Brian Taylor
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Hi Paul
Useful info – the i newspaper had item yesterday that Spain’s Secretary of State for tourism is encouraging the the UK to work with them on a vaccine certificate, though didn’t mention timescale for opening up.
Canarian Weekly has published an update today on the various airline and holidays – again no mention of when Spain might lift travel bans.
El Pais has an article on developing vaccine passports and travel corridors and opening up tourism – again no timescale other than Spain extending UK ban until at least 1st March. Clearly likely to go on longer.Just picking up your question at the end, the situation in 2020 for weeks 11 to 30 was different as Anfi was closed, along with all hotels, by decree of Spanish government.
No one knows yet how Anfi will respond if the Spanish ban on UK travel extends through for months, whilst Anfi still keeps partially open for those able to travel. Something the liaison committee will be discussing with Anfi management over the coming months, and Richard or Roger may wish to add in info.Hi Margaret
People seem to get cold calls in blocks – it has been quite widely reported that data leaked from Anfi some while ago and got into the hands of some timeshare claims companies.
Some Anfi UK members have reported cold calls on this Forum, and if you look on the Anfi Facebook groups there are quite a few people receiving cold calls.Within the Club there are only 4 people on the committee who have access to member records – and I’ve just checked your record, and unless you have just removed it, there is no landline or mobile number registered on your record?
Kind regards, Brian (Website Manager & Treasurer)
Hi Paul
Thanks, so the week you carried over from 2020 would be on a voucher from when Anfi was closed.At present Anfi are unwilling to give any flexibility about carrying fixed weeks, not in AVC, over into 2022 – however with your “voucher” week you can call Anfi and get them to cancel the booking and reinstate the voucher – Pam & I did that for the voucher we used for a May booking, and had the voucher reinstated – the vouchers, as you’ll know, are valid to end of 2022.
For your 2021 June fixed resale week the options are much more limited, unless Anfi have a change of heart so, bearing in mind we don’t know how travel restrictions will develop by June:-
– we have heard Anfi are looking at some potential compensation for weeks from 22nd Dec to week 13 2021 – but details are not likely to emerge for some months & potentially at a meeting in June (if restrictions continue, then perhaps Anfi may apply whatever policy emerges to weeks after 13 – no one can know) – or it may emerge savings are simply given as discounts against 2022 fees.
– Spain was hopeful to open up tourism from the summer, but the vaccine delays in Europe and covid variants may affect their aspirations
– currently Anfi will not let a resale fixed week owner carry forward their week, if they can’t travel or use their week.
– you could try and rent out the week, but clearly rentals will not pick up much until things ease (the Club offer free rentals for weeks up to end of June, if you wish to advertise, and the German Anfi site has rental adverts too that you could use)
– some members have reported being able to bank their privately purchased week(s) into RCI, but others have not been able to. The Club is doing some research into this at present.
If you can bank into RCI you have 2 years from the apartment week to use the RCI “trading power” you are awarded, to book another holiday.
(AVC members can bank into RCI, and AVC sent an email promoting this today)I hope this helps, albeit not too positive.
Kind regards, Brian
Dear Paul
Are you a fixed or floating week owner?
And as you’ve carried a week forward am I right in assuming you bought direct from Anfi? – and are in AVC?If you could confirm then it’s easier to give a more specific answer, or at least as much as we know right now.
Regards, Brian
Richard Weston has posted information today in another section, in reply to another query and worth reading for the context of the liaison committees and things under review at present – https://anfiukmembers.co.uk/forums/topic/points-contracts-and-cancellations/#post-62289
Hi Margaret
Further to David’s reply, as you may know, in the UK probate is what gives you the legal right to deal with the estate, not the will itself, though perhaps Anfi need proof of this for the people named in “probate”.Your brother-in-law sounds a good place to start, as Spanish law is different to UK, & I suspect, Belgium law.
As we all have to register copies of passport when staying at hotels in Spain and a number of European countries, perhaps your stepson is over concerned about the security issues, though your brother-in-law may be able to advise him.
Every time I have made a contract change with Anfi they have asked for proof of identity.For the voucher for week 9 you mention, I’m pretty sure Anfi will only give you this if you sign a new style contract. It is Anfi’s way of reducing the risk of claims against them. Weeks 11 to 30 2020 are covered under the lost weeks scheme, though you needed to apply by 31st July 2020.
If you lost out last March and this March, can Anfi do voucher for both?
(if you are in AVC and then you can just bank the 2021 week) though not last year if you lost out then.Kind regards, Brian
NB – for any UK members reading this, to add to what David said about a recipient declaring they do not wish to take up the inheritance – the beneficiaries can, within 2 years of the date of death, by mutual consent, vary the terms of the Will – each beneficiary needs to agree and there is a legal document to vary the Will – this could, for example, help any parents who wish to pass more of the estate onto their children.
Well worth thinking about if you are looking at passing more money onto children or other from an inheritance, as otherwise the money is actual or potential for a gift tax.
Hi Charles
Very good questions. I’m sure many members are having similar issues & perhaps not too many answers, yet!
Just a few comments from me and hopefully others will add their experiences – I would hope that the liaison committees will be raising these issues with Anfi formally, and I believe review of some issues is already being carried out
– for your lost points at end of 2020 – Anfi could have helped you to use these points to buy travel via Expedia for travel prior to 31st December 2020 (or RCI, see below).
And Anfi could do the same if you are not likely to use your points expiring this year. Via Expedia you can buy UK, or other, holidays, check with AVC for the details.
You can also use your points via RCI and need to contact AVC – there is info on the anfi.com members area about this under AVC Benefits – I’m not 100% sure how long to have to use the RCI “points”, but normally if you deposit a week with RCI you have 2 years to use it. This was meant to be a big benefit of points via AVC
https://members.anfi.com/avc/memberbenefits_points/?avc=memberbenefits– this year is tough so far travel-wise (though as I touched on at the start, we are in many ways lucky if this is the only problem we have)
– the fees are not the same, Anfi have given 10% reduction which is for the savings in August & September – the same savings for Oct – Dec would give another 15% in 2022 fees, plus whatever Anfi save Jan 21 onwards, so 2022 fees could see quite a discount.
– the fee reduction is not really fair as if, like you, you lost all your Anfi weeks, you get same discount as someone who could go
– members who couldn’t go when Anfi were closed, weeks 11 to 30, got 60% reduction of 2021 fee or a voucher for their lost weeksI think RCI and Expedia are are good way to alleviate issues for points and AVC floating weeks owners. Those who bought privately have few options.
I’ve heard that Anfi are looking at some compensation for those who lost weeks around Xmas and the first part of this year, though we may not know for some months what can be offered – doesn’t really address the problems that points and floating week members are likely to encounter.
Regards, Brian
Hi Margaret
Were your sons on the original contract as I’m not really following why Anfi want a copy of their passports? Unless you wish to sign a new fixed week contract, which is mainly of benefit to Anfi not you, then Anfi ought to take your late husbands name off the contract if you supply copy of death certificate. They can’t force you to sign a new contract just to make that change.
If your sons names are on original contract, you can pay a fee of about €100 to have the names on contract names updated. Again you can’t be forced to sign a new contract to do that. As David said ,Anfi will want id, and passports are the UK identity Anfi accept.
Are Anfi offering you anything extra to sign the contract? For example if you couldn’t use your week last and haven’t or can’t bank with AVC – a voucher? Or if you can’t use this year?
If you also own any resale weeks their might be other benefits Anfi could offer.I’m looking through a Beach Club fixed week “new” contract for another member who lives near me, I haven’t found anything onerous so far, but will finish looking through in next few days. In their case they aren’t in AVC and couldn’t use last year and are being offered a voucher.
The new contracts bring Anfi into line with timeshare law (and prevent you suing them in future!) – some members are more comfortable having contracts that have been updated to be in line with the timeshare law.
Regards, Brian
Perhaps something the liaison committee reps could raise on our behalf, it does seem harsh
Hi Helen,
Interesting that you bank, we are doing some notes for members about options if they can’t use their weeks this year, due to restrictions.
Could I ask if you are using RCI via AVC or are you a direct member of RCI
I can’t recall if you have resale Anfi weeks or direct onesI was looking at RCI online and having a little difficulty being able to register the Anfi week I want to bank.
Kind regards, Brian
thanks Helen – I hadn’t seen that you could pay without logging in – I’d missed the link at bottom of the Anfi webpage which goes to the link below – and you need the reference off your invoice – members who log in will, or should, see their actual invoices in the maintenance fees section, but this sounds a really good way to pay if the anfi.com website is playing up
https://anfi.com/en/maintenance-fee/example of 1 layout
Hi Alan
I posted your query on our members Facebook group, and Claire McLaren has kindly posted a set of layouts for Emerald – can you access our Facebook group? – https://www.facebook.com/groups/anfiukmembersclub
I will download the plans as well and perhaps we should assemble a set of layout plans for members
Kind regards, Brian
Good evening Haydn,
Happy to help and hope the rental advice is of assistance. You can of course place a resale advert with the Club (and/or with Wolfgang’s site) – the Club does charge £25 for resale adverts – though I have just refunded your rental advert payments 🙂
As long as you’ve been a member for over a year, which you have, and advertised with the Club, we do offer an Escrow style service were we hold the payment from the buyer to assist the sale process. Some people find this helpful and we’ve helped many members sell over the years. There is no charge for this service other than the fee for advertising.
We also have a guidance document on the sale process which is available to all members.As far as I know are accepting handbacks and a member told me they’d handed back a few months ago.
One point to be aware of is, if you do rent out your week, Anfi will not complete the sale process until the weeks rental has completed.
Regards, Brian
Hi Robert
I’ve not had a text, but a member on our Facebook group had one and some other members had calls or similar texts – I know you don’t use Facebook but I’ve copied the link below for those that do, and I’ve copied the first Facebook post so you can see the info:-
https://www.facebook.com/groups/anfiukmembersclub/permalink/1342166079473703
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11th Jan – Just received a text from 07937946495, which I presume is the Time Share Advice Centre, saying;
“4 Spanish branches of Europe (sic) largest timeshare company now in liquidation – what impact will this have on other resorts, will Anfi be next? Find out what action you need to take now!..”
You have the option of replying “Yes” or calling their 0800 number. Anyone else in receipt of this?
==============================also don’t overlook Wolfgang’s rentals site linked to the German Anfi Club which currently offers free rentals for adverts 6 weeks ahead of apartment date and may attract a different audience. More on this post
https://www.timeshare-markt.de/
Hi Haydn
Your adverts are for weeks 9 and 10 advertised on 20th December, and would have been outside our original offer i.e. 6 to 8 weeks ahead. However, seeing how things have changed since I published the offer mid-December, the committee agreed last week that we would offer free adverts for weeks up to the end of June. Things might, we all hope, be getting nearer to normal by then, at least the German tourist association thinks so, not sure about UK.
Hence I will be refunding your adverts fees, along with all other adverts for weeks to end of June. Please give me a week or so to work through this, as it isn’t a 5 minute job to cover everyone.
I would suggest with your weeks, unless you can bank them, you do consider other options such as putting into RCI (see other posts about this) which allows you to use RCI points up to 2 years from now and perhaps even use at Anfi.
As you will know travel and flights are very restricted from many countries. One member recently had firm interest from someone from Denmark for a March week. Czechoslovakia seems one of the few countries where people can currently travel (no doubt other members will put me right if I’m missing other countries!). I had an email a few days ago from a contact in Russia who was asking if I wanted to rent their March weeks as they are unable to go due to COVID restrictions (I was going to Anfi in March but we have, sadly, cancelled the 3 weeks we had booked)Any member wishing to place new adverts for weeks up to end June, please don’t pay, just draft advert and email me when you are ready to have it listed. I’ll put a new Forum topic and a News post about the updated offer and will include in next email to all members.
Kind regards, Brian – (treasurer@anfiukmembers.co.uk)
Wolfgang and I met up in November at Anfi and he showed me the work he’d been doing on his updated rental and resales site.
It is impressive and well worth a look (as well as the Anfi UK rentals adverts of course!!).
Wolfgang has the rentals/resales website he developed linked to the German club, which he mentions above.
Whilst the outlook for rentals in the short term may not be great, if you are thinking of advertising for the coming months or later this year, well worth looking at Wolfgang’s site (https://www.timeshare-markt.de/) as it may attract a different audience to the UK site.
A few members advertising recently with the Club have been successful so there is some interest out there, albeit much lower than normal years, and the ones reporting success are with people from mainland Europe wanting to rent.Brian
On BBC news today, they reported that on Thursday easyJet began cancelling holidays up to and including the 24th March – due to ongoing curbs and changing rules on international travel. The report does not mention if the cancellations apply to flight only bookings.
Currently the easyJet website shows quite a few flights in March and, not surprisingly, hardly any in February.
Spain has extended the ban on UK people going to Spain and Canary Islands from 19th Jan to 2nd Feb – see news on thelocal.es
Also on Canarian Weekly announced Jet 2 have cancelled all holiday flights until 25th March
The German tourism representatives believe that some travel with quarantine may be possible at Easter, and from May things will improve – let’s hope it’s the same for us!!
I’ll start a new normal for 2021 as this one from July has run its course – back then, didn’t expect to be in another stage of “new normal” going into 2021 🙂
Hi Robert
I’ve posted in our Facebook group as well, and so far the only people having problems is those who have a new contract pending signature.Have you been able see the payment link, as might be IT glitch which Anfi have had a few off recently. I know when I paid in December I had to log in two or three times before I saw my link, I’d assumed I’d overlooked it , bit like David found
Kinds regards, Brian
Dear Andy
Thanks for joining the Club, welcome – following our swap of emails your advert is now live – good luck!
I’m sorry the website advertising proved a challenge – there is help on the website and an short video – though for other members I’m copying a quick guide belowAlso, for other members, to recap on options to renting, as current climate is not too hopeful with lockdowns across Europe! :-
- If you have weeks that were directly purchased from Anfi you could join AVC, if not already a member, and bank the weeks
- If you are a resale owner, then consider RCI – some members have banked their weeks into RCI and then have 2 years to use the RCI “points”. But the sooner you bank the more “buying power” you get from RCI. One of our committee banked their January weeks back in November.
Kind regards, Brian
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Info for members on rental advert:-
Please note – if you advertised last year we are offering a rebate on the fee – see the News item. Short notice adverts are free, just draft advert, don’t pay, email me and I’ll make it go live.
To place an advert there is info in the FAQ section which I’ve copied here (it is very quick, less time than to read this!) :-
- There is also short guide in the Help section under the menu for My Club
The easiest way is:- - to ensure the week you want to advertise is added to Your Timeshares under your member profile (even if points or floating as you can edit the advert later).
- in the My Timeshare section of your account click to create a rental or resale advert the system copies your timeshare week into the advert
edit it as you need and there is a box for extra information - you don’t need to share your phone or email details unless you wish to as the system will forward enquiries to your email address (the email address you have stored in your member profile)
- save your advert as draft or click to list and pay for the advert (or contact me for free adverts which are for short notice weeks)
- You can return to your adverts at any time in the My Adverts section of your account
and another report and pictures of road closures – https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/roads-closed-storm-damage
Hi Bob – the islands have been using some tourist accommodation for migrants for some while and are working to move the migrants to alternative government accommodation and also have moved many to the mainland.
When I was out 2 months ago there were blocks around Puerto Rico being used. They are not been used illegally, at least the ones I’ve seen or heard about, the government has done deals with the property owners to use blocks that will otherwise be unoccupied.
Do you mind sharing where you’ve read about the “swamping of accommodation”?
Regards, Brian
Spain have announced they will be extending the current restriction on passenger travel from the UK (by air and sea) from 5th January to the 19th January with the exception of Spanish nationals and those legally resident in Spain. This includes flights from the UK to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands.
Canarian Weekly / also on the government travel advice site
