trouble cancelling membership

lesstravel · #1 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 11:20 AM

I purchased a "membership" with Vacation Village Voyages on June 27, 2008. After reviewing a "timeshare company" I realized that I don't really own anything with this membership. It's a vacation club that has a yearly membership fee of $189.00, to become a member it cost us $5995.00 plus interest, and it costs us $299.00 a week plus tax and fees whenever we take these vacations, two per year. We don't own a share of the resort, just a membership in the club. I sent a letter to cancel the membership on July 8, 2008. I had trouble contacting the company to find out what I needed to do, and did not notice the instructions on the contract. When I finally got in touch with the company they said I was outside of the 10 day cancellation period. I talked to someone at their main office and they said because July 4 was a national holiday I would still be considered inside my 10 day period. I sent the letter certified mail with return receipt, and they sent me a letter back stating that I my request to cancel was denied due to the 10 day cancellation period. In the terms and conditions of the contract it states that "You are entitled to cancel your Membership within any state promulgated cancellation period or within the ten (10) day cancellation period set forth herein, whichever is later and receive a full refund for the purchase price of the Plan subject to and limited by the laws of the state in which the Plan was purchased."

Does anyone know what I can do to get out of this contract? Does anyone know what the "state promulgated cancellation period" is?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to be stuck with this huge obligation that really does not benefit me.

Thanks

lesstravel · #2 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 04:29 PM

I thought I was going to have a huge battle ahead of me. I contacted Vacation Village Voyages this morning and spoke with someone about this situation. They had to contact their manager and get back with me, well I thought I wouldn't hear from them again. To my surprise they just contacted me and said their records showed a postmark date of July 11, 2008. I sent the cancellation letter on July 8, 2008 and had the receipt marked as such. I faxed this information to them and they said without hesitation the account would be canceled and I would get my refund!!! It turns out the date of July 11, 2008 was from the DHL package I sent them with the materials connected with the purchase (book of resort pictures, tote, paperwork folder, etc.)

Mark that one for the little guy

happymum · #3 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 08:32 PM

Thats great news! Don't give up on timeshares. They can be a wonderful way to vacation, but it is important to do your research first. Hope that you stick around. There are many knowledgeable folks that will be happy to help.

dsg47 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happymum

Thats great news! Don't give up on timeshares. They can be a wonderful way to vacation, but it is important to do your research first. Hope that you stick around. There are many knowledgeable folks that will be happy to help.

We signed up and have found this to be an utter SHAM. The promise is based on non-existent availability and only useful if you can take advantage of something on a date that cannot be planned for... to add insult to injury they have almost NO locations... it's so limited that one cannot find reasonable location (outside of Las Vegas, Tehatchapee, etc). DO NOT GET SUCKED INTO THEIR PITCH, IT'S A BOOK OF LIES.

rikkis_playpen · #5 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008, 05:18 PM

People seem to be either hot or cold on these systems. I've always urged clients to be very cautious- simply because I've never been really comfortable with the business model.....

Many of these groups are simply sales entities- and the membership fulfillment is handled by entirely different companies. Often, a single fulfillment company will service several of these clubs. I've never seen any documentation as to proposed legislation or oversight of these groups- so it seems they are allowed to set up the rules as they see fit...

Not usually the kind of environment that is kind to the consumer...

ATS · #6 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 05:46 PM

I am glad to hear the situation met with a favorable conclusion!

ATS

brucecz · #7 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsg47

We signed up and have found this to be an utter SHAM. The promise is based on non-existent availability and only useful if you can take advantage of something on a date that cannot be planned for... to add insult to injury they have almost NO locations... it's so limited that one cannot find reasonable location (outside of Las Vegas, Tehatchapee, etc). DO NOT GET SUCKED INTO THEIR PITCH, IT'S A BOOK OF LIES.

What did you exactly sign up for or buy, a timeshare, travel club, RCI , II ?

Once you learn some timeshare systems and buy resale you can get nice accomadations at very reasonable or low cost.

Bruce

dsg47 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 12:35 AM

Sept 2007 signed up for access to a "variety" of time shares with a fixed cost of $239 for one week... Vacation Village Voyages was supposed to send us a book, never came. Access yes, but so limited as stated in the prior post that one can only take advantage if you can jump within a week to a month. If one needs at least 6 weeks the price jumps by 2x to 3x. So almost nothing to choose from and only applicable if its at the last minute.

rsfrid · #9 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsg47

We signed up and have found this to be an utter SHAM. The promise is based on non-existent availability and only useful if you can take advantage of something on a date that cannot be planned for... to add insult to injury they have almost NO locations... it's so limited that one cannot find reasonable location (outside of Las Vegas, Tehatchapee, etc). DO NOT GET SUCKED INTO THEIR PITCH, IT'S A BOOK OF LIES.

This seems to be all too common. I'm with Bluegreen and their books show lots of "available" resort, but try to get them. Even two years out (thru RCI exchange). It seems to be a common thing for a company like BlueGreen (and maybe others) to book a few rooms and then advertize a resort as "available" when there is no hope anyone can book that resort, even two years out. I'm finding that only the resorts with 75% or more of the weeks in white or blue seasons are ever available, even to us Premier members. One of the sales staff once told me at one of the owner updates "Good luck" when I said I was interested in Big Cedar.

brucecz · #10 (**permalink**) 10-23-2008, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsg47

Sept 2007 signed up for access to a "variety" of time shares with a fixed cost of $239 for one week... Vacation Village Voyages was supposed to send us a book, never came. Access yes, but so limited as stated in the prior post that one can only take advantage if you can jump within a week to a month. If one needs at least 6 weeks the price jumps by 2x to 3x. So almost nothing to choose from and only applicable if its at the last minute.

Are they afillated with Bluegreen in some way?

Bruce