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Manhattan Club Lawsuit
My concern is that there are plenty of people reading the daily posts on this site but almost no one is bothering to write their own letter. How hard can it be to spend 1/2 an hour to come up with your own experience. Everyone on this site is frustrated to say the least. And now we find out only 4 dozen letters have been received by the Judge. Let's get this chore out of the way. Commit to write your letter before the New Year. I know I procrastinated for a long time. I finally sent it about 2 weeks ago. Do it today!
Harryet E.
There is something seriously wrong with the AG taking over four years to prosecute MC misdeeds. Not only have the fees skyrocketed, but you can't even sell your week(s). Owners are really screwed, and it doesn't appear the AG cares. Why can't we get some resolution of this disasterous situation.
Stephen H.
SENT MY LETTER TODAY. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO COPY AND PASTE ANY PART OF THIS:
Justice Eileen Rakower Supreme Court of the State of New York 71 Thomas St. Part 15 New York, New York 10013
Re: Case # 451536/2014; Schneiderman v. Eichner
Dear Judge Rakower,
As you know, The Manhattan Club is the subject of an extensive civil and criminal fraud investigation by the NY Attorney General. I consider myself to be one of the many owners who have been defrauded by the Eichners, their associates, and the rest of the Manhattan Club organization. My opinions are summarized in the following e-mail message (in blue, below) which I sent to Joshua A. Wirshba (Manhattan Club General Manager) on Mar. 8, 2013; my message was sent in response to Mr. Wirshba’s notification to the owners of the Club’s operating budget for 2014. In conclusion, I strongly urge you to hold all the parties named in the Attorney General's complaint personally responsible for their fraudulent actions in the improper sales and operation of The Manhattan Club timeshare organization.
I am writing in response to Joshua Wirshba's E-mail message of March 7 which discusses the operating budget for 2014.
My wife and I have been owners since 2002. The Manhattan Club is a wonderful place and we have always enjoyed our visits there.
However, I must strenuously object to yet another indefensible increase in our timeshare charges. We are now being asked to pay over $300 per night for our executive suite (($1981 timeshare charge + $181 taxes) / 7 days). There are several distressing elements to this situation. First of all, we have had great difficulty over the years in getting reservations; we have typically called a month or two ahead of time and have almost invariably been put on a waiting list. As a result, there have been several years in which we have not been able to use all seven of our allocated nights. This is, at least partially, a result of the Club's deliberate decision to rent rooms to non-owners (so-called "transient" rooms). It is particularly infuriating that such "transient" rooms are rented out at rates only marginally higher than the rate that the owners are charged - I just checked the following web site and observed that a non-owner can rent a "Metropolitan Suite" at the Manhattan Club for just $364 per night:
https://booking.ihotelier.com/istay/istay.jsp?DateIn=3/21/2013&DateOut=3/22/2013&Adults=1&hotelid=17720&Children=0 .
It is obvious from Mr. Wirshba's message that many other owners have complained about not being able to get a room when desired. In response, the Club has apparently decided to decrease the number of rooms that are rented out to non-owners, but then it uses that decision to justify raising owners' timeshare charges even more! I recognize the economic necessity of filling as many rooms as possible and the difficulty of predicting what proportion of rooms will be needed by owners on any given night. However, I firmly believe that the Club should greatly increase the rates it charges non-owners before forcing its owners to pay ever-increasing charges.
It is also discouraging that the owners are now being asked to support a 4% wage increase for the next seven years for AFL-CIO workers and, most likely, an even larger increase in their benefit costs. Inflation has been far below 4% for several years now, and will likely stay below that level for many more, so I see no justification for that agreement.
To summarize, annual charges have reached the point where it makes little financial sense to maintain our ownership; I am confident that I can find perfectly acceptable hotel rooms in almost any city in the world for $300 per night, and I will know immediately whether or not rooms are available.
Finally, it would be nice if the owners were given an appropriate E-mail address to send responses rather than the "no-reply" site included in Mr. Wirshba's message. I am therefore forced to send this message to the Club's "reservations" site and hope that the person who first reads it will forward it to the most appropriate individual.
As a 10-year owner, I deserve and expect a response to my objections.
Druie C.
not writing a letter and sending it to HER HONOR is a pathetic WHO CARES ATTITUDE. one doesn't even have to compose a letter. IRENE SMALLS DID THAT FOR THOSE OF US WHO WON'T/CAN'T DO IT OURSELVES................simply fill in your own personal words (name, address, et al).................and you might add some of your own unique complants about THE MANHATTAN CLUB SHAM/ FRAUD. FOR YOUR OWN SAKE AND THE SAKE OF ALL OF YOUR FELLOW OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN SCAMMED AND DEFRAUDED BY EICHNER, GET YOUR LETTER IN THE MAIL ASAP. COPY, PASTE, PRINT IRENE'S EXAMPLE LETTER (WITH PERSONAL INFORMATION IN THE BLANKS). ADDRESS IT TO THE JUDGE (IRENE EVEN GAVE YOU THE DETAILED INFORMATION WHERE TO SEND IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) AND GET IT INTO SATURDAY'S (JANUARY 2, 2016) MAIL. STOP PROCRASTINATING AND MAIL THIS LETTER TO HER HONOR AS A SMALL NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION. THIS ACTION MAY WELL BE OUR ONLY SALVATION FROM LOSING OUR MONIES IN PURCHASES, MAINTENANCE FEES AND IN LOSS OF USAGE TIME (AND POSSIBLY THAT OF OUR HEIRS. OUR DEEDED RIGHTS WILL GO TO THEM IN DUE TIME) BECAUSE OF BEING CAUGHT UP IN EICHNER'S WEB OF SCHEMING AND STEALING.
AGAIN, STOP PROCRASTINATING AND MAIL THIS LETTER TO HER HONOR...............................ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 2016.
COMPLAINING IN THIS REDWEEK. COM FORUM IS DOING YOU NO GOOD UNLESS YOU..... ACT.....SEND YOUR LETTER TO HER HONOR..... RATHER THAN JUST PRINT YOUR FRUSTRATIONS AND ANGER HERE; THAT'S JUST VENTNG, LETTING OFF SOME STEAM, BUT INEFFECTIVE TOWARD WINNING OUR GOAL............TO BE TREATED TOTALLY FAIRLY BY EICHNER AND COMPANY.
keep in touch.
pax
happy new year...................remember to make and keep your new year's resolution, at least this one: GET YOUR LETTER TO HER HONOR.
harryet1 wrote:My concern is that there are plenty of people reading the daily posts on this site but almost no one is bothering to write their own letter. How hard can it be to spend 1/2 an hour to come up with your own experience. Everyone on this site is frustrated to say the least. And now we find out only 4 dozen letters have been received by the Judge. Let's get this chore out of the way. Commit to write your letter before the New Year. I know I procrastinated for a long time. I finally sent it about 2 weeks ago. Do it today!
Chris V.
To harryet1, with all due respect, some people don't have the time or mental fortitude at the moment. My husband was in the hospital three months straight this year, came home end of October, many doctor appointments and therapies. Just don't have the time. Not everyone has the time on hand, the copy and paste was requested by me because I'd never just take someone's words.
Thank you druiec for stating it's fine to use your letter, much appreciated and I'll get one out this weekend. I agree it's important to get done, however I've learned to appreciate what seems easy isn't always the case.
G R.
Very interesting suggestions...I have one for all to consider...
Donate our timeshare to City of New York to be used as shelter for the homeless...we can help the homeless
and help ourselves too...
What say you?
Gerry P.
Last edited by gerryp22 on Jan 01, 2016 09:52 AM
Thank you for your sample message. Here is what I sent to the Judge. ------------------------------------------------------------- I have owned my time share at the Manhattan Club for since November of 2013. When I purchased I was promised a valuable ownership in a New York property and access to all the wonders that the city has to offer at a very convenient location a few steps from Carnegie Hall, Broadway, Central Park and Lincoln Center. In addition I were told that our property would appreciate in value over the years and would be relatively easy to sell if necessary. In fact, I was told that the Developer/Owner of The Manhattan Club would buy it back to maintain the value of the property. I decided upon a flexible ownership plan allowing me to book three nights at a time rather than a set, fixed one week. I was told that bookings would have to be made considerably in advance of my needs. While the maintenance fee seemed a bit high, I felt that based upon what I was told about the club, that it was something I was willing to pay.
However, several things have happened recently that have made me question my investment: A friend of mine who is an owner (I found out about The Manhattan Club when she gave me a stay for a present) recently called the Club to talk about selling her unit. She was told that the club was not buying back any units, and that she should try to sell it on Craigslist. Craigslist? Where is all the concern about maintaining the value of the unit? This was a major feature that caused me to purchase my unit. Please note that the selling price of the current unit of the size of my friend’s unit was quite a bit higher than what she paid for it 10 years ago, which I considered , naively, when purchasing my unit. I am very distressed to see all the advertising of the”available rooms” at The Manhattan Club online – e.g. on Facebook and other sites that use cookies to target advertising. When I called and asked about it, I got a message saying that of course, these were only rooms that were not booked by members. However, I then found out about the lawsuit and wondered why the rooms were available when it appeared that some owners were unable to book even a year in advance. So far, I have been able to book a year in advance – but would like to be able to book a bit less far in advance.
Please consider the plight of owners like me carefully. I am by no means wealthy and this investment was planned carefully so I could spend time in a city I love, at a location that is very convenient to everything I like to do. I am distressed by the apparent greed of the management of The Manhattan Club, and the lies I was told by the sales team.
I ask that you rule to insure that the owners get what we paid for. Thank you.
Diane B.
I love the idea of giving whatever time comes up to the homeless in New York. Essentially this is what the Manhattan Club has done to its owners. Given the value of $1 that the Manhattan Club have offered to buy our units back it has no monetary Value to us. Change the completion of the Manhattan club and we may change someone's life forever. I can envision a line out the door of homeless waiting for a goods night sleep, warmth and a shower. Go for it everyone! If you wait list by day something eventually has to come up short term. They don't fill every night. Make a change this New Year.
Sharon V.
What a nice thought giving to the homeless. And make a big news out of it! A lot of publicity..
The more people+bigger issue the better it works. Two as one.. A good idea + negative publicity to timeshare business.
I hope the truth behind this business ( many scams) will be revealed one day to big public. Its a rip off created around selling dreams to folk.
Sari P.
Last edited by sarip2 on Jan 02, 2016 02:43 AM
What a brilliant idea. We could start a national or international movement. Plus we can get the desperately needed attention of Manhattan Club owners worldwide with the national and international media coverage. One of the major things holding us back is most TMC owners don't know about this investigation. There may even be a tax credit for owners who donate bookings they can't use to the homeless. Let's do it. Who will organize this?
Irene S.
What a brilliant idea. We could start a national or international movement. Plus we can get the desperately needed attention of Manhattan Club owners worldwide with the national and international media coverage. One of the major things holding us back is most TMC owners don't know about this investigation. There may even be a tax credit for owners who donate bookings they can't use to the homeless. Let's do it. Who will organize this?
sarip2 wrote:What a nice thought giving to the homeless. And make a big news out of it! A lot of publicity..The more people+bigger issue the better it works. Two as one.. A good idea + negative publicity to timeshare business.
I hope the truth behind this business ( many scams) will be revealed one day to big public. Its a rip off created around selling dreams to folk.
Irene S.
Why on earth would NY accept a donation where they would be responsible to pay maintenance fees for a week of lodging up to $3K a week. A nice fantasy.
tonya420 wrote:Maybe some one should contact De Blasio administration to talk about his ending homelessness his new initiativehttp://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/11/de-blasio-to-announce-3-billion-homeless-plan.html
Good publicity!
Cookie L.
I looked into donating and it is no easy matter to achieve, which is why I didn't do it.
cookiel7 wrote:Why on earth would NY accept a donation where they would be responsible to pay maintenance fees for a week of lodging up to $3K a week. A nice fantasy.tonya420 wrote:Maybe some one should contact De Blasio administration to talk about his ending homelessness his new initiativehttp://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/11/de-blasio-to-announce-3-billion-homeless-plan.html
Good publicity!
Dks
