II Deposit Fiasco for All Starwood 2BR Lockoffs

Yesterday I called Starwood to designate my Biennial (even) 2BR SDO Lockoff unit with Interval International. Starwood confirmed then and continues to confirm now that I am able to use this unit at the time of the exchange as either a 1BedA, 1BedB, or 2Br. It's extremely important to me because I typically use this unit as an instant exchange in II. After I designated the unit into II, I received an email from II stating that I had deposited a 1BedA and a 1Bed2 but there was nothing about a two bedroom option. I called Starwood and they once again confirmed that this unit could be searched in II as either of three options (1BedA, 1BedB, or 2Br); however they noted that Starwood's system always deposits a two bedroom lock off (regardless of how it is designated) as 1BedA and 1BedB. Starwood indicated there is a process with II on the back end that ensures Starwood owners will be able to search their lock off units as they like as either 1BedA, 1BedB, or 2Br.

So, I logged onto my interval international account and lo and behold I can't see a 2 bedroom. I can only search as a 1BedA or 1BedB. Next I called interval international and ask them why the two bedroom was no longer searchable, and I explained that I need the option to search all three. Two supervisors at interval international said this was no longer possible due to recent changes in May. Of Course that's totally ridiculous. I called Starwood and got interval international on the line. We went through three levels of interval international supervisors and starwood's resolution services got involved. Staff at interval international were totally unhelpful, misinformed, and frankly appeared to be reading from a script that didn't resolve the issue. Basically, myself and Starwood consistently told interval international that they had it wrong: Starwood stated that there were supervisor level discussions between the two companies earlier in which II confirmed that two bedroom lock off owners would be able to search all three unit options.

We got the runaround from interval international for a full hour. Sitting here right now I'm still not sure interval understands its own process. At the end of the call, interval international agreed to cancel out my deposit and reinsert the ability to search all three options in my account (but basically to interval it looks like the unit has not yet been designated); Starwood noted in my account that I have in fact designated this unit for deposit so I won't get screwed come January 1, 2015 (The deposit deadline).

I have little to no confidence in interval international. And it certainly clear that the band aid solution could never be practically applied to all Starwood owners. What a mess!

Has anyone else encountered this problem this year? In the past I simply called II told them I wanted to search all three options and they made that happen. All of a sudden now they say they can't and it takes a significant intervention from Starwood to make II begrudgingly respond. I still fear that when it is time comes time to exchange this unit, it's going to be a clusterf***. But I think I've laid a good enough record.

I'm glad that you posted here - Starwood monitors TUG and this way this issue will get up the food chain.

Yuck. I suggest you document exactly whom you spoke to at both SVN and II when the predictable issues crop up when you're ready to actually exchange the unit.


Sent from my iPad

My understanding of the last "enhancement", the one where they extended deposits until Dec 31 instead of June 30 took away the ability to search as though it were locked off and a full unit. I knew it was definitely for deposited weeks (that you had to do at the end of the year) and it sounded like this was the case for request first - at the time you designate for deposit you had to choose one way or the other; but hadn't tested that yet.

I was surprised that no o e seemed upset about losing the option.

Color me glad that I didn't link my SVO usage strategy to II which seems to continue a declining trend in value.

Other than the fact that such a change would be a significant restriction of searching ability for Lockoff owners, Starwood indicated on the call that all 2 bedrooms are deposited as 1BedA and 1BedB. Thus, under Interval's understanding you could never search a 2 bedroom Lockoff as a 2 bedroom. The whole thing makes no sense.

tschwa2 said:

My understanding of the last "enhancement", the one where they extended deposits until Dec 31 instead of June 30 took away the ability to search as though it were locked off and a full unit. I knew it was definitely for deposited weeks (that you had to do at the end of the year) and it sounded like this was the case for request first - at the time you designate for deposit you had to choose one way or the other; but hadn't tested that yet.

I was surprised that no o e seemed upset about losing the option.

Click to expand...

The entire II/ Starwood process is ridiculous. I didn't use one of my small 1 bedrooms this year, and it shows as a 2015 week. This is going to require a call to Starwood, which I don't want to make.

I have issues because we have multiple ownerships. I deposit weeks, start searches, then I have to call Starwood and match the correct exchange # (II number) to the correct contract number.

I complain all of the time, but nothing changes.

Just like when you use the internal exchange system with Starwood, and you are booking Sheraton weeks. If you own multiple, you have no idea what contract number goes with the week you just reserved. That's ANOTHER call to Starwood.

It's really ludicrous.

tschwa2 said:

My understanding of the last "enhancement", the one where they extended deposits until Dec 31 instead of June 30 took away the ability to search as though it were locked off and a full unit. I knew it was definitely for deposited weeks (that you had to do at the end of the year) and it sounded like this was the case for request first - at the time you designate for deposit you had to choose one way or the other; but hadn't tested that yet.

I was surprised that no o e seemed upset about losing the option.

Click to expand...

I can't remember if I posted about this, but I was definitely surprised when it happened. But I was happy that they extended the deposits until Dec. 31. Marriott works this way too - having to choose what size to deposit, so I was already used to it.

Since I rarely need a two bedroom unit it doesn't affect me as much. It was a significant change though. I can understand why the OP is upset.

Here's the link to the other thread:http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210663

My take after re-reading the old thread would be to prepay your MF's if you plan on using II. Don't designate it for deposit or for Interval international. Continue to search and confirm as you always did (using the desired sized unit), as of December 24 of the use year, you will have to decide either lock off or not and at that point make it a deposit. If you confirm online it would be designating the unit for deposit through interval as described in the notice from starwood.

UPDATE: After speaking with 3 Starwood reps. who previously indicated that owners are not forced to designate how they will deposit their unit in Interval International by Dec. 31st of the use year, Starwood has now reversed itself as a Starwood resolution services rep. today told me that because of the recent changes, you now cannot search a lockoff as either a 1bed or 2bed once you designate it for deposit (which you are fiorced to do by 12/31). I'm still waiting for a call from a supervisor in resolution services within 72 hours to confirm.

This is an unfortunate development and a real loss of flexibility that lockoff owners depositing in Interval International previously had. What's more, the fix is a basic programming function on II's side but II won't do it and Starwood won't insist that they fix it. That's poor customer service from both Starwood and Interval International. Even worse, although this change happened in May, numerous Starwood reps. including supervisors and resolution services personnel are providing false information to owners about the change. Why five months after a so-called "enhancement", Starwood personnel can't get on the same page is perplexing. I'm really disappointed in this change and Starwood's incompetence in clearly spelling it out to owners. A cynic might believe that was done purposely.