§ 93A-48.  Exchange programs.

(a) If a purchaser is offered the opportunity to subscribe to any exchange program, the developer shall, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, deliver to the purchaser, prior to the execution of (i) any contract between the purchaser and the exchange company, and (ii) the contract for sale, at least the following information regarding the exchange program:

(1) The name and address of the exchange company.

(2) The names of all officers, directors, and shareholders owning five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding stock of the exchange company.

(3) Whether the exchange company or any of its officers or directors has any legal or beneficial interest in any developer or managing entity for any timeshare project participating in the exchange program and, if so, the name and location of the timeshare project and the nature of the interest.

(4) Unless the exchange company is also the developer a statement that the purchaser's contract with the exchange company is a contract separate and distinct from the contract for sale.

(5) Whether the purchaser's participation in the exchange program is dependent upon the continued affiliation of the timeshare project with the exchange program.

(6) Whether the purchaser's membership or participation, or both, in the exchange program is voluntary or mandatory.

(7) A complete and accurate description of the terms and conditions of the purchaser's contractual relationship with the exchange company and the procedure by which changes thereto may be made.

(8) A complete and accurate description of the procedure to qualify for and effectuate exchanges.

(9) A complete and accurate description of all limitations, restrictions, or priorities employed in the operation of the exchange program, including, but not limited to, limitations on exchanges based on seasonality, unit size, or levels of occupancy, expressed in conspicuous type, and, in the event that such limitations, restrictions, or priorities are not uniformly applied by the exchange program, a clear description of the manner in which they are applied.

(10) Whether exchanges are arranged on a space available basis and whether any guarantees of fulfillment of specific requests for exchanges are made by the exchange program.

(11) Whether and under what circumstances an owner, in dealing with the exchange company, may lose the use and occupancy of the owner's timeshare in any properly applied for exchange without being provided with substitute accommodations by the exchange company.

(12) The expenses, fees or range of fees for participation by owners in the exchange program, a statement whether any such fees may be altered by the exchange company, and the circumstances under which alterations may be made.

(13) The name and address of the site of each timeshare project or other property which is participating in the exchange program.

(14) The number of units in each timeshare project or other property participating in the exchange program which are available for occupancy and which qualify for participation in the exchange program, expressed within the following numerical groupings, 1-5, 6-10, 11-20, 21-50 and 51, and over.

(15) The number of owners with respect to each timeshare project or other property which are eligible to participate in the exchange program expressed within the following numerical groupings, 1-100, 101-249, 250-499, 500-999, and 1,000 and over, and a statement of the criteria used to determine those owners who are currently eligible to participate in the exchange program.

(16) The disposition made by the exchange company of timeshares deposited with the exchange program by owners eligible to participate in the exchange program and not used by the exchange company in effecting exchanges.

(17) The following information which, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, shall be independently audited by a certified public accountant in accordance with the standards of the Accounting Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and reported for each year no later than July 1, of the succeeding year:

a. The number of owners enrolled in the exchange program and such numbers shall disclose the relationship between the exchange company and owners as being either fee paying or gratuitous in nature.

b. The number of timeshare projects or other properties eligible to participate in the exchange program categorized by those having a contractual relationship between the developer or the association and the exchange company and those having solely a contractual relationship between the exchange company and owners directly.

c. The percentage of confirmed exchanges, which shall be the number of exchanges confirmed by the exchange company divided by the number of exchanges properly applied for, together with a complete and accurate statement of the criteria used to determine whether an exchange requested was properly applied for.

d. The number of timeshares or other intervals for which the exchange company has an outstanding obligation to provide an exchange to an owner who relinquished a timeshare or interval during the year in exchange for a timeshare or interval in any future year.

e. The number of exchanges confirmed by the exchange company during the year.

(18) A statement in conspicuous type to the effect that the percentage described in sub-subdivision c. of subdivision (17) of this subsection is a summary of the exchange requests entered with the exchange company in the period reported and that the percentage does not indicate a purchaser's/owner's probabilities of being confirmed to any specific choice or range of choices, since availability at individual locations may vary.

The purchaser shall certify in writing to the receipt of the information required by this subsection and any other information which the Commission may by rule require.

(b) The information required by subdivisions (2), (3), (13), (14), (15), and (17) of subsection (a) of this section shall be accurate as of December 31 of the year preceding the year in which the information is delivered, except for information delivered within the first 180 days of any calendar year which shall be accurate as of December 31 of the year two years preceding the year in which the information is delivered to the purchaser. The remaining information required by subsection (a) of this section shall be accurate as of a date which is no more than 30 days prior to the date on which the information is delivered to the purchaser.

(c) In the event an exchange company offers an exchange program directly to the purchaser or owner, the exchange company shall deliver to each purchaser or owner, concurrently with the offering and prior to the execution of any contract between the purchaser or owner and the exchange company the information set forth in subsection (a) of this section. The requirements of this subsection shall not apply to any renewal of a contract between an owner and an exchange company.

(d) All promotional brochures, pamphlets, advertisements, or other materials disseminated by the exchange company to purchasers in this State which contain the percentage of confirmed exchanges described in sub-subdivision c. of subdivision (17) of subsection (a) of this section must include the statement set forth in subdivision (18) of subsection (a) of this section. (1983, c. 814, s. 1; 2001-487, s. 23(k); 2021-163, s. 1(c); 2021-192, s. 5(a).)