# MVCI says that "You are NOT allowed to rent out your week!"



## 2muchfun (Mar 9, 2014)

I have lurking around TUG for a long time and I have not saw this topic, so I thought I would put it out there.

We were in Aruba this week with a bunch of friends and one of my buddies took the Sales Pitch tour for the 20,000 points. He owns a few weeks and openly admitted to renting some out on Redweek etc. After they pumped him for information on him renting out some of his units, the salesperson went and got the Sales Manager to come see him.

The Sales Manager comes in with a copy of the "Governing Documents" saying that on page 11, there is a paragraph stating that you cannot rent out your weeks. He apparently had it highlighted in yellow and read it out loud to him. 

Has anyone else heard of that? Do any Aruba Ocean Club Owners have a copy of the Governing Documents? Any thing in there about renting it out?

He also said that they are looking at changing the reservation system so you cannot book consecutive and concurrent. Only one or the other. This would cause us grief, as we book both ways, because we have family and friends that join us on our multiple week stays.

If you can enlighten us on this, please do. We find all of this very disturbing.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Mar 9, 2014)

2muchfun said:


> I have lurking around TUG for a long time and I have not saw this topic, so I thought I would put it out there.
> 
> We were in Aruba this week with a bunch of friends and one of my buddies took the Sales Pitch tour for the 20,000 points. He owns a few weeks and openly admitted to renting some out on Redweek etc. After they pumped him for information on him renting out some of his units, the salesperson went and got the Sales Manager to come see him.
> 
> ...






Sounds like he wants to sell you some points…..




.


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## EKniager (Mar 9, 2014)

I have openly discussed renting my unit with my MVCI rep many times.  Not once has any of them mentioned anything about it being against the rules.  In fact, it has always been discussed as an option versus exchanging.


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## pedro47 (Mar 9, 2014)

To the OP, I wish you would have asked the sales manager to give you a copy of this document?


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## dioxide45 (Mar 9, 2014)

The governing documents very likely have a provision against "commercial activity". The trust and exchange company has something similar. However, renting a week or a few of your weeks likely wouldn't constitute commercial activity.


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## dougp26364 (Mar 9, 2014)

NEVER listen to a sales man or manager. They only know about selling and very little about using. They'll tell you what they want you to hear and leave out the details that benefit you. 

Most companies prohibit cottage industries of owning to reserve and rent for profit in direct completion with Marriott.com. As an owner of your week you can rent your week so long as your not doing it as a business.


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## SueDonJ (Mar 9, 2014)

Renting your owned Weeks is allowed, always has been.  In fact if you don't want to do it yourself you can contact Owner Services to see if Marriott wants to offer it through their program!  (Which isn't nearly as lucrative these days as it used to be, but I'm mentioning it only to support renting as an allowed usage option.)  It's interesting to note, too, that DC Points and reservations made with them can also be rented.  I'm willing to bet that this same sales rep probably plays up that fact when trying to sell DC Points.  <eyeroll>

As for the threat of disallowing consecutive/concurrent reservations, sure it's possible for Marriott to make such a change.  But I'm certain that IF ever they make the change (which IMO won't happen,) it'll be formally announced to all Owners at the same time through the usual email/snail mail system.  There's no doubt that the sales reps won't be the conduit. 

*If any Weeks Owner is interested in all the legal mumbo-jumbo it may be possible to request a copy of the Public Offering Statement for your particular resort(s) by calling Owner Services. (I say, "may" because the last time I knew of this happening was in 2012, but since then I haven't heard that it's not available anymore.)  The POS consists of a paperback book in which all of the legal documents pertaining to a single resort are shrunk to 5X8 pages.  These books aren't just a few pages - SW's is 376 pages total.  The docs consist of items like the Master Deed, the Time Sharing Declaration and the Management Agreement, as well as various examples of purchase contracts, mortgages, warranty deeds, budget reports, etc... Note you may be charged a copy fee for the book.


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## ilene13 (Mar 9, 2014)

We own at the OC and I usually rent out one of my weeks.  There was an issue at the OC when we were there weeks 51 and 52.  There are some owners who own in excess of 20 weeks and they book multiple weeks 51/52 and rent them out.  Many of the two bedroom unit owners have been unable to get these weeks for years.  They complained.  Also there was a family who owns 5 one bedroom units and they were unable to get their weeks for 2014.  They made a lot of noise.  When I spoke to them ( the owners) I realized that he had called on the wrong day to make his reservation.  Of course he did not want to take any of the blame, so he screamed the loudest.  I did post one of my 2014 weeks for rent and no one has said anything that I could not.  I spent a lot of time talking to Lillian and the manager about other things and they never said that I could not rent out one of my weeks.


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## Weimaraner (Mar 10, 2014)

I know it was mentioned in our sales pitch that we could rent out our units if we didn't use them. In fact the sales person said they had a staffer who consistently rented out their President's Week for $5k every year.


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## Old Hickory (Mar 10, 2014)

Weimaraner said:


> I know it was mentioned in our sales pitch that we could rent out our units if we didn't use them. In fact the sales person said they had a staffer who consistently rented out their President's Week for $5k every year.



This can't be true.  I read that *ALL* sales people are liars and cheaters.  I read it on an internet forum... so it must be true.


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## larryallen (Mar 10, 2014)

Last we went to the sales pitch they brought in the final person to try and sell us a return week for like $3k for a mountain view. I told her we like renting. She replied, "did you get it for $1,600?" I said, "less." She said, "oh, good deal."


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## dougp26364 (Mar 10, 2014)

Oops, misread intent. Never mind


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## camachinist (Mar 10, 2014)

OP, should you be curious about the governing documents of the Aruba Surf Club, a neighboring Marriott resort in Aruba, this thread might be of interest if you wish to pursue that angle further. Also, you might wish to Google Allan Cohen, who filed a lawsuit against AOC and adjunct research of that path might bring you the documents you desire, should you wish to form a definitive response to the salesperson's assertions. 

I have a hard copy of the NCV governing documents and in no way is renting/assigning intervals prohibited and I routinely interface with Guest Services/Owner Services when renting mine. Lately, they don't even include the disclaimer about consequential damages and, additionally, their response time has been lightening fast, generally the same day, much to the delight of my tenants, whom, on good faith, send thousands of dollars for a reservation.

Could that change tomorrow? Anything is possible. However, given the hundreds of rental listings at my home resort, if that's any indicator of current rental activity, I'm sure MVCI would have far more than the likes of Allan Cohen at their doorstep. 

The last time I listened to a Marriott salesperson, I bought a couple timeshare weeks. That was the last time, over a decade ago. Up to you. Good luck!


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## mclyne (Mar 10, 2014)

*Multiple Weeks*

I believe there is a real problem with reference to reserving dates . We own at the Aruba Ocean Club and whenever we discuss the difficulty in reserving a date, we are always told the same thing: it is the multiple weeks owners who reserve many months in advance. I have no problem with multiple weeks owners using their weeks for themselves. In fact we were there 2 weeks ago and met guests who stay there for the winter--some were there 5 or 6 weeks. I think it was wonderful that they were able to do this. But, when you have a 15-20 weeks owner, who gobbles up precious winter weeks and then rents them out, it denies owners access to their units. 

Anyone who owns at the Ocean Club knows that the third and fourth week in January are to be avoided, if you want an enjoyable vacation. So, that also lessens the pool of available weeks. I am not opposed to renting out a unit but I believe Marriott should find a way to track owners who habitually rent out their units and act as landlords.


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## csxjohn (Mar 10, 2014)

Caribgirl said:


> I believe there is a real problem with reference to reserving dates . We own at the Aruba Ocean Club and whenever we discuss the difficulty in reserving a date, we are always told the same thing: it is the multiple weeks owners who reserve many months in advance. I have no problem with multiple weeks owners using their weeks for themselves. In fact we were there 2 weeks ago and met guests who stay there for the winter--some were there 5 or 6 weeks. I think it was wonderful that they were able to do this. But, when you have a 15-20 weeks owner, who gobbles up precious winter weeks and then rents them out, it denies owners access to their units.
> 
> Anyone who owns at the Ocean Club knows that the third and fourth week in January are to be avoided, if you want an enjoyable vacation. So, that also lessens the pool of available weeks. I am not opposed to renting out a unit but I believe Marriott should find a way to track owners who habitually rent out their units and act as landlords.



How do the multi week owners get an advantage?  Don't they make their ressies at the same time and in the same manner as everyone else?


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## ilene13 (Mar 10, 2014)

csxjohn said:


> How do the multi week owners get an advantage?  Don't they make their ressies at the same time and in the same manner as everyone else?



Some of the own both gold and platinum weeks so they can book out earlier.


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## SueDonJ (Mar 10, 2014)

csxjohn said:


> How do the multi week owners get an advantage?  Don't they make their ressies at the same time and in the same manner as everyone else?



If you're trying to book multiple Weeks consecutively and/or concurrently you can use the 13-mos Reservation Window; single Weeks can only be booked using the 12-mos Reservation Window.  So, for example, the owner mentioned in this thread with twenty Weeks can call in late November to book the ten and ten Week -51 and -52 intervals that fall thirteen months later.  Add in lock-off capabilities at Aruba Surf Club and that owner of twenty Weeks can potentially take forty Week 51 units out of the availability pool at 13 months prior to check-in.  Depending on the resort seasons, the Weeks owned and how the calendars line up, there are any number of possible consecutive/concurrent Weeks combinations that impact availability for other Owners.  The only restriction is that Marriott must leave 50% of the intervals available for the 12-mos Reservation Window, but even then multi-Weeks Owners have as much right to those intervals as the Single-Week Owners do.

As mentioned, the governing docs expressly allow Owners to rent out their Weeks either privately or through Marriott's rental program.  (Which means that what the OP's friend was told is flat-out wrong.)  But also as noted in this thread, the same governing docs also allow Marriott to use its discretion to prevent an Owner from renting out enough units to constitute "commercial activity."  The problem is they don't define just how many rentals equate to "commercial activity."  Instead of implementing a definition that isn't arbitrary and can be enforced, Marriott leaves the restriction undefined, uses no reasonable discretion and allows as many rentals as are owned.

I also wish they'd limit rental activity when the numbers impact other Owners to such a detrimental effect, which naturally impacts the highest-demand periods.  But since it appears they're not able to apply reason and instead consider everything on an all-or-nothing basis, I prefer that they continue to allow rentals.

There's another thing in the governing docs that Marriott could use to limit the impact of multi-Week Owners gobbling up the lion's share of the highest-demand intervals.  All of the docs have wording related to a "lottery" system that Marriott could implement whereby the highest-demand intervals are made available on a rotational basis to all Owners, regardless of whether they own multi- or single-Weeks.  I wouldn't mind if they put such a system in place (even as an Owner who routinely books the two weeks straddling Memorial Day at Hilton Head.)  It would be more fair than what happens now, that's for sure.


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## answeeney (Mar 10, 2014)

Definition: 'mistruth', a phrase or statement that lacks some or all of the properties, qualities or assumptions underlying the commonly accepted definition of the word truth. Common usage: The dog ate my homework. It wasn't me, it was him. I will be back in time for dinner. I did not have sex with that woman.


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## SueDonJ (Mar 10, 2014)

answeeney said:


> Definition: 'mistruth', a phrase or statement that lacks some or all of the properties, qualities or assumptions underlying the commonly accepted definition of the word truth. Common usage: The dog ate my homework. It wasn't me, it was him. I will be back in time for dinner. I did not have sex with that woman.



I know.  While you were typing I changed my mind about giving the rep the benefit of the doubt based on true ignorance, and edited my post to say that s/he was simply, "flat-out wrong."


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## capjak (Mar 10, 2014)

I did a presentation at MOC and the sales rep asked me if I ever need to rent trust points to call him and he gave me his number as he said he had 6000+ points that he rents every year.


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## csxjohn (Mar 11, 2014)

SueDonJ said:


> ....  The only restriction is that Marriott must leave 50% of the intervals available for the 12-mos Reservation Window, ....



So Marriott rewards multi-week owners by allowing earlier booking of weeks.

But at 12 mos everyone can make ressies for the remaining 50% of the units available for any particular week.

At least everyone has a shot at every week they are entitled to.

Thanks for the info Sue.


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## n777lt (Mar 11, 2014)

SueDonJ said:


> There's another thing in the governing docs that Marriott could use to limit the impact of multi-Week Owners gobbling up the lion's share of the highest-demand intervals.  All of the docs have wording related to a "lottery" system that Marriott could implement whereby the highest-demand intervals are made available on a rotational basis to all Owners, regardless of whether they own multi- or single-Weeks.  I wouldn't mind if they put such a system in place (even as an Owner who routinely books the two weeks straddling Memorial Day at Hilton Head.)  It would be more fair than what happens now, that's for sure.



Sue, not to hijack the thread, but is that provision for a possible "lottery" system limited to high-demand intervals, or is it worded so that it could be adopted for the entire year?


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## caterina25 (Mar 13, 2014)

Does it cost anything to add the names of renters to unit?


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## wisbadgerm (Mar 13, 2014)

*renters*

no it does not cost anything to add the renters name to the reservation.  i have called the front desk and asked them to do it along with making sure they request the renter's credit card for any incidental charges and/or damages.


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## ilene13 (Mar 13, 2014)

caterina25 said:


> Does it cost anything to add the names of renters to unit?



No, a fast call and the name is on the confirmation.


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## SueDonJ (Mar 13, 2014)

n777lt said:


> Sue, not to hijack the thread, but is that provision for a possible "lottery" system limited to high-demand intervals, or is it worded so that it could be adopted for the entire year?



(I hope you didn't think you were being ignored.  I waited to get back home from Phoenix to check the docs.)

First, note that not all Marriott resorts have lottery-related language in their governing documents; and, at those which do, the language isn't uniform across all those resorts.

The original SurfWatch Reservation Procedures Supplement to the Time Sharing Declaration says (and it's repeated verbatim in the Nov '10 revision),

_"1.8 PRIORITY LISTS; LOTTERIES
The Management Company, on behalf of the Board, reserves the right to establish priority lists or lottery systems in an effort to ensure the fair and equitable reservation and use of Units during high demand periods (e.g. holidays, special events, etc.).  If implemented, access to certain Use Periods and the availability of certain check-in/check-out days by an Owner may be restricted in a given year based upon the Owner's ranking in a lottery or some other allocation methodology.  The Management Company may establish an administrative fee for this service."_

The wording in Barony's original document differs only slightly:
_"… If implemented, access to certain Use Periods by an Owner may be restricted in a given year based upon the Owner's ranking in a lottery.  The Management Agent may …"_
and, the Barony Nov '10 revision changes only, _"Management Agent"_ to _"Management Company"_.

So for these two resorts it appears that a lottery system could be implemented only for high-demand intervals.  Except that, there are other items in the various docs which give the Management Company a whole lot of leeway to change the Reservation Procedures as they determine necessary.

I have no clue if Marriott will ever start using this right, wouldn't even guess.  About the only thing I'm sure of is that if they do they'll make sure beforehand that they're in compliance with the docs, so those who don't like it probably won't be able to fight it.


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## suzannesimon (Mar 13, 2014)

When I bought my Frenchman Cove units, Week 51, fixed weeks, the salesman spent a lot of time telling me how he had a lot of investors that snapped up the holiday fixed weeks and rented them out.  I was buying them for family use or to trade but learned that the rentals were a much  better use than trading.  I bought them online from a very professional older Marriott salesman who must have dealt with online inquiries such as mine.  I was considering Aruba, St Thomas and St Kitts and we emailed and talked for a couple months before I made a decision to go forward.  He was a pro and should have been a trainer for their on-site salespeople.  The numbers he gave me for rental income were right on target.  

I've always been upfront  with MFC when adding a renter to a reservation.  I think if it were ever changed, there would be an uproar.


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## n777lt (Mar 14, 2014)

SueDonJ said:


> (I hope you didn't think you were being ignored.  I waited to get back home from Phoenix to check the docs.)



Susan - thanks!  I'll puzzle this out a bit more later today - on my flight to Phoenix...
Lisa


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## JMSH (Mar 14, 2014)

Just so I am clear...I can book my home resort for usage, than I can in turn rent that week out on my own? correct? Once I rent it out I contact the resort and have the renters name added to the reservation?  BUT BUT BUT

I can not trade my week through II, get a confirmed week at another resort and in turn rent that week out?

Do I have this straight?


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## suzannesimon (Mar 14, 2014)

That is correct.  You're entitled to rent your own week, but not one you got with an exchange.


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## SueDonJ (Mar 14, 2014)

JMSH said:


> Just so I am clear...I can book my home resort for usage, than I can in turn rent that week out on my own? correct? Once I rent it out I contact the resort and have the renters name added to the reservation?  BUT BUT BUT
> 
> I can not trade my week through II, get a confirmed week at another resort and in turn rent that week out?
> 
> Do I have this straight?



Yes.  Marriott's rules allow owners to rent out their usage; II's rules prohibit members from renting out for profit any intervals obtained through them, including exchanges and Getaways.  Marriott doesn't charge a fee to put a guest's name on a reservation; II requires a Guest Certificate purchase.  (So, if you see a notation in a Marriott rental ad that says 'Guest Certificate required" or something similar, you know that it's a rental being offered against II's rules.)


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## csxjohn (Mar 14, 2014)

SueDonJ said:


> Yes.  .. II's rules prohibit exchangers from renting out for profit any intervals obtained through them, including exchanges and Getaways.



This is true for every exchange company I have dealt with.


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## PDXGolfer (Jul 29, 2014)

deleted (duplicate post)


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## PDXGolfer (Jul 29, 2014)

ilene13 said:


> No, a fast call and the name is on the confirmation.





wisbadgerm said:


> no it does not cost anything to add the renters name to the reservation.  i have called the front desk and asked them to do it along with making sure they request the renter's credit card for any incidental charges and/or damages.



Is the call made to the front desk of the resort itself as opposed to MVCI?


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## ilene13 (Jul 29, 2014)

Call MVCI and they add the renters name to the confirmation.


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## dioxide45 (Jul 29, 2014)

PDXGolfer said:


> Is the call made to the front desk of the resort itself as opposed to MVCI?



Owner Services.


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## NYFLTRAVELER (Jul 29, 2014)

What is the cost for a guest certificate??


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## Robert D (Jul 29, 2014)

There's no charge for putting a guest on a week that you own with Marriott.  Interval charges about $49 for a guest certificate.


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## skyequeen (Jul 29, 2014)

If the week being rented, or given to a friend, is enrolled in the Destination Club, there is no Guest Certificate fee with Interval.  Un-enrolled weeks where you are paying individually for your Interval account, you do pay for Guest Certificates, exchanges, etc. just like before the DC was formed.

FYI, years ago I considered getting Getaways for members of a not-for-profit  organization I belonged to adding a nominal amount as a donation for the organization, like $25. I called Interval and asked if I could do that and was told that as long as I did not gobble up too many Getaways, i.e. over 7 was mentioned, it would not be considered breaking the rules.  Whether this would still hold today I do not know, and I never did do that Getaway program after all.


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## sparty (Jul 29, 2014)

skyequeen said:


> If the week being rented, or given to a friend, is enrolled in the Destination Club, there is no Guest Certificate fee with Interval.  Un-enrolled weeks where you are paying individually for your Interval account, you do pay for Guest Certificates, exchanges, etc. just like before the DC was formed.
> 
> FYI, years ago I considered getting Getaways for members of a not-for-profit  organization I belonged to adding a nominal amount as a donation for the organization, like $25. I called Interval and asked if I could do that and was told that as long as I did not gobble up too many Getaways, i.e. over 7 was mentioned, it would not be considered breaking the rules.  Whether this would still hold today I do not know, and I never did do that Getaway program after all.



I don't like that idea... It pushes down the rental rates and makes it difficult for some to recoup their MF.  Advice has been given here on tug to set the rental rate to median listing values, and this is where I have issues.


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## wvacations (Jul 29, 2014)

skyequeen said:


> If the week being rented, or given to a friend, is enrolled in the Destination Club, there is no Guest Certificate fee with Interval.  Un-enrolled weeks where you are paying individually for your Interval account, you do pay for Guest Certificates, exchanges, etc. just like before the DC was formed.
> 
> FYI, years ago I considered getting Getaways for members of a not-for-profit  organization I belonged to adding a nominal amount as a donation for the organization, like $25. I called Interval and asked if I could do that and was told that as long as I did not gobble up too many Getaways, i.e. over 7 was mentioned, it would not be considered breaking the rules.  Whether this would still hold today I do not know, and I never did do that Getaway program after all.



I do not believe IntervaI Guest Certificates are free for DC accounts. They are free if you upgrade any Interval  account to Platinum.


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## dioxide45 (Jul 29, 2014)

wvacations said:


> I do not believe IntervaI Guest Certificates are free for DC accounts. They are free if you upgrade any Interval  account to Platinum.



Correct. Free guest certificates are only free with an II Platinum membership. The DC corporate account only provides basic membership.



Robert D said:


> There's no charge for putting a guest on a week that you own with Marriott.  Interval charges about $49 for a guest certificate.



The II guest certificate fee is now $59.


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## skyequeen (Jul 30, 2014)

Thanks for correcting me.  We have had Platinum membership since we are retired and purchase enough Getaways to make it worthwhile.  I never paid attention to the free Guest Certificates being due to being Platinum.


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## nakyak (Jul 30, 2014)

It is possible Marriott is looking at ways to change the way reservations are booked at the Ocean Club due to some savy owners.  The reservation rules state that weeks can be booked consecutively and concurrently and owners have found a way to exploit that.

Here is how:

The guy who owns 15-20 weeks in Aruba (there are a few) will start booking consecutive weeks in November using a combination of gold and Platinum until they get to Xmas/New Years week.  At that point the owner then maxes out his Platinum weeks by booking multiple units concurrently for those holiday dates.  Many owners that do this typically then rent the weeks out.  This is partly the reason why availability at the Ocean Club is such a challenge.


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## SueDonJ (Jul 30, 2014)

nakyak1504 said:


> It is possible Marriott is looking at ways to change the way reservations are booked at the Ocean Club due to some savy owners.  The reservation rules state that weeks can be booked consecutively and concurrently and owners have found a way to exploit that.
> 
> Here is how:
> 
> The guy who owns 15-20 weeks in Aruba (there are a few) will start booking consecutive weeks in November using a combination of gold and Platinum until they get to Xmas/New Years week.  At that point the owner then maxes out his Platinum weeks by booking multiple units concurrently for those holiday dates.  Many owners that do this typically then rent the weeks out.  This is partly the reason why availability at the Ocean Club is such a challenge.



It's not exploitation.  In fact the 13-months Reservation Window was a major selling feature when they were selling Weeks, and they were more than happy to explain that multi-Week owners could use it to get a jump on single-Week owners for the highest-demand periods.  Owners who use it in conjunction with the other rules related to Owner rentals aren't exploiting a loophole; they're doing what's been explained and condoned by Marriott/MVC for years, at least as long as I've been an owner.

If they wanted to prohibit/restrict Owner rentals they have at least two easier mechanisms:  the "commercial activity" prohibition that's in all of the resorts' governing documents; and, the "for owner occupancy only" 13-months window limitation that's in some of the governing docs.  Neither of those are enforced - I've never even seen them alluded to in any quasi-official notices.

What makes you think things might be changing?  (I'm NOT saying that I want them to change things so don't crucify me!) but I wouldn't mind if they could manage to figure out something that would give a reservation priority to owners who occupy over those who exchange or rent.  I just don't see it happening.


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## jont (Jul 30, 2014)

I think it's only fair that Marriott reward multiple week owners. They have the most money invested in the brand and they should be rewarded. If they choose to rent their units instead of occupying them I think they should be able to do so. What bothers me however is some of the outrageously long platinum seasons like NCV and some other locations. This is a case of Marriott being greedy and trying to sell a maximum amount of platinum weeks for maximum profit.The amount of owners competing for the summer weeks, IMHO, is blatantly unfair.


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## nakyak (Jul 30, 2014)

SueDonJ said:


> It's not exploitation.  In fact the 13-months Reservation Window was a major selling feature when they were selling Weeks, and they were more than happy to explain that multi-Week owners could use it to get a jump on single-Week owners for the highest-demand periods.  Owners who use it in conjunction with the other rules related to Owner rentals aren't exploiting a loophole; they're doing what's been explained and condoned by Marriott/MVC for years, at least as long as I've been an owner.
> 
> If they wanted to prohibit/restrict Owner rentals they have at least two easier mechanisms:  the "commercial activity" prohibition that's in all of the resorts' governing documents; and, the "for owner occupancy onlyy" 13-months window limitation that's in some of the governing docs.  Neither of those are enforced - I've never even seen them alluded to in any quasi-official notices.
> 
> What makes you think things might be changing?  (I'm NOT saying that I want them to change things so don't crucify me!) but I wouldn't mind if they could manage to figure out something that would give a reservation priority to owners who occupy over those who exchange or rent.  I just don't see it happening.




I think we all agree that multiple week owners should have an advantage.  I'm not sure marriott thought that owners would reserve weeks in Aruba like a few happen to do.  I believe they would like to limit it to either reserving consecutive OR concurrent and not allow owners to do a combination of the two.


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## javabean (Jul 31, 2014)

*Guest Certificates*

During the recent Getaway sale at II I was able to get a November 1b1b at Grande Vista for a friend. We are Platinum level on our Interval account associated with Marriott DC. The cost for a guest certificate for this Getaway was $59.00. I was surprised it was so high, I had thought it was $49.00. Also, we got "stung" because the platinum membership had to be active at the time the Getaway was scheduled to be used. My platinum was due to expire in October and therefore I had to renew the membership now in order to have the sale discount and the free guest certificate. I had been planning to renew  closer to the renewal date. Because we did renew, the cost of the guest certificate was $0.0 and we were able to get the sale price of the getaway. A good savings for my friend but an added fee for me.


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## dioxide45 (Jul 31, 2014)

javabean said:


> During the recent Getaway sale at II I was able to get a November 1b1b at Grande Vista for a friend. We are Platinum level on our Interval account associated with Marriott DC. The cost for a guest certificate for this Getaway was $59.00. I was surprised it was so high, I had thought it was $49.00. Also, we got "stung" because the platinum membership had to be active at the time the Getaway was scheduled to be used. My platinum was due to expire in October and therefore I had to renew the membership now in order to have the sale discount and the free guest certificate. I had been planning to renew  closer to the renewal date. Because we did renew, the cost of the guest certificate was $0.0 and we were able to get the sale price of the getaway. A good savings for my friend but an added fee for me.



Correct, your Platinum membership must be valid through the travel dates in order to get the getaway discount as well as free guest certificates. I was trying to wait for my Platinum Membership to expire in hopes they would offer another upgrade 50% off special. We had a coworker considering an Orlando getaway in September and it would have almost paid for the Platinum Membership with just one getaway. Discount and GC are $109, only $20 less than Platinum Membership.

They didn't end up booking, or at least not yet. Though they have pretty much let the getaway sale come and go. So I will wait and see if II offers a 50% off sale again once our platinum membership expires.


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## silentg (Aug 1, 2014)

Sounds stupid, running to get the sales manager and highlighting areas of a document. Not a good way to persuade you to buy a timeshare.


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## suzannesimon (Aug 1, 2014)

When I purchased by MFC holiday weeks, the salesman used the great rental income I could get from them as one of his sales pitches. He gave me examples of investors he had that bought up as many holiday weeks as possible for rental.


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## EducatedConsumer (Aug 2, 2014)

Any written response/clarification from Marriott Corporate?

I wonder if Marriott's sales operation and salespeople are less regulated in Aruba than they are, for example, in Florida. In Florida, I believe Marriott's salespeople have to have a real estate salesperson's license, and they are subject to Florida Real Estate laws. I wonder what governmental regulations and public accountability the salespeople in Aruba are held to?


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