DREAM HOLIDAY: If it sounds too good to be true. . .

Avoid all holiday clubs. Don't trust people selling scratch cards revealing you have won a free holiday, cruise or champagne.

The European Consumer Centre warns: "If it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true."

There are reputable timeshare companies but be aware that many operate outside the law and breach of contract in the industry is common.

Beware of any product with a contract of less than three years, as you will not have any legal protection. Holiday club contracts often last for two years and 11 months in order to avoid consumer legislation.

Be wary of aggressive selling practices. The European Consumer Centre advises: "If products are worth considering, you should not feel pressured into signing a contract without fully considering its terms and conditions."

Check if you can afford to take so many holidays in the first place: an offer may seem like good value but ongoing costs mean it could quickly turn into a long-term burden on your finances.

If you do pay a deposit on a holiday club by credit card and want to back out, contact your card provider immediately.

It does not have to refund you if you are simply unhappy with a product but, if you want to take further action against the club, it may place the payment in a dispute file so that no interest accrues on it.

Do not sign any timeshare contracts until you have received independent legal advice.

Make sure you have all information on additional charges a timeshare property incurs, including management or maintenance fees and annual transport costs.

Contracts on timeshares should include a cooling-off period of 10 days. However, this can be extended to three months if you are not provided with all the relevant information on the property concerned.

Remember that reselling timeshares is difficult and expensive. Do not rely solely on lists of recommended resellers from bodies that represent the industry and not consumers.

The Timeshare Consumers' Association advises owners never to pay any form of advance payment to a reseller - even if they say they have already made a sale.

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