in default, resulting in awards for a number of timeshare claimants.

Fernando Sansegundo, M1 Legal’s Spanish head, describes the outcomes as “hugely significant”.

He adds: “Our team has taken on and defeated every single illegally operating timeshare company in Spain. These judgements have opened the door for hundreds of Pueblo Evita victims to sue for compensation.”

£501,400 awarded in April

Sansegundo says that months delivering around half a million pounds in awards are “becoming a commonplace” for M1 Legal. In April, he reports “twenty seven separate victories, representing a total value of £501,400 for the recipients.”

This included £265,674 awarded against Club La Costa, shared between 13 award winners.

Sansegundo says: “When you bear in mind that most of these people just wanted to be free of the annual fee commitments, to be awarded well over £20,000 as well was a result that made every claimant grateful.”

Other reported wins included:

● £109,543 against Anfi — shared by six claimants

● £67,027 against Onagrup — shared by three claimants

● £36,519 against Marriott — shared by two claimants

● £19,682 against Perblau 2000 and Lion Resorts

Notable individual awards

Sansegundo also highlighted several larger individual awards during the month.

“A Surrey couple called Lee and Dionne were awarded £45,300 against Club La Costa. This was because the contract was illegal in that it was for over 50 years, and also because of lack of correct information on the property. This usually means they were sold floating time, or points, both of which have been illegal to sell since 1999.”

“Simon and Anne from Sheerness in Kent, a very nice couple, won £38,255. This was also against Club La Costa, and for exactly the same reasons.”

“The third largest award went to a Slough couple called Paul and Helen. These former Anfi owners were awarded £36,827 because (again) of lack of correct information on the property.”

Sansegundo says these are “significant amounts of money”. He continues: “People who were worried about owing money to their timeshare companies every year for decades, or in some cases forever, are now not only free but also receiving enough compensation to buy a luxury car or put a child through university.”

Overcoming timeshare delay tactics

Sansegundo says timeshare companies have historically relied on delay tactics in an attempt to blunt M1 Legal’s efforts. He argues that is changing, with courts moving matters along more quickly and improving the process for claimants.

“So far in 2022 (correct at time of writing) M1 Legal has achieved 139 successful awards,” says Sansegundo. “This is a total of £2,287,850. Thirty-four of those awards were against Anfi, adding up to £515,427.

“Sixty-three more awards were against Club La Costa and they total a staggering £1,136,793.”

Timeshare owners who bought in Spain on or after 5 January 1999 could also be due compensation. Sansegundo suggests that now is the time “to make your claim if you have an issue with your timeshare, or the way in which you were sold the membership.”

“The exploratory work has been done. The major hurdles have been overcome. The courts are familiar with the offences committed by timeshare companies and how these affected owners. Compensation is being awarded in record amounts, and it won’t last forever because these companies don’t have unlimited resources.”

“M1’s success rate in court is currently running at 98.6%. And the very few we did lose were a long time ago, when we were just starting out in this field.”

If you are a timeshare owner and you want to understand your rights and options for leaving your membership, start by getting in contact with Timeshare Advice Centre today.

M1 Legal Success in March