Changes to credit pool policy (enforcement)

Bigrob · Sep 8, 2016

I had a discussion with someone at Wyndham and there is a change in the way the credit pool is being used. The change is this; previously you were able to request points be booked with credit pool points rather than regular use points, if both were eligible to make the booking. You might want to do this if, for example, you wanted to preserve the regular use points for an ARP reservation.

Now, that is no longer going to be an option. Credit pool points will only be used when regular use year points have been depleted.

The net effect will be that it will be difficult to preserve ARP for any mid to late use year reservations, because those points will have been eligible to book reservations earlier in the year and will be used prior to any credit pooled points being used.

I was told that you could call in and indicate that on the day the reservation needs to be booked, and they could restack points to make the ARP reservation during the same call; however as we know, the time it takes to do that is the difference between getting the unit you want and not.

raygo123 · Sep 8, 2016

Bigrob said:
I had a discussion with someone at Wyndham and there is a change in the way the credit pool is being used. The change is this; previously you were able to request points be booked with credit pool points rather than regular use points, if both were eligible to make the booking. You might want to do this if, for example, you wanted to preserve the regular use points for an ARP reservation.

Now, that is no longer going to be an option. Credit pool points will only be used when regular use year points have been depleted.

The net effect will be that it will be difficult to preserve ARP for any mid to late use year reservations, because those points will have been eligible to book reservations earlier in the year and will be used prior to any credit pooled points being used.

I was told that you could call in and indicate that on the day the reservation needs to be booked, and they could restack points to make the ARP reservation during the same call; however as we know, the time it takes to do that is the difference between getting the unit you want and not.

That's been the case for about a month now. Do you have any idea as to if once current use year points are used, if they book the oldest points first, or the most recent year first?

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scootr5 · Sep 8, 2016

That's ridiculous. In some instances that wipes out half a year of ARP, or you don't pool your other points and risk having some expire or have to deposit them to RCI.

Bigrob · Sep 8, 2016

raygo123 said:
That's been the case for about a month now. Do you have any idea as to if once current use year points are used, if they book the oldest points first, or the most recent year first?

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I think you are asking if the points used will come from the earliest or latest use year... the points used are the ones with the earliest expiration that can book the reservation, so for example if you have a January and a July use year, a reservation in the first half of the year would use the July use year points; and a reservation in the second half of the year would use the January use year points.

raygo123 · Sep 8, 2016

Bigrob said:
I think you are asking if the points used will come from the earliest or latest use year... the points used are the ones with the earliest expiration that can book the reservation, so for example if you have a January and a July use year, a reservation in the first half of the year would use the July use year points; and a reservation in the second half of the year would use the January use year points.

Actually I was wondering if credit pool points would be pulled for a reservation first. In other words if you cancel and rebook and have no current year points, where would the points come from, the points last put into the pool, or the oldest points?

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Bigrob · Sep 8, 2016

Points with earliest expiration

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jjmanthei05 · Sep 8, 2016

With the points going back to where they came from when canceled. Couldn't you pick up something at the 7 am open and then call later in the day to cancel and rebook using the credit pool points?

raygo123 · Sep 8, 2016

You could but I don't think that's the point

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Bigrob · Sep 9, 2016

jjmanthei05 said:
With the points going back to where they came from when canceled. Couldn't you pick up something at the 7 am open and then call later in the day to cancel and rebook using the credit pool points?

No, I don't think so. As soon as the reservation is canceled, the points are "freed" and would be used for the rebook. Besides, if it's during the ARP window, if you call the same day you wouldn't be able to make the reservation from the credit pool as they would not yet be eligible to make the reservation.

Also, from what I was told, if the reservation is booked using ARP, it will be noted in the account so the points can't be "reused" for ARP if you later cancel the reservation and rebook it.

John_and_Val · Sep 10, 2016

I tried to roll my points for this year into the credit pool yesterday (platinum). I have about 450,000 showing in my use year. They told me that I could only use about 300,000 towards the credit pool because the other 150,000 were carried over from the "Cancelled Points" Era....They also told me that they have to audit the account and get approval to transfer "housekeeping" points to match the amount transferred. So for the first time ever, I now have to call back on Tuesday to confirm that they can move my points into the credit pool.
So, sounds like Wyndham is starting to actually play by there own rules.

ilya · Sep 10, 2016

I am new to this group. I was just told yesterday that my cancelled reservation ended in a contract not attached to a contract number expiring in March 2017. The reservation was originally booked using bonus points that expire in 2018. At the time of booking the rep on the phone restacked my points allowing me to use the bonus not my CWA. Hence, now the points need to be used March 2017 or instead of 2018. The reason they gave was restacked points can not be credit pooled only deposited in RCI. Now it makes me wonder how else my other reservations were booked.

Bigrob · Sep 10, 2016

ilya said:
The reason they gave was restacked points can not be credit pooled only deposited in RCI.

The problem with this statement is that in some cases the points were restacked originally because they didn't go back to the credit pool (where they belonged) in the first place.

ilya · Sep 10, 2016

I never credit pooled any points so I don't see why they would belong there in the first place. Am I missing something?

kaljor · Sep 11, 2016

Wow, I’m surprised this post didn’t generate more discussion. It seems to me that this change seriously reduces the value of credit pooling points, and may reduce the value of ARP as well.

I have a question only somewhat related; how is it determined which points are used if you have 4 contracts all with the same expiration date? Assume there are no credit pooled points and no cancelled points, these are all regular use year points.

Suppose you owned these 4 contracts at 4 different home resorts, and you only cared about ARP for one of the locations. When you make a reservation are you able to direct them to use specific points then? For example, tell them not to use points you may need for an ARP reservation in November?

Or am I getting something wrong about how points and reservations work?

ilya · Sep 11, 2016

I thought this would get a bit more attention as well. When I called to book a reservation I asked to use the bonus points not the CWA. The vacation planner had to restack to make the bonus contract be the first in line. No mention that that would affect my account. Owner Care said" if your points are restacked they loose the March 2018 expiration date and now have to be used by March 2017. So it is my understanding now that if you request and they restack those points loose credit pooling ability. I don't credit pool as I am a relatively new owner with 708 developer points and am not a mega renter.

Braindead · Sep 11, 2016

Wyndham has started to enforce the rule to use the points that expire first for reservations other than ARP. When you requested to use your bonus points first they changed the experation date so they could accomadate your request. Maybe they should of explained it better. I think this enforcement will have a adverse effect on owners with different use years trying to save a contract for ARP . It will encourage owners to have all contracts to start January 1st which I think is Wyndhams goal. Unless your contracts happen to be in order you prefer

asreiter · Oct 10, 2016

I just made a reservation online yesterday and it used my credit pooled points that expire AFTER my regular use year points.....should I call and have them adjust or just leave well enough alone with all the audit and mess over points. FWIW I'm sure we'll use all the points so I'm not sure it matters but I guess they aren't enforcing it as much as they were

Changes to credit pool policy (enforcement)

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