HARRISBURG, PA – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced a lawsuit against Split Rock Investments, LLC, and SCH USA, LLC, which operate under the name “Bel Air Owner’s Circle,” for deceptive practices related to timeshare ownership at the Split Rock Resort in Lake Harmony, PA.
The lawsuit alleges that Bel Air made reservations difficult for timeshare owners, provided accommodations different from what was promised, and in some cases falsely claimed downgraded accommodations were “upgrades.” Additionally, the suit claims Bel Air charged excessive fees and used unlawful tactics to collect these fees.
Significant charges include imposing maintenance fee increases above the 7.5% annual cap, charging usage fees for unused recreational facilities, and levying a Mexican VAT tax of 16%, despite neither the resort nor the consumers being located in Mexico. The defendants also reportedly refused to terminate timeshares of deceased members, continuing to bill maintenance fees and assess late charges.
Moreover, the lawsuit accuses the defendants of violating the Pennsylvania Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act through oppressive and harassing methods to coerce payment of fees. One incident involved a threat to send a consumer’s account to collections, potentially impacting job opportunities and credit for major purchases.
Attorney General Henry seeks restitution for affected consumers, civil penalties, and an injunction to prevent further harm. She also advises consumers to deal only with licensed real estate brokers, understand all terms and conditions, be wary of high-pressure sales tactics, and report suspected deceptive timeshare practices to the Bureau of Consumer Protection.
