The BBC's consumer programme, Rip Off Britain, has recently aired an investigation into the practices of Seasons Holidays, a timeshare company. The episode, broadcast on 19 May 2026, focused on the experiences of Margaret and Alan Eastel, a Scottish couple who were enticed into purchasing an '8 Keys' membership for nearly $41,000 (£34,000), believing it to be a profitable investment.

The investigation revealed that the couple, along with other Seasons Keys members, were led to believe they owned a share in a property and could expect to sell it at a profit. This was supported by Seasons' marketing materials, which stated, "you own a share of a property" and "you can genuinely expect to buy today and sell in the future at a profit." However, the couple later discovered that they did not own any share in the property, contradicting the marketing claims.

Rip Off Britain presenter Katie Saatchi highlighted that since 2011, it has been illegal to sell timeshare products as investments under the Timeshare Regulations. Despite this, all interviewed members reported that the product was marketed as an investment.

In response, Seasons Holidays stated that they never marketed the Keys products as an investment, a claim that appears inconsistent with their promotional materials. The company also informed the Eastels that any sale would depend on finding a buyer on the open market, with no guarantees.

Ultimately, Seasons managed to sell the property for $12,500 (£10,300), resulting in a $28,500 (£23,700) loss for the couple. Despite this, Margaret expressed satisfaction with the outcome. Greg Wilson, CEO of European Consumer Claims, praised Rip Off Britain's investigation and advised those who feel misled by timeshare companies to seek expert help

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