Diamond Resorts reduces owner benefits again!

I have been an owner since 1996. Have 1 week every year and 3 weeks odd years. My assesment is $14,732! Then add the HOA, which I was told will be higher than last year. I called a realtor in Poipu to see if he would be interested in taking my deeded weeks. He said that he is overwhelmed with people wanting the same thing. He did sell my son's weeks this summer (sell? is a loose term since my son ended up with $600 for his two weeks,but he is VERY HAPPY now). Mike, the realtor, said that the assement has to be paid first and Diamond Resorts knew about the water problem 4 years ago. He said that they are crooks and he would never deal with them. I am very interested in joining a class action suit or anything else that will help us. Poipu has always been our "little piece of heaven", and thanks to Diamond, they have ruined it for me.

In response to the question regarding surrendering or selling back your timeshares; you can "transfer" your timeshare back to them. They charge $250. Call Linda Heil in Owner Enhancement and she will email/mail the form to you. Linda Heil | Owner Enhancement | Diamond Resorts International® | Tel:866.804.9049 ext. 20090| Fax: 702.684.8714

Really, can you 'transfer' it back? The below is the statement provided by Diamond found on the HOA page of the website. Go to FAQ Miscellaneous on the "Water Intrusion" tab. However, it's worth a call to find out, providing you can get thru.

I copied this from the website:

Do you have a resale program? If not, will you take my ownership back? Resale assistance is not a service currently provided and we do not anticipate developing this service in the future. Neither the management company, nor the developer, is taking back any deeds. You may sell your ownership; however, we want to caution you not to work with any third party that requests an upfront payment of any kind. When you locate a buyer privately or through a third party, the management company will be happy to assist you with completing the transfer of ownership. Please note that prior to transferring ownership, any loan repayment obligations must be satisfied, as well as any fees owed to the Association – including the water intrusion assessment.

I'm not a part of the timeshare at Poipu so I'm not aware of the water intrusion situation. That may be a whole additional issue, to get out from under a newly assessed ordeal. But if all fees and loans are up to date, you can transfer it to them just as you would to a family member or private party. Linda Heil should be helpful, if not, call Owner Enhancement and ask for Joanne. We received two sets of forms and are ready to fill out and mail. We don't expect a problem but with dri who knows! But the fact that these forms were mailed to us plus I documented our conversations with Linda Heil and Joanne regarding the transfer and they clearly acquiesced.

If all goes well (or not) I'll follow up with our results. BTW we are Club members with points; we have access to all Collections. We started with a deed at Epic in 2001 then got bought by Sunterra, then DRI turned our deed into points......? Wish us luck.

Check directors forum also pertains to this subject

This DRI trying to take deeded ownership from the deeded owners. That is a big part of the whole thing with the points. They got owners to HAND OVER their deeds (to DRI) and buy points. We never went along with it. They got downright nasty about it! If they can get enough deeds turned over to them then they really will own the place. That's right everybody! They don't own the place! The deeded owners do. They are just a for-hire management company that WE CAN'T get rid of because they illegally stack the Board of Directors with employees that keep renewing their contract and approving profiteering hikes in our fees without doing any of the maintenance which should be done! If we could reach the other owners we could FIRE THEM and bring in an honest company!

It is what DRI wanted all along was for the deeded owners to want to just flat get rid of their ownership so that they (DRI) could at no cost to them make additional profit through their Hawaii Collection. It seems very odd to me that after 17 years that Poipu was never sold out, but started a new program through DRI.... (POINTS PROGRAM). 65 million is their version of robbery. Stuck up and you were not even aware!!!!!

We are all now becoming aware of this financial burden at the mercy of DRI mis-management. We need to share email addresses to form a class action suit or we will all be hurting financially. Please sit up soon before it's too late...Lauriebuen@comcast.net

THERE IS A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN TRYING TO OBTAIN THE OWNER'S LIST FOR QUITE SOME TIME. WE HAVE ABOUT GIVEN UP. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO TO poipuowners.org AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME MOMENTUM.. DRI IS JUST A FOR-HIRE MANAGEMENT COMPANY! WE OWN THE RESORT. WE NEED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND FIRE DRI, BUT WE NEED TO GET UNITY AMONGST THE OWNERS TO VOTE THEIR SECRETLY-AFFILIATED CANDIDATES OFF OF THE BOARD AND VOID THEIR MANAGEMENT CONTRACT.

I just got off the phone with the Office of Consumer Protection at the Attorney General of Hawaii office. I was directed to a sight where he told me to download a real estate complaint form, fill it out and send it to the address at the top of the first page. The site is www.hawaiigov/dcca/ricoforms. I asked if there were many complaints about Diamond Resort and he said there were many. I know this is a long shot, but worth the effort. Do wish we could get hold of all the owners.

I just got off the phone with DRI in Nevada. They told me they are NOT taking back any deeds. They referred me to the 855 624 4390 number which are the guys you call to make your reservations. I was able to cancel out of the Club (which I paid for in advance in May). They are going to send a form via email to refund my $264. However, the $1315 - 2012 maintenance fee I also paid in advance will not be released. Will definitely go to the www.hawaiigov/dcaa/ricoforms site and fill out that form. How can we organize the owners????

http://hawaii.gov/dcca/rico/ Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO) They will not do jack about this matter!!! Fill out the form for the record because there is strength in numbers if it goes to a lawsuit or legislation. The only ways you can make a change is a class action filed in Hawaii or a change in legislation! DRI is pond scum sucking everyone dry! imho

I found a site "poipuowners" hoping that we have a large group of owners to work together with. But when I tried to register it appears closed. The last posting was the beginning of this year. Found a couple of e-mail addresses, will pursue it. I am getting more and more upset thinking that DRI has all the power. But, I am not giving up!!

The gentleman that I spoke with said that "yes" the more complaints that they receive helps in the process. But how do we get the message out? One site I found today said there is a law in Hawaii that states " owners lists are public". So, now what.

Unfortunately Hawaii does not seem to be willing to enforce it.

I just got off the phone with DRI Collections supervisor and was informed that if you have points that are paid up i.e. no outstanding loan, that there is no foreclosure, penalty, or report to credit bureau for not paying maintenance fees anymore.

They will not put it in writing but assured me that failure to pay maintenance on points (paid up) is not a foreclosure issue and per DRI ABC policy will simply cancel within a 6 month timeframe after collections notices that the account is defaulting.

Deeds are viewed different according to the Collection Dept. Supervisor. Stopping maintenance fees on deeds will result in the foreclosure process. I didn't ask what that process is exactly but it would be worth the call to have it come from their mouth (all calls are recorded and files include all communications).

I hope this helps even though it sounds like many owners have deeds versus points. I am documenting the "instruction" and will simply stop paying come the 2012 maintenance fee statement.

We, from ALL timeshares owned by DRi, must unite or we stand to lose our rights at these resorts and every penny of our investments. Contact http://www.poipuowners.org/ so that we can organize and take back our respective resorts. We MUST stop them now.

Send an email discussing how much money you typically spend in the islands. Point out that without the state intervening on behalf of the owners, they stand to be put in a spot light similar to that of Aruba with the "disappearing women syndrome". Tourism is Hawaii's number one industry (by FAR). If we can't get anywhere with the AG, follow the money. kauai@hvcb.org Let's give it a try!

I have been on poipuowners sight and there has not been any posting since Jan.2011. I am trying to get hold of the people that were running for the board using their e-mail addresses. So far, have not had anyone responding. Not ready to give up.

http://hawaii.gov/dcca/rico/forms

this is the place to get the form.

I am furious about this ridiculous cost that Diamond has placed upon owners.

is there a group organizing? can you add my email? jeb.inter@att.net