Guernsey Timeshare Information

Q. What is Time Ownership or Timeshare?

A. Time Ownership is a simple concept which lets you buy a holiday home for a fixed period just for the week or weeks that you want to use it, at a fraction of the cost of owning it all year round.

You buy only what you want, and pay for the upkeep only of the weeks you own. In other words, you own a share of the property which is yours until expiry of a particular scheme. Like in any other property, you can rent it out, give it away or bequeath it to your heir. For a modest investment, you have a holiday home all of your own.

Such long term planning has many advantages. First of all, you are very largely cushioned against rising costs. The cost of package holidays, hotel bills and holiday rentals is bound to go on rising. You will have already paid for your accommodation at today's prices.

Then there is the fact that several people are sharing the purchase price of your home. This means that you can enjoy an exceptionally high standard of holiday.

That goes for the settings and amenities too. Because you share all maintenance costs, they are reduced to a minimum. And of course the property is looked after all year round by the resident management team so you have no worries about security or the other normal problems of holiday home ownership. In almost every aspect Time Ownership is exactly the same as owning outright. It's your home. You have complete privacy. You can please yourself entirely. Entertain when you want or eat out.

For many people too there's the sheer pleasure of coming back regularly to a familiar and well-loved place, meeting friends and putting down roots in the community.

To receive written details of La Grande Mare Guernsey and timeshare
information please submit our online request form by clicking here > >

Q. How did Time Ownership originate?

A. The first Time Ownership scheme was in a Winter sports resort in France and started in 1966. The idea spread steadily in Europe and very quickly in the U.S.A. and it is now a widespread and accepted form of holiday purchase.

Time Ownership has been available in Britain since 1973 and is now a firmly established part of the holiday and leisure scene with some 3.700 resorts plus, available on the exchange network world-wide.

Q. Is Time Ownership a good investment?

A. If you mean is it a good basis for property speculation, the answer is no. You could well sell after a few years and show a good return, particularly in a development like La Grande Mare Guernsey, the only licensed and approved resort available in the Channel Islands. But essentially Time Ownership is an investment in leisure and pleasure.

There's a good argument for using capital which even in times of modest inflation is falling in value, to cut down on future expenditure, and should for example you decide to retire, you have a holiday home, paid for with affordable running costs.

Q. Time Ownership had been been described as inflation-proof holidays. Is that true?

A. The cost of a holiday is made up of a number of elements. Accommodation, travel, food, drinks and entertainment. Of these, accommodation and travel are the major parts.

When you buy a Time Ownership at La Grande Mare Guernsey you buy your accommodation at today's prices and at a destination close to home. After that, all it costs you is the annual maintenance charge. In that sense, you have certainly made a major part of the holiday inflationproof.

As you will be buying in Guernsey you will not be subject to any VAT on your purchase, annual maintenance charge, or any currency controls, nor will you have any worries about political stability.

Q. How do I benefit from Time Ownership?

A. Just think how much you paid for your holidays all those years ago, and how much you will pay in years to come. Take the normal tariff of a hotel with similar grading at £1,000 per week for 2 persons sharing. Add inflation at 10% over 15 years, you will have spent £31,795 on hotel accommodation alone. For a similar type of accommodation, prices on Time Ownership range from £1,828 for one week early in the year, for a 15 year Licence. You also have the assurance of knowing your holiday home is always available when you want it, and without all the fuss and bother of booking into an hotel that you know little about.

Q. Does the purchase price vary?

A. The price varies according to the number of weeks, the type of accommodation and the time of year required, also the length of time which you purchase. For example, a Full Term (2012) Licence or 10 year Licence is available in the Apartments, and Full Term (2019) or 15 year Licence, in the Hotel Suites. Obviously you would pay more for a high season week, than a low season. La Grande Mare Guernsey caters for all the seasons with a chance to take in the Islands' natural beauty whatever time of year. Christmas and New Year are also particularly well celebrated.

Q. Apart from the initial purchase price are there any other expenses?

A. To cover the cost of running the scheme you will pay an annual management fee. This fee will be kept to a minimum as it is calculated independently by Ansbacher Trustees Limited and yearly audited accounts with an estimate for the following year will be sent to you at the end of the year by the Trustee. The management fee covers the complete cost of Insurance of your holiday, of the buildings, furniture and equipment, window cleaning, upkeep of the grounds, rates and taxes, electricity, hot water and heating, administrative costs and fees. Weekly cleaning and changing of linen and rental of telephone and television are also included. Fees will vary according to the type of accommodation purchased. In every case, it will amount to a small fraction of maintaining a wholly owned second home.

Q. What were the previous management fees?

A. The Self Catering Apartments management fees for 1998 were £358.00. 1999 was £313.00, 2000 was £301.00, 2001 was £321.00, 2002 was £340.00.

The Hotel management fees were:

1998: B Type Suite £294.00, E Type Suite £367.00 and F Type Suite/2 bed P Type Suite £441.00.
1999: B Type Suite £286.00, E Type Suite £357.00 and F Type Suite/2 bed P Type Suite £428.00.
2000: B Type Suite £303.00, E Type Suite £379.00 and F Type Suite/2 bed P Type Suite £455.00.
2001: B Type Suite £325.15, E Type Suite £406.43 and F Type Suite/2 bed P Type Suite £487.72.
2002: B Type Suite £350.44, E Type Suite £438.05 and F Type Suite/2 bed P Type Suite £526.66.

Q. What about cleaning?

A. This is all arranged by the management company. To allow time for cleaning and refurbishment each weekly period starts at 5.00 pm on Saturday and finishes at 10.00 am the following Saturday. Should you decide to buy two weeks or more, arrangements would be made for the accommodation to be cleaned at some other suitable time.

Q. What if I want a change from time to time?

A. La Grande Mare Guernsey is affiliated to R.C.I. (Resort Condominiums International) which means that you can exchange your week or weeks at La Grande Mare for Time Ownership periods at any one of over 3,700 resorts around the world. You could go skiing in the best mountain resorts, go to the Caribbean in the Winter, or take to the excitement of Disney World in Florida. Because of the high standard at La Grande Mare and it's high demand, Time Ownership there qualifies you to exchange with the best Time Ownership resorts all over the world. The resort enjoys the accolade of Gold Crown from RCI. You may also opt to convert your fixed week to RCI points with freedom to exchange your points for short breaks, car hire, flights, insurance, a cruise etc.

When you buy at La Grande Mare Guernsey, there is a charge for RCI registration. After that, you can decide whether you want to pay the annual subscription or take advantage of a three or five year membership plan. If you make an exchange a fee is also charged for each week exchanged or points traded.

Q. What facilities are available at La Grande Mare?

A. Owners at La Grande Mare Guernsey benefit from the Hotel's facilities including: award winning restaurant, bar, heated outdoor swimming pool, spa pool, golf course, croquet, children's play area and guest laundrette. There is also an indoor health leisure suite, offering heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, gym, and tennis court. In the private grounds of La Grande Mare Guernsey owners may use the coarse fishing lake, in addition to other organised activities off the Resort including clay pigeon shooting and indoor bowls centre nearby. Beach casting is also very popular from the bay, as are windsurfing, snorkelling and diving.