# Is anyone paying Sudwala refurb fee?



## wheaties (Mar 15, 2013)

I, too, am a Sudwala owner of two weeks and received the confusing emails and subsequent invoices for refurbishment levies.  I have seen a lot of disgruntled Sudwala owners, but wondered if anyone is going to pay their levies without question.  We have had wonderful success with our Sudwala trades and, although point value has dwindled recently, are still able to get much use out of our exchanges as we are able to travel in shoulder seasons.  We have owned Sudwala for approximately 12 years and truly have no problem paying this hopefully one time additional levy, but haven't done so yet.  Thoughts?


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## Sudwala2013 (Mar 15, 2013)

Its a tricky one, but for me its about confidence. 

I didn't hear from them for 9 months, then I received my levy invoice, then another one, and another... none of which were accompanied by a covering letter. Then we received the refurb fee, and another (35% higher), which also weren't accompanied by a covering letter. After a few of us complained, they sent through a 2 page brochure, with no financial transparency.  

As far as I understand it, capital expenditure (i.e. major refurbs) is controlled by some of the Articles of association which requires member agreement. This will take time and consultation so it appears that the Directors agreed to execute the improvements via an alternative mechanism. I haven't been able to identify under what authority they have done this under without any reference back to members. 

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I didn't receive notification of the AGM or the minutes of the meeting, both of which is a contractual obligation, which lets me know where my money is going, any major investment decisions or any major changes to the agreements. I have since found out that there was no mention of this upgrade programme in the AGM (around August), so its all been pulled together at very short notice with no consultation, apparently under the radar. 

For me, I feel like a long distance limitless cash machine that VRS believe that they can tap into whenever they want to, without any reference back to us at any point, with only a reactive and superficial explanation of why I should spend my money. Its not clear whether this is a one off. Its also not clear whether the maintenance fees reduce as a consequence of the upgraded property. All in, I firmly believe that VRS' management of this has been woeful and I personally have lost all my confidence in them. 

I have asked to surrender my weeks because I would prefer to have no further association with VRS. 

If you wish to continue with timeshare, you may wish to explore investing a similar sum as the levy and refurb fee buying weeks in a better resort, which one of the resellers suggested would be a more attractive financial proposition. However, for me, my 10 year+ relationship with South African timeshares is over.  

All very disappointing.


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## Gophesjo (Mar 15, 2013)

I just got the refurb assessment notices today.  (R3198 each for two shareblocks.)  I had entered into agreements to sell both of these interval shareblocks, and each of them was in escrow and very close to closing, when Niky made her announcement.  I have sent many, many, many emails - and then some more emails - to find out what happened, and did not hear back on any of those emails - rather simply now getting the refurb invoice.   I also, by the way, have lost a week's usage, because I was giving it to the purchaser of one of the units, and it doesn't look like he got to deposit it,

All said, I am done, too. It seems to me like someone there is watching all of this here on the TUG Boards - if they want to FINALLY respond to me so as to make the transfer of the units to the Vacation Club or to the Board easy, they can do so.  Otherwise I'm inclined to let them do whatever the SA court ritual is, and incur the costs they could rather easily avoid.


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## Suebe (Mar 16, 2013)

wheaties said:


> I, too, am a Sudwala owner of two weeks and received the confusing emails and subsequent invoices for refurbishment levies.  I have seen a lot of disgruntled Sudwala owners, but wondered if anyone is going to pay their levies without question.  We have had wonderful success with our Sudwala trades and, although point value has dwindled recently, are still able to get much use out of our exchanges as we are able to travel in shoulder seasons.  We have owned Sudwala for approximately 12 years and truly have no problem paying this hopefully one time additional levy, but haven't done so yet.  Thoughts?



Well, we have paid.  I am concerned about their administration systems and lack of communication, but, hopefully, this has been highlighted now and senior management are aware of the problems that people have experienced.  I have sent a few emails to them as well as spoken to some of the staff on the phone.  They are supposed to be putting together an update on the refurbishment that is taking place and sending it out but not 
sure when this will be as the refurb was only starting this month.  It has been confirmed that this is a one-off additional levy. When I heard that there were plans for a big refurbishment (from Niky and Cameron) I did wonder where the money was going to come from and was expecting a higher than average rise in the annual levy (which didn't happen).  The new board of directors decided after a site survey to go along the route of a special levy - not sure how legal that is but it does say in the Use Agreement that they can do this.  

I also think that Niky and her team were very good at their jobs and very efficient (or Niky made sure they were!).  I have a friend who owns at Sudwala and other timeshares in SA, and he has not been impressed with the admin at the other timeshares and the lack of communication at times.  Perhaps what we are getting now it typical of SA timeshare!!

We may well be going out to SA next year so will make a point of calling in, at least, if not staying at Sudwala but nearby, to see what has been happening.  We also stay with relatives who live in Pretoria, so can make sure I go and visit the offices if problems still continue.

Sue


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## rhonda (Mar 16, 2013)

Suebe said:


> We may well be going out to SA next year so will make a point of calling in, at least, if not staying at Sudwala but nearby, to see what has been happening.
> 
> Sue


Sue,

Falcon's Glen, nearby, is a lovely place with delightful staff.  Location is good for hitting Panorama sites.  Most of the units are standalone chalets with plenty of distance between neighbors. Everything felt fresh and near new during our visit this past January. Landscaping is beautiful and the hot springs pools were a comfort.


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## cedars (Mar 16, 2013)

*special assessment*

I too will likely pay the special assessment-I have already paid for 2014 so can't take advantage of the offer.  We will see what happens!


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## wgaldred (Mar 16, 2013)

I too will pay the levy. I still get good value from my weeks. The communication has improved lately so I am prepared to give the new company a chance. I had already paid and exchanged my 2013 weeks


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## glenmore (Mar 17, 2013)

I have paid - my credit card was just debited. I still have good trades with the Sudwala units and am willing to give the new management a chance to get things in order.  It was confusing and somewhat of a mess, but they did respond to my emails and all is now in order. I think Suebe has said it all well.


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## Suebe (Mar 18, 2013)

rhonda said:


> Sue,
> 
> Falcon's Glen, nearby, is a lovely place with delightful staff.  Location is good for hitting Panorama sites.  Most of the units are standalone chalets with plenty of distance between neighbors. Everything felt fresh and near new during our visit this past January. Landscaping is beautiful and the hot springs pools were a comfort.



I think we passed the entrance to Falcon's Glen a couple of years ago when we went up to Crystal Springs for our second week after staying at Sudwala.  Think it's in the same area.  Crystal Springs was great and has its own nature reserve which you can drive round or go on 'game drives'.  The chalets are really spread out and we were in one of a group that were the furthest away from the reception/restaurant/bar/pool area, but we had fantastic views across the scarplands. Only problem were the baboons, especially if you left food out - or doors/windows open!! they would wander past twice a day looking for free food!!  :annoyed:

Have to look out for a Falcon's Glen exchange next time.

Sue


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## MuranoJo (Mar 18, 2013)

I still haven't received any email or bill for the SA.  The *only* communication I've had from them was a 2/12/13 email saying a previous note and bill (?) for the SA was incorrect and a corrected one would follow. 

I didn't receive the 'previous' incorrect notice nor a corrected follow-up, so I'm not going to worry about it until I do.

I may pay and hang in there, as the exchange rate has been pretty good lately.


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## cedars (Mar 22, 2013)

*contact info*

For anyone who has paid this fee-I am not at home and have not been contacted by email-does anyone have the contact email so that I can get in touch.  I understand that the person I paid my 2014 fee to is no longer there. Thank you, MaryAnn


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## pal (May 31, 2013)

*I have paid the Fees and moving forward*

I have vacations to plan and I paid the fees.  I had to do this with my Grand Cayman property one time when the hurricane came through and what they did to it after was beautiful!  Although I am not planning to go to S.A., I am planning on trading it and going forward with my vacation life!

I have had great trades with my properties ...and will contiue to do so.


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## MuranoJo (Jun 1, 2013)

cedars said:


> For anyone who has paid this fee-I am not at home and have not been contacted by email-does anyone have the contact email so that I can get in touch.  I understand that the person I paid my 2014 fee to is no longer there. Thank you, MaryAnn



MaryAnn,

I just noticed it appears no one responded to you.
May be too late, but here is the contact I've worked with, and she's very responsive:  Patricia Geldenhuys <patriciag@oaks.co.za>


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## cedars (Jun 5, 2013)

*Refurbishment fee*

Thank you so much...after many failed attempts I did eventually pay my fee-they never did send me an email or mail about situation-so I only knew about it from TUG-I had just paid 2014 fee so they had all my contact info.  We will see what happens now.  Cheers, MaryAnn


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## itchyfeet (Jun 5, 2013)

I've paid all fees and requested a deposit to RCI.  It's been over a month & still no deposit showing.  I miss Nikki!


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## MuranoJo (Jun 8, 2013)

Itchy, you might want to try Patricia's email in my post above to see if she can help.  Four weeks is ridiculous.  Or I wonder if you could go directly to the RCI team who handles SA deposits.  I'll dig around in my folder and post later if I can find an old email.

Back again:  Here's the email addy I found for the 'RCI Specialists' who Sudwala worked with to get my deposits in before:  RCI | Specialists <specialists@rci.com> .  Good luck.


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## Suebe (Jun 13, 2013)

itchyfeet said:


> I've paid all fees and requested a deposit to RCI.  It's been over a month & still no deposit showing.  I miss Nikki!



Go to the top.  Contact a director of the company.  Marjorie Forssman.  Email address is marjorief@univisiongroup.net.

Sue


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## favarcat (Jun 17, 2013)

I have owned 3 weeks since the beginning here.  I paid the special fee and 2014 levies for my best, red week, and they just deposited it into RCI.  My trading power has always been 18 for this week and now it just dropped to 14.  That is what my previous white weeks used to be.   And this is the earliest I have paid my levies in advance.  Anyone else getting much less trading points for their weeks?


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## wgaldred (Jun 17, 2013)

I have two peak weeks (usually end sept beginning oct). According to the RCI deposit calculator, all weeks around this time are 14 except for two which are 18, these I assumed would be the two peak weeks.
When I deposited my 2013 weeks, I was only given 14 points for each as the peak weeks I had did not coincide with what the deposit calculator was saying was worth 18.
I emailed RCI and explained how the holiday dates can change and I thought I should get 18 for these weeks, this was the reply I got

"We can confirm that the Trading Power of a given week is determined at one point each year and can vary from one year to another depending chiefly on demand for the week in question from other members. If, however, a week's Trading Power is deemed to be higher than that registered, it will be revised upwards at that point."

A couple of months later, my two deposited weeks in my account went up from 14 to 18.

It may be worth emailing RCI and asking.


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## itchyfeet (Jun 19, 2013)

Thank you Suebe for Marjorie's e-mail address.  After waiting almost two months after paying the levy for my week to be deposited to RCI, I contacted Marjorie.  I e-mailed her on Monday and the week is in my account this morning.  She apologized for the delay. I told her (nicely) that I was extremely disappointed that it was taking so long since in the past my week was in my RCI account within one week of paying the levy.


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## itchyfeet (Jun 21, 2013)

Received two e-mails this AM from Charlene Van  der Berg and RCI Specialists confirming deposit of my week.  It was already in my account on June 19.  RCI Specialists apologized for the delay in getting the week deposited.  I still don't know who was responsible for the delay--Sudwala or RCI.  I'm just happy that the problem is resolved!  If this happens again I won't wait so long to contact either Charlene or Marjorie at Sudwala.


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## naiad (Jun 24, 2013)

*VRS fiasco*

Like Sudwala2013 I am also disgusted with the way VRS are dealing ( or NOT dealing ) with shareholders. I have owned shares since the early '90's and had serious problems with the management until Niky stepped in. All the years with Niky at the helm were perfectly wonderful. 
The first communication I received from VHS were two statements, levies and refurb fee. Before I could even query the refurb fee I got another email apologising for the incorrect figures on the first statement, and another statement demanding more money. 
My emails to them either go unanswered or I receive copious repeats of the statements I already have, their media blurb re the refurb, and barely concealed snippety suggestions such as inviting me to"attend their offices to peruse the builders' contracts and costing" blah blah blah. 
I refuse to pay the refurb fee - because it was NOT, to my knowledge, ever discussed and ratified in an AGM. My copy of the 2012 AGM has no mention of any refurb. I believe that any decisions of this magnitude HAVE to be tabled, debated and agreed upon at an AGM. 
I think VRS are stalling because they know they have not complied with these criteria.
I have tried selling my shares, but in this depressed economic climate there are no takers. 
So here I sit - in South Africa, with a stagnant income, and expected to cough up for fancification of a resort I haven't been able to visit for ten years ( battling to cover daily cost of living, never mind taking a holiday ).
Anyone wanting to buy my shares?!!!


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## naiad (Jun 24, 2013)

Like Sudwala2013 I am also disgusted with the way VRS are dealing ( or NOT dealing ) with shareholders. I have owned shares since the early '90's and had serious problems with the management until Niky stepped in. All the years with Niky at the helm were perfectly wonderful. 
The first communication I received from VHS were two statements, levies and refurb fee. Before I could even query the refurb fee I got another email apologising for the incorrect figures on the first statement, and another statement demanding more money.  
My emails to them either go unanswered or I receive copious repeats of the statements I already have, their media blurb re the refurb, and barely concealed snippety suggestions such as inviting me to"attend their offices to peruse the builders' contracts and costing" blah blah blah. 
I refuse to pay the refurb fee - because it was NOT, to my knowledge, ever discussed and ratified in an AGM. My copy of the 2012 AGM has no mention of any refurb. I believe that any decisions of this magnitude HAVE to be tabled, debated and agreed upon at an AGM. 
I think VRS are stalling because they know they have not complied with these criteria.
I have tried selling my shares, but in this depressed economic climate there are no takers. 
So here I sit - in South Africa, with a stagnant income, and expected to cough up for fancification of a resort I haven't been able to visit for ten years ( battling to cover daily cost of living, never mind taking a holiday ).
Anyone wanting to buy my shares?!!!


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## martyap (Jun 26, 2013)

naiad said:


> Like Sudwala2013 I am also disgusted with the way VRS are dealing ( or NOT dealing ) with shareholders. I have owned shares since the early '90's and had serious problems with the management until Niky stepped in. All the years with Niky at the helm were perfectly wonderful.
> The first communication I received from VHS were two statements, levies and refurb fee. Before I could even query the refurb fee I got another email apologising for the incorrect figures on the first statement, and another statement demanding more money.
> My emails to them either go unanswered or I receive copious repeats of the statements I already have, their media blurb re the refurb, and barely concealed snippety suggestions such as inviting me to"attend their offices to peruse the builders' contracts and costing" blah blah blah.
> I refuse to pay the refurb fee - because it was NOT, to my knowledge, ever discussed and ratified in an AGM. My copy of the 2012 AGM has no mention of any refurb. I believe that any decisions of this magnitude HAVE to be tabled, debated and agreed upon at an AGM.
> ...


I sold some Durban Sands weeks on Bid or Buy two years ago.
You can post both as a sale and a rental.


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## Vodo (Jun 26, 2013)

*Struggled with Deposit Also  :-(*

Like others, it took me much too long to get my Sudwala week deposited with RCI.  I sent my charge card info to pay my MF's and, after several communications, was finally told my payment had been processed.  After several more weeks without my RCI deposit showing up, I emailed management again.  I was told that my charge card payment had not gone through.  I can't imagine why it didn't go through and, more importantly, I can't understand why they didn't notify me promptly that it had failed.  I submitted the charge card info to them a second time and was eventually advised that the payment had been processed.  I then waited another two weeks for the week to show up in my RCI deposits.  Nada.  So I emailed them yet again and was advised that they would look into it.  I finally received notification from RCI today that my week was deposited almost three weeks ago.  Ugh!


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