maintenance fees

ok I just posted them for sale for $1

i would try ebay you may get a bit more. trouble is silver weeks dont rent well so they dont sell well. i sold both gold and platium for 50 percent off. i now own two gold and rent them. you could try renting at low prices separate units to make a profit. there is a site myfamily atlantis something like that that does it all for you.

This article ran in USa Today and our local paper: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2010-01-17-time-shares_N.htm The woman profiled is trying to sell her Harborside resort timeshare due to fee increases. Just thought I would post for everyone.

i feel the fees are way to high the special assessment is keeping the sales office open after all the units are sold they still have a full staff

the service is terrible and OUR ROOM WAS BROKEN INTO AND 20,000$ WORTH OF CASH AND JEWELRY WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE SAFE WHICH WAS BROKEN INTO ELECTRONICALLY

THE COSTS HAVE TO BE REDUCED

HOW CAN WE GET TOGETHER AND GET A LIST OF OWNERS TO PROTEST THESE FEES

I sold my timeshare through Timeshare King - last year great loss - owned 2BR lockoff phase I - what a waste. Fees drove me to sell and they don't care the least. To answer you question as best I can regarding the fees - this is what I got from their legal dept - seems that only 30% of owners paid their fees and we paid the penalty for those who didn't

I own a 2 bedroom lock off.The fee has been increased every year . now it is $2982.I f you are not planning to go every year,do not buy it.I made the mistake ,can not get out of it.

Hi, I am a Harborside at Atlantis Phase 2 Owner. here's our issue(s)

Since 2004 our MF have risen from $1800 (I own a three bedroom lock off) to $3150. It is clear that the Directors of our Association are doing what is good for Starwood and Kerzner (developer). One director works for SW and the other works for Kerzner.

The collective management fees for Harborside II now exceed $3.2 million a year. The total HOA fees are close to $20 million a year...

As an example of the sheer audacity of these guys... the fees paid to Paradise Island Tourism Development Association at $52,475 are for a website owned by a third party marketing company. It does nothing except promote all Atlantis/Kerzner related properties and take reservations. Harborside is promoted among the other Atlantis properties, say 12% of the site. ...the company has no google ads (no costs), does not purchase any keywords.

So ...Who benefits by this gargantuan yearly fee?

All the uncollected HOA fees, which are about $1 million are charged back to us fractional owners. If a unit is foreclosed upon, when are they actually sold? No accounting...If sold, are some of the proceeds used to make the HOA whole again for that fractional share's unpaid fees ..I think NOT. No accounting for any of this.

Any inquiry as to the nature of the costs, if services are being bid out, or inquiries about what is actually delivered is met with stonewalling or deflections.

Am speaking with a few lawyers about a class action suit against the Association as they have breached their fiduciary duty to the fractional owners. I would say HR 1 could benefit by coming on board.

Any information or enlightenment you can share with us would be appreciated.

Feel free to call and discuss

Henry Siegel 323.680.5411

Lets Sweeten the Pot...

I concur with the below Statement.... Fees were leveed without any vote from the Board approval of its members and Violates the current contract Harborside Resort and all SVN properties Have the with Vistana See SVN Network Guide R-5 for Mandatory Resorts as you can find the full list of approved Fees in the Vistana Signature Network Disclosure Guide For Members of the Vistana Signature Network.

SEE RELATED DOCUMENT: https://vistana-web-static.s3.amazonaws.com/owner-documents/hoa/documents/2015-svn-rules-mandatory.pdf

This would be a prime Class Action Law Suite against Vistana that would cover all Vistana Managed Properties, they obviously believe they can do what ever they want and we have to pay up when ever they say.

+++++++++++++Copied From Related Post+++++++++++++++++++++++ The new fees for 3rd party reservations at Vistana is an example of the loss of customer service since I joined Westin Resorts at what was formerly SPG. The most recent example was the added fee of over $50 for every time a guest is registered as a 3rd party. This was done suddenly and without any warning. And the team at Vistana seem to believe that it is in their rights to behave this way. Overall here are my issues

1. Customer Service and Resolution Team To the customer the experience of calling for any kind of help or resolution of issues is frustrating to say the least. The organization of the call center is set up to delay and confuse issue resolutions by having layers of people who are powerless to resolve anything and whose only response is to restate the rule that cannot be flexible for any Owner regardless of the loyalty of that owner.

2. Changes in Policy The recent change of policy regarding the change of a name on a reservation and the charge of a fee for that change is an example of making money for a simple request. This is not the kind of Signature Experience that Vistana should stand for. If there had been a change in policy determined, I am sure that it had been decided earlier than Wed, Jan 25, 2017 at 2:40 PM when we received notification. Vistana could easily have communicated that there would be changes via the dashboard where a pop up appears to tell owners how to make changes for 3rd party reservations, or on calls to your 888 number when the changes are made. Your resolution agents say that they did not learn about the changes until the 25th as well. That only goes to show the terrible disorganization and disregard for both employee empowerment and customer service.

3. Requests Since I made reservations in April for a 3rd Party and planned to change the name near the reservation, I called on Jan 27 to see if I could have a one time waiver of the fee. The agents - each and every one - restated the policy which was evident. Then each agent told me in a more forceful and unfriendly tone, that it was the "right" of Vistana to make any changes that the company felt necessary at any time. I am not at all sure that this is true. And if it is true, then a sufficient warning of 60 days would be more in line with a Vistana Signature experience.

4. Customer Pride In the past when I stayed at the resorts, I met many people who were very happy with the level of service that they receive and who were proud of their ownership. When I met those who expressed dissatisfaction, I discounted their complaints. I no longer feel this way. I am more and more unhappy with the kind of "care" that Vistana is displaying to customers. And although I had considered purchases to move me to 5 Star Elite, I cannot consider this any longer.

Since you are the Vice President of this division, it is incumbent on you to consider the effect that actions, not marketing slogans and videos are representing to your owners.

I look forward to your response. Leslie House 505 423 2459

I agree with all of you!! This is disgusting what we have to pay . I have been putting my timeshare up to rent the last 2 years and both years have not rented I now lost out on $6k. Of course they tell you to put in the bank but you have to use it in a certain time fraythat for me does not work. Now they add that fee if you rent to a third party, it's so disappointing what this has become. I am on board with whatever anyone wAnts to do in regards of class action suits or anything else!! Thanks Danielle

I saw this message and I concur. These new fees were not discussed nor voted on by the Owners Association...

Apparently The Support Agency Believes they RUN the show and can CHARGE at a WHIM and we are required to PAY.

I do not know what happened but the latest customer service at Sheriton Vistana does not seem to be worth what we are spending for their poor customer service and excessive fees for limited management response and resolution.

It takes let's just say it takes 5 min to change a name at 50.00 the member ship would make 600.00 an Hour a Warren Buffet does not make that much an hour!!... Let's say you rent out 50% of the resorts per year... 26 X 50 = 1300 x 650 rooms = 845,000.00... No notice No customer service and hidden fees. Not what these owners are used to..

I contend as a whole, We can find a Management company with better service at a better rate.

buy a resale on redweek only. do not buy directly from them. rip off artists. better yet, dont buy at all. just rent a unit on redweek and save yourself the maintenance fees which are skyrocketing higher and higher each year.

Check your math. Are there only 650 villas in all of Vistana?? Sounds low. Also fee is $59 for all of the "common" people. My math would look more like this: 19 Resorts x 200 rooms x 52 weeks per room x 30% rentals x $59 = $3.5 million in "nuisance fees" extracted from owners $59 at a time.

This is DEFINITELY cause for a class action lawsuit. They tried to make it a "nuisance" amount that wouldn't be worth any single owner wanting to argue about or spend much time on. Especially because at the time an owner is doing this they NEED to because they're trying to get some form of rental money to offset their unused week for which they need to pay 100% of the maintenance fees. Of course an owner is going to "cave" and pay the $59 in order to complete the rental.

What if Vistana just decided they wanted to make the fee $259 or $859 or whatever? It's the same principle. They have no right to just "make up" a fee and start charging it. My most recent example: I needed to change a reservation to "John Barr." A website in 2017 should allow me to do that with 9 keystrokes and a click. Because their website fails to provide that functionality (which would be ZERO incremental "cost" to them), then I have to wait on hold 18 minutes, pay $59 and spell out the 9 keystrokes that need to be typed on a keyboard.

They need to be sued. Would I love to be the attorney who extracts millions from them and then returns 20 cents on the dollar to people who were affected and bother to do the paperwork to be part of the action... Who wants to join me and get going on this?

I own several units at Harborside and am an attny

I have spoken to the top people at Vistana who run the association at Harborside.

I consider the association highly undemocratic and run strictly for Vistana ( although in the past it was run strictly for Starwood ). Mgt fees are excessive for what work Vistana does. There is alot of double dipping.

I was going to run for the Bd. of Directors a few years ago because I thought that fees going to Vistana (Previously Starwood). My understanding according to the bylaws was that any # of people could apply, a;l applications would be sent to Harborside owners who would vote. However, In talking the those running Harborside for Vistana-- I was advised that this was not the case. I was told to send in a resume, etc. and Vistana would select from those applying for the Bd. position. I was appalled and told them that.

If you want to contact me:

Howard Ginsburg Office--561-852-1140 Cell--561-212-2269

I also am an attorney but i frankly have not had time to focus on this. I own a fixed week 2 bedroom lock off in the platinum season. I try to rent the week or turn it into points and go to other properties when i can. I thought about trying to sell but the weeks literally have no value--they are listed for free on redweek. I am not sure what can be done but would be interested in other people have ideas.

If u really want to buy - don't buy from them directly. U can find many resales on Redweek for as little as $1. At least then u just have maintenance fees to worry about for the rest of your life with very little to no initial cost. Good Luck - great resort but very expensive & fees have never stopped rising since day 1. Sincerly, An original owner since 1st opened in 2001

thomasr221 wrote:

If u really want to buy - don't buy from them directly. U can find many resales on Redweek for as little as $1. At least then u just have maintenance fees to worry about for the rest of your life with very little to no initial cost. Good Luck - great resort but very expensive & fees have never stopped rising since day 1. Sincerly, An original owner since 1st opened in 2001

Why buy at all? I bought aftermarket in the early 2000's. Within 10 years I could barely cover the maintenance fees with a rental. That told me it was cheaper for me to rent a unit if I ever wanted to go again, which quite frankly after 10 years I was tired of Harborside. The fees were ridiculous and I stopped paying them. They said they would "repossess my week".

Fine by me. Took a year for them to stop calling. Even buying aftermarket it was a bad deal and a waste of money.

Actually had the same issue with my Wyndham Resort "ownership". They have a process to take it back called Ovation. Which I did. Had contacted Harborside and they only offered to help me resell it. Right!