RCI Class Action Lawsuit, Murillo vs. R.C.I.
RCI weeks members should be aware of developments regarding a possible class action lawsuit that is currently undergoing the class certification discovery process. The lawsuit is related to an alleged practice through which RCI takes out a lot of the gold crown, and highly sought after properties to rent out to the general public for profit, or for use as a fringe benefit for RCI employees and special guests. This skimming of available weeks makes it difficult for RCI timeshare resort weeks members to bank weeks for exchange at other resorts, since the availability pool is severely limited by this activity.
It is a well-known fact that RCI weeks members experience a great amount of difficulty when trying to find comparable exchanges within the RCI system. The plaintiffs in this law suit are asking for an injunctive relief through which RCI would be required to provide notice to Weeks Program members about RCI’s rental practices, as well as other relief, including reimbursement of the profits RCI has earned as a result of the alleged wrongful practices.
The class action suit was originally filed in May of 2006 so we can expect it to be quite some time before this case would go to trial. The current status of the case seems to be tied up with uncovering evidence to show that the lawsuit can hold its weight in the courtroom, and this could take quite some time – usually years. If you are a weeks member that wishes to be included if the lawsuit is heard in a court of law you do not need to do anything. All weeks members will receive relevant literature regarding the case by mail prior to the trial date, and at that time you will have the option to opt out of the case – which basically means you will not be held to any of the binding litigation that comes as a result of the trial.
This lawsuit should prove interesting, especially considering that RCI has financial interest in two companies that rent out timeshare weeks to the general public – Snap Travel and Leisure Link. I am not sure if they have controlling interest in SnapTravel and LeisureLink, but I look forward to hearing them try to talk themselves out of the accusations of selling highly sought after time share resort properties to non-members while RCI members are forced to trade their weeks for stays at resorts that can be considered mediocre at best.
UPDATE: RCI may be trying to settle this case out of court. On July 8, 2008 a settlement conference was held in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, and another was held July 15, 2008 in Federal Court in Newark, NJ. We are still waiting to see what the next steps are in the case, and if they did agree on terms for settlement.
This just makes me wonder – if RCI really believes they have done nothing wrong, and have nothing to hide, why wouldn’t they be requesting a trial date??
LATEST UPDATE: December 2008, it appears Murillo and RCI have reached a settlement. No word yet on whether or not this has been approved, but if approved, this settlement will allow RCI members to search prior to depositing a week. RCI will also be required to disclose trading power in all relevant situations (which, to me, would seem like any instance in which a trade is being processed). Please see the post – Murillo vs. RCI Settlement Conditions – for the verbose outline of the settlement agreement, and what you, as an RCI member, may be entitled to.
Tim above says he tried to deposit a Mexico week for the 4th of July period and he was angered because RCI counted it as a January week. I’m not sure how this could come about, but he should be grateful if this did happen. January in Mexico, when the weather is not so extremely hot, hurricane season is over, and tourists are trying to leave the snow belt, should be a much better trader than July! If RCI has any clout with his resort, they may have asked for the January week because of the higher demand. I hope it will do well for Tim and family.
As someone else said, we are getting many complaints here which have nothing to do with RCI. They are resort specific. RCI is only an exchange company which, admittedly, rents out some of its expiring or excess inventory. Where can it get excess inventory if RCI is doing 1 for 1 exchanges? Resorts with unsold units give it to them in order to bring in sales prospects who have actually experienced the resort they want to sell and not just “3 days and 2 nights” in a nearby motel. This is called “marketing”. Some resort chains will accept an “alien” week from one of their members in exchange for one of their own weeks. That also goes into the exchange company. (I got a 3BR in Spain which Mayan in Mexico deposited in exchange for my 2BR, so I KNOW this can happen.)
I do wish that exchange companies would list all their sources up front and clearly. Unfortunately, lawyers get involved and end up stating everything so obscurely that the general reaction tends to be “Huh?”
I had no idea the problem was with RCI, but several other people I talked to about time shares said they are with Interval and have no problems, always get the exchange they want. Our last few years exchanges have been wasted because we could not exchange! That is a lot of wasted money!
Perhaps the owners should exchange with each other. It would be better than the job RCI does. Does anyone know if we can replace RCI with another exchange company. I have always felt that my weeks were being sold because I have called the resorts in the RCI book and they were available to rent but were not available for me to do an exchange. RCI and the sales people are selling more timeshares but don’t have enough resorts available to accomodate existing owners. I called my own timeshare and it was for rent at a hefty price.
I have been an RCI member about 16 years. My timeshare is Tahoe Beach and Ski Club. I have been unable to get any real exchanges. I have had to pay to extend my weeks or lose them. I did get an exchange to Mexico right after 9/11, but I did not get the exchange I requested. The room we received was next to the elevator and the bedroom flooded everytime it rained. It truly was a dump. The hotel and RCI were not helpful and did not change our room. I confess 2 years ago I did go to Las Vegas and stayed at the Grandview. I was told the only reason I got the exchange was because of the slow economy. I was required to go on a 90 minute presentation which lasted about 3 hours. They were trying to get me to convert to points and pay more money. I have to pay RCI fees and maintenance fees to VRI (They came on the scene years later, plus $189 exchange fees. I pay more then the trip I would have gotten from the second rate hotels they send me to. I have only been on a few trips because RCI and VRI make it difficult to make exchanges, so I have to call the same numbers and be transfered to some one who really can’t help me.
We have a floating week in a gold crown location in Mexico. We have banked it a few times with RCI and can never find a location we are interested in going. I was told RCI abritrally assign a low requested week to the week we bank; so the last time I booked the 4th of July and a month later I banked it; and RCI turned the week into early January. I did not know they could rent the rooms for a profit. That’s pretty underhanded
Not true……….if you have a floating week, you have to call the resort to assign you a week. Most resorts bank the week for you. So, if you called the resort to get an assigned week, RCI would bank that week, exactly as you gave it to them….
I didn’t assign my floating week one year; when I banked it; it was assigned a less than desirable week.
Next year I booked it for the week of 4th of July; then a month later I banked it; it was reassigned to a less than desirable week
Sooo… that was probably the resort’s action?
The few times I have used RCI (I stopped because it was useless) I had an Emerald level membership and could NEVER get the equivalent. I usually got something so much less than I owned. One time we were sleeping on a Murphy bed next to the refrigerator and the only way to the bathroom was to crawl over the bed. Most of the time I couldn’t get the dates we needed. Over a 5 year period, we had over 5-6 bonus weeks and never were abel to use them. I know others that have never had a problem, but we just got tired of trying….I would never bank with them again.
I’ve got one for you. We JUST left the Silverleaf where we own one week. After the standard 90 min. hardcore sales pitch, we say we’re leaving….”no, I’ll get fired if you don’t talk to” this second round suitboy…waiting…waiting…finally, after, “no”, “NO”, and “NO!”, to their “offer” to “upgrade” (for, like, $40,000), “I,ll be right back to sign you out” he says. …waiting…waiting… On his return we explain that we just bought our dream home in the highest priced real estate area in Florida (last year #2(?) in the United States!), “oh, you’ll get tired of THAT…”, “we’re not going to talk about THAT, NOW”, he says, as he blabs on. I say, “well, we’re no going to talk anymore about” his (pitch). He says, I know when I’ve been insulted”, and storms out. I’ll tell you what I think he “knew”…we weren’t buying!! We insulted NO ONE, unless refusals are now insults. I’ll tell about what insulted us…we pay $42, I believe it is, per month for maintenance, along with 51 other owners, per year, I presume…equals over $2000 a year. Our “room”? Ha! …Water spots on the ceiling needed painted, doors were hard to open because bottom seals were shot, every single step we took, the floor squeaked (!), etc., etc.. I guess basketball sized cobwebs aren’t maintenance… How much is paint per gallon, now… $2500? Why do they continue inviting us (saying we “must” come to be “updated”), even after swearing more than once, we’d be on the absolutely don’t call list? Well…some people probably upgrade…some smoke (in the room?). Cost/”fine”? $150. Some bring pets ($75). Some don’t bring pet vaccinations records (another $75). It seems it must be OK if your pet is deadly contagious, as long as you pay, they can stay. On one visit I was called a lousy parent by a red-faced 400 pound (?) man, because we wouldn’t upgrade to points, even though earlier that year we went on a week cruise, and a trip to…I believe that year was Hawaii…many peoples’ trip(s) of a lifetime. This is on top of most of the above mentioned problems others have experienced! I believe we’ve had enough. Where is civility? WHERE IS THE JUSTICE? I guess I didn’t pay enough to the right people to get THAT.
My husband and I bought RCI POINTS and its been nothing but a NIGHTMARE. They limited the availability to use your points for airline tickets for one. Second, as I look on line at their resort directories– what a joke! Almost NONE of them are RCI Points resorts so you have to pay 189 booking fee. Their customer services isn’t customer service. W/ ONE exception, a man named James, every single person i’ve talked to there has been incredibly rude and downright mean and condescending at times- by anyone’s standards. I called again to inquire about the points for airfare to see if they would work w/ us and i got a call back from James saying he heard I wasn’t happy w/ what he offered–no, but it was better than what it was. Then he said if I continued to call about plane tickiets, he would reverse the assistance he gave me and I would lose my points. I believe a supervisor made hi make this call. My husband and I spent thousands w/ them only to be able to use ONE airline ticket. That’s one expensive ticket, I’ll tell you that. POINTS MEMBERS NEEED THEIR OWN CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT! Any lawyers on here???
We agree with Dan. Is it too late to join forces with the Weeks group since we have exactly the same problems with RCI and the same questions we would like answered. We have been with RCI for over 20 years but the past few years have been hugely unsatisfactory. we changed to the Points scheme on the promise that it would offer a better deal but, if anything, it is worse.
We have experienced most of the issues listed by the other bloggers and the frustration of trying to get something halfway reasonable in exchange for points whilst seeing wonderful places offered for rent. As for contacting customer service – you get the rote replies and realise that it’s impossible to get an honest and personal reply to your queries.
How about a class action lawsuit for RCI Points holders? It’s even more impossible to get a good location. Usually the only thing available is some place in Kansas or whatever (yeah yeah there’s always the places in Mexico but they’re all All-Inclusives and the points don’t cover that and they charge over a hundred dollars a day each for the All-Inclusive part which is about what you’d pay for the room included if you just booked the whole thing yourself). I’ve been trying to book a room in London for years, which is why I got into this thing in the first place, and even first thing in the morning on the day exactly as far in advance as you are allowed to book, the room is unavailable. I don’t think it actually exists. If RCI is advertising the Hotel it should damn well include every room in the hotel, not just the crappy one right beside the noisy elevator. Lots of luck getting anywhere with that though. It’s exactly the same as Air Miles points that only offer three seats on any given flight, even if the flight is mostly empty.
Sign me Pissed Off and Ripped-Off.
Frankly, I am sick of Timeshare and RCI. Trading can be a nightmare. Recently my family and I had exchanged my scheduled week for a week in Fort Lauderdale. When I reseached my designation I was told that we had too many people and could not stay. At 7:30 pm what was I to do. Two years ago I took the same people with me (2 adults and 3 small children). The number of people with me was not a problem before. I had driven 12 hrs and the resort staff acted nonchalant. We were finally placed at a resort on the beach. The location was nice but the resort was not class A. I had complained about the room because of Bees but was never offered to be transferred to a different location. To top things off we came home with a souvenir—SCABIES. Five weeks after our vacation and a trip to the doctor, we are still battling the creatures. I have complained to RCI and their response was issuing me a complaint number and nothing else.
Because of Fire codes, the maximum occupancy is strictly enforced. If you had taken the same number of people the year before, you would not have gotten in. My husbandis a Captain wiht a fire company in our town, so I know all about occupancy codes. You did not complain to RCI, if you had called, they would have called you back. It is their poolicy to call the member back within about 2 hours of a complaint. So you are not telling the truth.
RCI is a bunch of crooks. For example, over the last few years I have requested and received my exchange for a Disney property using Interval International usually within a month or two. I purposely choose the least popular week (48) to do this. This year having been forced to RCI, I made my request the first week of 2009, again for week 48. I have been told on a number of occassions that my request will be difficult to fill and once was told that it will not be filled. What makes this worse is that when I search RCI’s website, the week I requested is available for purchase and had been for months. They are criminals, plain and simple.
Include us in the lawsuit. We have the same problems like all the above.
If you wish to be enlightened on the latest in timeshare scams, just google “Raintree Complaints” where you will be taken to a board with many interesting comments on Raintree’s attempt to levy a substantial Special Assessment. Members are outraged and fighting back by simply refusing to pay.
How do we join this class action suit? We have been RIPPED OFF for the past 5 years or so — we have a Goldcrown Red week and can NEVER exchange it for anything! All we do is bank our week (years in advance) with RCI, pay our annual fee in advance, then when we can’t get an exchange keep paying the ‘extension’ fee. Now we are facing losing some of our weeks. We are just paying through the nose and getting NO VALUE from it. RCI seems to be selling our weeks to other outside revenue paying customers. WHAT A SCAM! I can’t believe no court is willing to compensate the members and PUNISH RCI for their unethical and probably illegal behavior! Any update on the class action lawsuit? How do we sign up?
Where is your proof???
We have had these problems with Silverleaf, and Bluegreen lied about its properties’ locations when we joined them last year. We want to get rid of these two timeshares and get as much of our money back as possible. We plan to sell these timeshares within the next few weeks. Will that jeopardize our joining this lawsuit? RCI is a really bad company.
I have had a very negative experience with Bluegreen. I live in Florida and purchased from a sales center in St. Augustine back in 2007. Would you please tell me about your experience with Bluegreen? I am looking for other people who have encountered difficulty through their business transaction with Bluegreen. I am trying to gather these complaints to prepare a file with documentation so I can contact the Florida Attorney General’s Office about these situations in the very near future. I urge you to respond ASAP. It would be so important to many many people. If you know anyone else in a similar situation with Bluegreen, please let them know to contact the Florida Attorney General right away to file a complaint.
If you have any questions for me, please e-mail me.
The latest scam this pack of corporate pickpockets has come up with is; the property owners are promoting change your weeks program with RCI to a points
program for the astounding low price of $2995.00.
You’ll still be with RCI just $3000.00 poorer. That tells me they are totally in the same game and are trying to wiggle around a tricky lawsuit that may tarnish them all, and line their pockets at the same time.
It is NOT RCI that is talking you into switching to points, it is the RESORT……….RCI does NOT buy or sell Timeshares. If you are asked to “upgrade” to points, that is on the resort, NOT RCI. The salespeople are trying to make a sale and if you are foolish enough to fall for it, why blame RCI? You have no clue what you are doing and now you want to blame RCI……..that is insane! Did RCI tell you you can have XXXX or go XXXX? No, they did not……..the RESORT salespeople told you that.
Extra vacations are that…..units NOT OWNED by anyone are put into RCI’s rental inventory by the RESORT!!!!!! Do any of you know anything about baseball cards? Think about this: I own a Mickey Mantle rookie card….why would I TRADE you for Rube Walker when I can sell Mickey for big bucks??? Timeshares are the same.
I own at 2 weeks at the Galleon resort and 3 weeks at the Manhattan Club. Guess what? I deposit 1 week for the Manhattan Club with RCI. I NEVER trade the others in RCI because I can rent them myself for 3 times my maintenence fees….why would I trade them when I can make money renting them out?
In order to be qualified as a “gold crown”, the resort has to HAVE an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, washer/dryer & dishwasher in each unit. If they are missing any of these, they DO NOT qualify for gold status….so, my question is, WHY, if you want “beach front/ocean view” property, do you have to have an indoor/outdoor pool?
You didn’t look before you leapt and now you want to blame someone for it. Instead of crying foul to RCI, start with the resort!
cc states “I own at 2 weeks at the Galleon resort and 3 weeks at the Manhattan Club. Guess what? I deposit 1 week for the Manhattan Club with RCI.”
The Murillo vs RCI lawsuit was precisely about what RCI does with the 1 week of the Manhattan Club that you deposit with them. Is it put in the exchange pool? Never! It is ALWAYS rented: either a 4-night rental or a 3-night rental.
I have seen nothing to indicate that RCI discontinued their practice of renting high demand exchange deposits.
We can never get good accomodations in Europe. Either they are places requesting paying for massages- a very expensive price- or they are located high in the mountains, in ski resorts for the summer time. We are very disappointed with RCI after almost 30 years of being members.
I already wrote to them and told them they must not offer ski resorts in the summer. there is nobody and every store is closed. The one assigned to us in ISOLA in France has only one restaurant. You cant imagine the prices there. The place was completed isolated and did not have any amenities.The people at the front door were not present. As a consequence, we have to leave the place and pay for a hotel. All this after having paid for our exchange and membership. We feel very disappointed. When you look at some places now for the summer- June and July- these months don t even appear on the screen for the summer. The same happens with 2013. We need to be heard. We don’t know what to do, but we are paying money!! and we are not satisfied really. Even in London, they offer boat houses. What is this? I read comments that there are even robberies there and that the boat houses they assign are far away, not the really nice ones!! In France, there is nothing available. The two available are with massage and a person has to pay for the TREATMENT!! 400 or 500 or 600 dollars, ridiculous!
I agree. Plus the units – even domestic now charge a service fee. Really!! So pay tour maintenance. Points for exchange and a service fee!
Does anyone involved with the lawsuit have PROOF, other than “Boo-Hoo, I didn’t get what I wanted”? I have YET to see anything on these “updates” that shows proof of what you are claiming. Where is the proof, other than, “Well, I know this guy who has a friend that said his cousin’s ex knows this guy that said his brother thinks maybe someone told him that they didn’t get what they wanted so somebody did something wrong!!” Show me the proof…
All I have read on this site is “I want what I want when I want it.” Can you say “temper tantrum????”
Did you know that you can call RCI and ask how many units have been deposited for any given resort in any given year? Have any of you done that?
Everything I have read here states that you are unhappy. okay, I get that……THESE ARE NOT HOTELS!!!! You do not check in Saturday and check out Sunday.
Here’s a thought……cancel your RCI membership, go to your own resort every year for the week that you are paying for and you will never be unhappy again.
If this lawsuit is anything like the last one, you are going to get a $20.oo coupon added to your account and the lawyers are going to get big bucks… you are still not going to get what you want, when you want and what will you do then? Initiate another lawsuit? Grow up folks!!!!!
I’m not sure if this message will even get out, since I am responding to an email notice that I received. I have a long history with RCI (since 1984) and I think I have a fairly good idea of the situation.
I knew the original class action suit against RCI would not end up being a great ending, having been included in other such suits in my lifetime. From my observance, there are many complicated factors involved. I recall my first few years were exciting and rewarding because I was able to accommodate my desires on trades. I even got to know the headquarters staff through many calls and in working out details. That was when the business was still basically a one location operation.
Over the past thirty years things have changed drastically. I had about twenty good years of meeting my exchange requests and enjoyed the program. Its only in the past decade had I started to complain to myself and some others that I was no longer able to get the services and experiences like before. I saw the “points” system evolve and the “new” sales pitch to go that way. I saw the evolution of the RCI rental program evolve and I started studying the changes taking place that no longer afforded me the opportunities to make exchanges that I had enjoyed in the past. I noticed that when I even did all of the correct things (requesting a year in advance, space banking my week as early as possible, etc.) I was still unable to get even a reduced quality type of unit for any time period within a month of when I wanted to travel (i.e. in the Northwestern States during the summer) I started noticing that RCI had a significant list of units available for rental in the same locations and time periods where I wanted to exchange.
So, between the points concepts (versus my weeks) and the lack of timeshare trades, it became apparent that RCI was actually supporting a system that competed against itself as far as timeshare owners were concerned. I decided to run for board of directors for one of my resorts to get closer to some of the decisions and issues involving the resort itself as well as the relationship with RCI. In that process, I was contacted by many owners from all over the country who saw my information on the election ballot. Many of those people had many of the same concerns with unavailable trades as well as the commitment to the resort for their lifetime and their heirs lifetime for maintenance fees and other liabilities for possible resort damages through natural disasters. With all of these types of concerns arising out of many members (especially the older seniors) it seems the timeshare systems have evolved more toward the corporate benefits and have left the owners in the dust.
I must admit that I have observed some recent changes that RCI has made that seems to be better in utilization, but I’m still amazed at the number of people who are still paying $15K-30K for a week in a resort with all of the issues that have arisen over the past few years. However, many resorts have now formed corporate structures that include many different resorts within their own circle that allows owners to access those resorts without the need for RCI to be involved. Unlike II (which I also have used) RCI still seems to have the larger assembly of resorts and still affords some benefits that are more reasonable than II. My advice to future purchasers of condo timeshares would be to be very careful of paying more than $2000 for anything anywhere, where there are many people willing to sell them on eBay to get rid of them and escape the maintenance fees. The timeshare trade business is still a great way to get access to some very nice resorts with lots of benefits and amenities that aren’t available in a majority of hotels with significantly higher room rates. As far as another class action law suit. I think it just makes more money for the lawyers (as suggested by more than contributor to this posting site). Our world is controlled by the many corporate wealthy (my political view) and we are all just a bunch of pawns in the mix of the big money wheel.
If you are like me, hopefully you had a few years of real enjoyment out of the program and you can avoid the pitfalls that have caught up some of the owners. I can see some of my younger family members still enjoying the fruits of travel and ownership, but it just depends on your scheduling capabilities, freedom to travel and financial status as to how well you can enjoy the program.
My timeshare is with Vacation Village. and when i asked if I can trade within Vacation Village without RCI I did not have the option. Fell for the scam of converting from weeks to points and now there is a preferred points system. Either way, I believe the resorts as well as RCI are really getting the best deal and we have a limited supply.
Why is it that RCI can have vacation weeks for rent when you cannot get them with your point system? if I could I would have RCI pay me back in full for the timeshare and just walk away.
Actually, RCI really didn’t sell you the timeshare. The resort sold you the timeshare (Vacation Village) and you were just told how nice it would be to trade your points to use in other locations through RCI. The reality is that RCI only has so many “tradable” units, because some people don’t spacebank their weeks, some people rent out their weeks, some people don’t use RCI anymore, etc. and therefore it is more difficult to trade.
Unfortunately, one question that isn’t addressed enough by buyers is “will you buy back the unit for a ?? amount if I want out?”. Very few will do that, and most would give you a tiny amount if any at all.
when I purchased at Vacation Village they promised to help me sell my timeshare in AC. What a joke. never happened. still have my ac timeshare.
Granted, many weeks do not trade in their time so it is not available, yet RCI is renting them out on great weeks rather than allowing members to use their points. that is wrong.
I would agree with the fact that its too bad you can’t get access to the “unsold” weeks that the timeshare resort still has available for sale. They just want to get the equivalent of their maintenance fees out of each unit while they otherwise sit empty from ownership. I know some resorts do allow their owners to rent additional weeks at the home resort, or if they are affiliated with a chain, they may allow you to rent additional weeks at the sister facilities. In my case, I had two facilities that were independent timeshares and it had to be there or traded through RCI. I own another that is affiliated with both, so I took the II route there in order to take advantage of both organizations. I have found that II is a little more expensive in rental prices and has less resorts to chose from. Another way to compensate, if you have the time and are somewhat flexible in schedule is to use their short term booking and pick up some opportunities there. Everyone has their own desires, timing issues and recreational needs. I have just given up on trying to go to Hawaii or places with “apparent” high demand like that, especially during prime times, so I started looking at relatively interesting and sometimes exotic places in the in-between seasons to get a good deal. The other option for many owners is to just put their unit up for rent and not trade them. I have heard that some people try to establish their property as a rental property to try to justify it as an “investment” so they may have some angle on taxes or something. Who knows. I do know that the rentals through RCI are usually at a higher rate than just paying an RCI exchange rate. Therefore, there is more money involved in the transaction and probably it is more profitable for the resort and RCI. It just appears that the reasonable exchange program we once enjoyed is gone. I also heard a rumor that RCI provides VIPs, veterans and their own staff access to some of the premium space banked weeks before they are put up for trade. Whatever, the old days of timeshare trading through RCI or II (if you were an owner there) is becoming more difficult.
Again, where is the proof of any wrong doing?
Dear EB- Where is “AC”? Alberta, Canada? What does the failure of Vacation Village to help sell a timeshare have to do with RCI?
RCI does not own (or buy) timeshares. Some timeshares do place unsold inventory with RCI for rental in order to bring new potential clients into their resorts. These are not “owner deposits”, so your deposit cannot be traded for them.
To cc
You are very right in your comment. Many of the sales force at ANY of the resorts will tell you anything to sell you more or “upgrade” you. It is just their way to make more money…not that you get anything different in your “upgrade” other than farther in debted to these companies. Usually by the time you go back to your resort the next year that same sales person won’t even be there…..
But RCI is just a “resort banking service”. The resorts are the “pitch people”.
And don’t let them tell you , you get more switching to points….it all depends on the time of year you travel and the unit you want and also the resort.
So right on “cc”.
It is all connected. Now Rci has the new point system to get your ideal request what crock
It’s so comforting to know we’re as unhappy as everyone else. We just returned from a “free” 3 day “owners’ meeting” at our useless RCI timeshare in VA. Basically they wanted us to “trade up” for $8500! to a red week from a white week. By the time we had interacted with 3 more pushy salespeople, that 8500 was down to $4000. They put us up in a funky ski slope cheap hotel room and drove us to “see” the luxury condo that we owned. I 100% agree with everything posted here about RCI, we can NEVER get an exchange. We own one RCI and 2 II timeshares, all in different places, all bought with cash which also pissed them off, because they don’t make any interest money off them. We too are much happier with our II properties than the RCI and if I could sell it I surely would – seems no one wants to buy that “most desireable” location! Imagine that……
Remember Nancy Ragan’s words – Just Say No!!!
You are spot on about RCI. We have been a member of
RCI for more than 20 years. We own a 2 bedroom Red time
Gold Crown Resort and the best we have been able to exchange
for with RCI in a desired location is a Studio or 1 bedroom
non rated resort in a blue or white time. This happens no matter
how many months you book in advance. They rent units to non-owners
in order to set it up for the resort to sell more time. Timeshares
are a real scam and it is about time the court gets involved and
maybe some regulations with come from it.
would like to participate
That is hilarious Bruce. You can go on the Las Vegas Grandview website and rent out a room for a few days if it is available. All of these companies are full of lies which is why I will never buy a timeshare. If a timeshare is such a great deal why do they have to lure you into a meeting with free gifts and not let you leave to do some research on your own?
I agree that it is difficult to find good availabilty. In the past I have questioned rental practice and been told that they do not rent.
I've experienced the same as all the above with RCI. Whether or not they put "CYA" verbage in the new membership renewal contracts, they still need to be held accountable since they are still misrepresenting themselves – especially when they make a big hoop-la to announce the availability of new sought-after resorts on their websites to lure new members. Putting loopholes for themselves in the fineprint isn't enough. Unless they make the reality of the exchange program that Karen explained so well (above at post #18) as clear as their announcements of desirable new "Gold Crown" resorts, they are liable. (A sidenote, however: The resort salesperson DOES show you a book of RCI properties and tells you that you CAN exchange your week for any of these resorts – quite misleading.)
The class action suit should allow for all RCI members who wish to do so to leave and switch to Interval International or other more reputable company who will provide the services paid for by members.
Pharmaceutical companies have to include disclaimers right in their advertisements to protect the health of consumers, and RCI should have to do it to protect the FINANCIAL health of consuming Americans…who have already been duped and bamboozled by corrupt Wall Street big businesses and now have to bail them out of their foolishness. Enough is ENOUGH!
I don't think it's too dramatic to ask, where is Jean Valjean when you need him? I guess when it comes to RCI, here in the U.S., the story of Les Miserables would stop soon after Valjean became a businessman…he would have then become a glorified swindler and corrupted Cosette. Curtain falls.
this whole rci thing has been a scam unless a few years ago one was willing to go to a bad motel/hotel in mexico
All people who visit any of these web-sites concerning RCI behaviors and lawsuits against them, should write a letter stating their experiences and grievances to the courts/ attorneys involved. We also need to spread the word so that the courts are inundated with the same message, and will be more likely to take action on our behalf.
I heard a rumor that anyone who is adding more weeks to their RCI contract by phone may not know that RCI is now putting a clause in that permits them to get around what the class action was going after. If this is true, they will eventually be out of the situation, since most people have to renew their membership with RCI regularly. I had purchased a five year plan the last time and it is coming up for renewal next year, so I have been investigating the class action situation to determine if I want to continue extending my membership. If this rumor is true, they will just string out the suit until everyone has renewed and it contains a new wording (which we don't even see) that will excuse them from renting our units.
Remember rci and wyndham are owned by the same bunch of corporate thieves. go to the following web page to see how they are treating their owners.
Agree with all the above sentiments. The new RCI on-line reservation system also provides a pathetic selection of run-down resorts. Look forward to the outcome of the lawsuit
I have been a timeshare owner for 25 years. RCI is just the tip of the iceberg. Raintree and Wyndam are the big piece under the water.
We will definitely want to participate in this suit. We were scammed by RCI/Palace Resorts. They have $12,500 of our money, paid in full in advance, and are now making it virtually impossible to use the resorts. Please contact me for more details.
As I read these comments, it seems as if you are mixing apples and oranges. When you buy at a resort, what the resort tells you is what they want you to believe to get you to buy there. They tell you that this is a great resort that will trade well. When you go to RCI, you find that isn't true….RCI didn't make the promise to you, the resort did. If no one deposits a week from a resort, there is no way RCI can trade it to you. We recently went to a prime resort in Hawaii on a trade. When we checked in, the resort told us we were really lucky to get a spot there because most of their owners use the week they own every year, and very few belong to RCI…..this is not RCI's fault. You don't buy as one person commenting above said, a RCI week, you buy a resort week and then a RCI contract to give you a way to trade that week. The two are totally unrelated things. One resort I wanted to trade for is in Door CO WI and it was never available. I stopped at the resort when visiting the area, and asked about the timeshare and they told me they have 200 units but only 15 opted for a RCI timeshare exchange……your chance of getting one of those is pure luck.
I want to be on the list to sue RCI, they are all liars and cheats. We got scammed big time and lost a lot of money with false promises.
We have been members for 9 years. We own a week in Florida, red week gold crown resort. Was told that we would have great trading power with what we bought. Were we badly misleaded. Several times we have tried to make exchanges with RCI, but was told there was nothing available. They always offered us a different location, but it wasn't what we were looking for. We even had to book a year in advance for a resort in Michigan, what's up with that? We bought this on our honeymoon, thought it would be a great purchase for our future. All it has been is argurments and disappointment. We are definitely interested in being a part of this lawsuit.
I bought timeshare (RCI points) from point To Point Destinations in Vancouver, BC (aka West Coast Timeshare, westcoast timeshare, ptp destinations, ptpdestinations)
I am very disappointed.
Please check out the facts and my experience with them here:
http://www.TimeshareRevealed.com
Hello, I tried to click your link but it didn’t work anymore. Although this one was posted 4 yrs ago, I am curious to know if you actually switched to VI. I also purchased my time share to PTP and was able to book one week only for the past 4 years. Hopeful to hear your experience. Thanks.
Can I be included in the lawsuit?
We also purchased a time share 5 years to exchange for cruises. We did it the first year and had a very crappy room next to the engine room and the engine had a very loud noise problem. Later the next year or the year after that, we also recieved a letter letting us know that RCI will only exchange 60,000 points. We only bought the timeshare so we could use it for cruises. I hope this lawsuit does go through! I have not been contacted but would love to be included.
Been an RCI member for 24 years. I have never been able to trade for the resort and week I wanted. I enjoy the vacations I have taken thru trading of my time share, but all have proven a hassle make a good trade for. The only thing RCI is interested in is getting your yearly renewal and their fees, the only way they make money is via the exchange of $169.00. I would love to be part of this lawsuit, I have always asked them what happens to all these exchanged weeks. I just got a ad from RCI saying that Smugglers Notch in Vermont had openings for October, 2008. That is a LIE, I have been trying to exchange there for several years and nothing is ever available. I have no problem with my time share, my problem is with RCI. I just purchased points from Shells and one thing I had a long discussion with them on was exchanges, you know what, I can get into Hawaii now, RCI always trys to book me in a resort in IOWA, what the hell is there to see there?
We have been 'weeks' members since 1992 and would like to be included in the Class Action.
On to another subject. We are now RCI Points members through Blue Bay Resort, Cancun. The primary reason we purchased was to us the points for airline flight discounts. Nine months later, RCI sends us a letter on 9-5-2008 limiting our transfer of points to 60,000 annually. This effectively prevents us from using points for airline discounts. Nowhere in our Participation Agreement does it give RCI authority to restrict our points transfers. In fact, it states in the Participation Agreement that the member chooses the number of RCI points they wish to exchange. Further, it states that there are no more RCI points balance restrictions. RCI's only response is that the section in the back of the Directory hold precedence over all other agreements. However, the terms and conditions in the back of the Directory pertains only to Weeks subscribing memberships without reference to Points subscribing memberships. HELP!!!
The old RCI was great and there was no presure to bank ahead of time as there is now. I have lost weeks banked because there was nothing I wanted open. You give them outstanding 2 bedroom units and they want you to take a one bedroom or less in return. I hope the lawsuit goes thru.
I recently attended a timeshare presentation from a company that uses another company other than RCI. The salesman informed me of this lawsuit as part of his sales pitch against RCI Properties. Now I understand why I could never get a week anywhere I wanted to go. Last year I was doing a search in northern Europe, Scandinavia, and the UK I could find nothing available and I was going out 1 ½ and still nothing. I was extremely frustrated and decided to sell my timeshare. Hey if I can’t get anything I want from it what use is it. I will have to go to my property and demand that they get rid of RCI. There are very few properties left with RCI because of this practice.
My wife and I just joined RCI about a year ago. One thing they never told us is that in order for us to use our time share we bought and paid for we need to notify them a year in advance every year. Every time I call them it seems liek I am paying some hidden fee that is buried in the book they give you that you need weeks and a lawyer to decipher. Trying to exchange for anything seems a waste of time for any nice destinations unless you book something years in advance and the website site I can't make heads or tails of it. Does anyone know of other sites that we can bank points at and do excahnges?
My husband and I just spent 5 hours trying to book an exchange vacation so we wouldn't lose our week. We always try to book at places in their off season so we will have better luck. Not this time. Everywhere we tried, there was no availability except at one of their mediocre resorts. I have a gold crown home resort and I should be able to trade for the same quality. We have now had to pay extra to extend our week so we don't lose it. We tried to book a resort in Destin, Fl for February and low and behold, there was no availability. I've been there during that time on my own dime and the place is dead.
I can't wait for this class action suit to come to trial. RCI should be held accountable for their actions and ripping people off.
I agree with Brian. I am always getting "great" offers for extra vacations at the destinations I want to go to, but when you try to use your week, there are no rooms available.
I am sure there are a lot of people out there that should be reimbursed for their weeks that they lost and I hope the courts recognize this fact.
Another thing. The Extra Vacation offers! There are always places available at all the good spots for Extra Vacations! How's that available for a nice sized fee but not available for a trade?
My wife and I have owed a RCI Weeks unit in Fl. for 10+ years. IN that time I have traded for nice places only a couple times. If you want to go to Mexico your set, always places available. If you want to go to Hawaii, Jamaica, Virgin Islands etc.. Your screwed! God forbid if your looking for a unit during holiday. I have been trying to trade to Hawaii for 10 years! Never anything available anywhere nice except dear old MEXICO. Really makes me mad. Prices have gone up every year since we bought. They always give the same excuse you didn't deposit early enough, your resort doesn't have that much pulling power (not so when we were sitting with the salesman!).
The whole thing just pisses me off.
I was a member of RCI I was never able to get a week I wanted The getaways were a joke it was a waste of a 3 year membership Now I know why! Please keep me posted I would love to get my fee’s back. I love Interval International They have been great!
I look forward to this action and have plenty of the same experiences with RCI over the last 18 months that I have been a member. No premium properties available during desired times even with a year or more of advance request. The web site for week exchanges is pathetic; sort of ironic that their improvements to UI (user interface) are all in the last minute and extra getaway properties which are only available if you pay for them, no exchanges. The customer service team is not knowledgeable, but does recite well management's preselected playbook of answers. So far I have 2 weeks banked, have purchased a 5 year membership and have committed funds to search for 2 exchanges — nothing to show for it. Our home property is a 5 star ski resort in the northeast U.S. I think will enjoy my weeks there
—RCI is one of the worst services I have ever come in contact with. Please keep me on the class action info list.
I find this article very interesting due to the fact that my family has been wondering about some of the issues and/or difficulties in exchanging for the "better" units. Seems strange that with RCI you are ENCOURAGED to deposit early for "better trading power"; however, you cannot exchange for a period of more than 24 months in advance. Problem being when you get ready to exchange…..most and/or all of the BETTER and/or GOLD CROWN and award-winning units are non-existant. My husband and I were just discussing this lack of availability of good locations and units…and I even said……"I guess some people get "special treatment" from RCI…..and are allowed to book before we common-folk are allowed to". Seems a little underhanded if this is the case. Will definitely bookmark this page and will try to stay up on this lawsuit. If what I read in this article in factual…it makes me furious!!! Thanks!