Azure remediation information

Azure customers notice

From 2006 to 2018, Clydesdale Financial Services Ltd (CFSL), trading as Barclays Partner Finance (BPF), funded loans for timeshares sold via Azure.

Following a thorough review of the complaints we’d received about the Azure timeshare loans, it’s come to light that Azure didn’t consistently meet the standards we expect our credit brokers to provide to our customers when selling timeshares/loans or providing services to customers. We’re really sorry about this – and how long it’s taken to get to this point.

We made the decision in 2022 to refund all the payments and fees to customers who’d expressed their dissatisfaction to us and that we would write to all remaining Azure customers to ask if they had any concerns with their loan or timeshare product so we could put it right – along with an explanation of how this issue may impact their timeshares and the options available to them.

As we’d already remediated customers with loans taken out between 1st April 2014 and 24th April 2016, the above only applied to customers outside of this period.

If you’ve been affected by this issue, you should have received a letter from us in connection with this activity. We have now completed the majority of the initial outreach to customers - completion of this work is dependent on receiving customer responses.

Below is some information that could help you with any questions you may have.

We’re putting things right by contacting all customers who have been or may have been affected by this issue. We have now completed over half of our communications and of our payment execution.
Having completed the vast majority of the initial communications to the Azure customer population, we’re now handling the remaining cases which do tend to be more complex in nature; (e.g. where we have a deceased customer and we need to identify Personal Representatives). The remaining cases are being worked through in Q1 2023. If at this time you have still not received anything, please contact us on 0808 169 8876 so that we may look into this for you.
If you've already expressed dissatisfaction about your loan agreement or Azure timeshare to Barclays, we’ll be:

cancelling your loan agreement

refunding all payments made to date, including any interest, fees and charges (plus 8% interest)

removing any adverse entries on your credit file related to your loan

explaining your options in respect of the timeshare

If you haven’t expressed your dissatisfaction to Barclays, we’ll write to you to ask if you have concerns about your timeshare product, so we can put it right.
If you want to make an additional loss claim, we’ll look at this on a case-by-case basis.
No, you don’t need to do anything until you receive a letter from BPF. This letter will detail the next steps you need to take and will include a phone number should you have any queries.
The refunds we are making are directly for loans financed by BPF for the purchase of a timeshare membership with Azure. If you held other Azure loans these may have been within the period of 1^st April 2014 to 24^th April 2016 and these will have already been dealt with separately as part of refund activity in 2022. For any other loans you feel relate to your Azure timeshare purchase then we would need your help in identifying these loans – please include these as part of any additional loss claims along with relevant information for us to review.
If you still have an active [ARL/ASL] timeshare membership purchased with finance from BPF - you’ve a choice about what you want to do with it.

You can choose to cancel the timeshare by completing the Vacation Club Membership Request to Relinquish form which will be enclosed with your letter; OR

You can choose to keep the timeshare. You should think carefully before deciding to keep your timeshare as if you decide to keep it there is no guarantee you’ll be able to sell this in the future and there is no guarantee you’ll be able to sell it for profit. Additionally, you’ll be responsible for all ongoing obligations under the timeshare agreement, such as the payment of maintenance fees.
Some of the loans date back to 2006, and many customers haven’t had a relationship with Barclays for many years, so it has in many cases taken some time to identify their current address.
We’re sorry for the time it took for us to reach these conclusions.

Initially, we conducted a review of the loans approved during the period when Azure Services Ltd should have been, but was not, FCA authorised.

Since that time, we’ve carried out a thorough and detailed review of complaints from customers who took out Azure timeshare loans outside of the 2014 – 2016 period. We came to the conclusion that Azure didn’t always meet the high standards we expect from our lending partners.
We stopped providing loans for timeshare in 2018. We’ve also significantly improved our oversight of the companies we have relationships with, and their staff.
Yes, we’ll be remediating all customers impacted, regardless of the current status of their account.
We’re focusing all our efforts on remediation and getting payments to our customers as soon as possible.

Customers who have an open loan balance and have expressed dissatisfaction to us will see their balance set to zero as part of the remediation. This will cancel out any need for them to make further payments.

In the meantime, please continue making monthly payments for your timeshare loan until we let you know that your loan balance has been set to zero.
Yes, we’ve discussed our approach on Azure timeshare loans with the FCA.
No, you only need to respond to us when we write to you, with any concerns you may have with your timeshare product. If you do choose to use a solicitor or a claims management company, they may charge a fee for their services.

Azure remediation information

Azure customers notice

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