[PRFire press release] -- TATOC, known as the Timeshare Association, is introducing to consumers the opportunity to use a mediation service to further strengthen their successful consumer helpline facility presently offered.

TATOC is a consumer based Association formed as a notforprofit company in 1989. Its principle objective is to safeguard and enhance the timeshare holiday experience for existing and prospective users and to be the voice of timeshare owners. In line with its commitment to consumers TATOC is introducing to consumers the opportunity to use a mediation service to further strengthen the Helpline facility presently offered.

The Helpline is open to ALL consumers and offers information and assistance where possible, to help consumers resolve their problems within the timeshare industry. Although very successful there are times when the information does not assist in totally resolving the problem.

Mediators do not provide a judgement of the dispute. The mediator assists the parties in reaching an agreement. Mediation does not prevent any party from taking matters further within the law.

TATOC can provide a list of persons who are qualified or have experience of mediation and certain lawyers have been approached to see if they are prepared to be included in the list. It is the responsibility of the mediator to inform client how they would carry out the mediation. It is not the intention that TATOC recommends any particular lawyer or mediator; the consumer or committee will be given a list of TATOC approved mediators who have agreed to abide by the following parameters.

The requirements of a mediator are to provide:-

1.To undertake to maintain client confidentiality and to ask the parties to enter into a confidentiality agreement prior to mediation.
2.To refuse to take on any mediation where there may be a conflict of interest.
3.To provide a quote for costs and fees related to the amount of the claim and possibly to charge a maximum fee of £250 to an individual consumer where the claim is valued at less than £5,000.

The following mediators are available:

Chris Bannister - United Kingdom
Gregory Rowcliffe Milners
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(00 44 ) 207 242 0631

Vera Liprandi - Canary Islands
DeCotta McKenna Santaf
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(00 34) 922 719 520

Sandra Wrightson - Spain
DeCotta McKenna Santaf
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(00 34) 952 93 17 81

John Hughes - United Kingdom
Shakespeare Putsman LLP
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(00 44) 0121 237 3000

Alex Radford - Spain
Irwin Mitchell Abogados
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(00 34) 952 209 860

TATOC, the Timeshare Association, was TATOC was formed in 1989 and is the only elected consumer association representing the interests of timeshare owners in Europe. Member resorts are located across Europe giving TATOC access to over 250,000 timeshare-owning families. The mission of TATOC is to safeguard and enhance the timeshare holiday experience for existing and prospective users and to be the voice of owners. In 2010, TATOC has focused not only on increasing the membership base but also raising the profile of the Association, establishing TATOC as the recognized voice of the timeshare consumer and an informed point of contact.