# Time for another RCI class action lawsuit?



## Restrain (Feb 23, 2014)

We are Weeks owners, not points owners.  You own points, you don't rally own anything except the right to use RCI and pay maintenance fees.  Just the bottom line.

But weeks owners are being routinely squeezed out of exchanges by RCI because it makes money on forcing people into its Points program.

We decided to set through a RCI exchange pitch.  Bottom line, RCI wanted $16K to move our timeshares into their program.  And if we didn't, we would continue to be squeezed more and more into fewer and fewer available resorts and dates.

This is "dimenuation of value" that is, a loss In value through coercive actions by RCI.

The last class action lawsuit accomplished virtually nothing.  Perhaps it is time again?


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## tschwa2 (Feb 23, 2014)

The pitch you received was from a 3rd party marketing group hired as consultants by your resort to upsell you to RCI points.  It was not RCI.  Just as the original sales people at resorts will say anything (with many of the statements untrue or misleading to say the least) so will these commissioned sales people "selling" you points.  I own both points and weeks and now have about half the points I used to have (gave half away) because a good week has better value for me than points at this point in time.  RCI has taken a lot of the perks away from points owners in the last 5 years.  

As for the lawsuit, I like that the weeks values are now more (although not completely) visible and transparent.  Lawyers who don't get paid upfront are more likely to settle because that is how they get paid.  There is no reason to think a new law suit will result in a substantially better result.  Did you write a letter to the judge or show up for the court proceedings to testify last time?  If not why not?  There is also no reason to believe that more members would actively participate now.

If you really think you want points, there are points on the secondary market.  For the best ratio of points to weeks the deeds/contracts are not free.  The same can still be said for weeks properties.


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## chriskre (Feb 23, 2014)

If you don't like RCI use your week which is pretty much all you are legally entitled to anyway.   

You do not have to play the RCI game if you want to exchange. 
Try some of the alternate exchange companies that are free and see if you like them better.
platinum interchange
SFX resorts
Trading places international
DAElive.  

You have other options other than suing RCI. 
Explore those options.  

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2


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## DaveNV (Feb 23, 2014)

The last RCI lawsuit settlement was a joke.  What was it - something like a $20 credit on a future exchange? All RCI had to do was raise the exchange fees, (which they've done, a couple of times now), and it was all a wash for the membership, and a big fat payday for RCI and the lawyers.

I became increasingly disenchanted with RCI as they kept raising all their assorted fees with little to show for it. The pseudo-transparency of TPUs isn't worth much of anything when they continue to raise the number of TPU required for an exchange, and/or eliminate the availability of exchange inventory without going through the hassle of Ongoing Searches and such.  They want you to deposit early, but they don't provide much choice in the same timeframe to make an exchange.  I've used the alternate exchange companies over the last few years, and have decided when my RCI membership expires next year, I probably won't renew it.

Full disclosure:  It's all pretty much a moot point for me now, anyway, as I've sold off all but one of my timeshares. The remaining one I use at the resort where I own.  Not likely to exchange it.

Dave


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## ronandjoan (Feb 24, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> The pseudo-transparency of TPUs isn't worth much of anything when they continue to raise the number of TPU required for an exchange, and/or eliminate the availability of exchange inventory without going through the hassle of Ongoing Searches and such.  They want you to deposit early, but they don't provide much choice in the same timeframe to make an exchange.  I've used the alternate exchange companies over the last few years,
> Dave



Amen to that


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## Ron98GT (Feb 24, 2014)

*What?*



Restrain said:


> We are Weeks owners, not points owners.  You own points, you don't rally own anything except the right to use RCI and pay maintenance fees.  Just the bottom line.
> 
> But weeks owners are being routinely squeezed out of exchanges by RCI because it makes money on forcing people into its Points program.
> 
> ...


What? You don't know what your talking about. I own a titled/deed week just like you.  I can use my week. I can exchange my week. I have access to the weeks inventory. But I also have access to RCI Points, which allows me to use shorts stays (days).

Maybe you should ask some questions and read a little bit about RCI Points before you vent. 

RCI doesn't want 16K to "move our timeshares into their program", it's your timeshare, they want the money.  If you want to be part of RCI Points, buy a resale.  I only paid $126 for my 2-Bdrm Grandview worth 80K RCI Points, along with a deeded/recorded week. Then keep your week, sell it, or give it away.


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## Ron98GT (Feb 24, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> The pseudo-transparency of TPUs isn't worth much of anything when they continue to raise the number of TPU (& RCI Points) required for an exchange, and/or eliminate the availability of exchange inventory without going through the hassle of Ongoing Searches and such.  They want you to deposit early, but they don't provide much choice in the same timeframe to make an exchange.
> Dave





ronandjoan said:


> Amen to that


It's not just TPU's.  The number of RCI Points required to exchange for a given TS week has steadily been increasing. I think the day will come when I'll dump RCI Points (sell my week) and stick with HGVC & Marriott.  The RCI "1-in-4" rule for HGVC properties also stinks.


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## lcml11 (Feb 25, 2014)

Ron98GT said:


> What? You don't know what your talking about. I own a titled/deed week just like you.  I can use my week. I can exchange my week. I have access to the weeks inventory. But I also have access to RCI Points, which allows me to use shorts stays (days).
> 
> Maybe you should ask some questions and read a little bit about RCI Points before you vent.
> 
> RCI doesn't want 16K to "move our timeshares into their program", it's your timeshare, they want the money.  If you want to be part of RCI Points, buy a resale.  I only paid $126 for my 2-Bdrm Grandview worth 80K RCI Points, along with a deeded/recorded week. Then keep your week, sell it, or give it away.



Can you use the titled week you made reference to in both the weeks and points program?  Or is the week only usable in the RCI Weeks program and the week in the RCI Points program is usable there?


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## egg1701 (Feb 26, 2014)

Restrain said:


> We are Weeks owners, not points owners.  You own points, you don't rally own anything except the right to use RCI and pay maintenance fees.  Just the bottom line.
> 
> But weeks owners are being routinely squeezed out of exchanges by RCI because it makes money on forcing people into its Points program.
> 
> ...


Lawsuits are worthless.  What is better if everybody stop being an RCI member. or renew the membership.  RCI has no rights to charge an exchange fee for property they don't own. That fee should rightfully go to owners.  When I first join RCI I thought only the membership fee was the only fee.  They didn't elaborate that there are exchange fees, gift fees,  extend credit or points fees.  The only way to beat them is to not renew with them. Till they get the message.  But I doubt this will happen because they survive the 2009 stock market meltdown so they are too big to fail.   Unless every members read this post and band together and boycott RCI.


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## Ron98GT (Feb 26, 2014)

lcml11 said:


> Can you use the titled week you made reference to in both the weeks and points program?  Or is the week only usable in the RCI Weeks program and the week in the RCI Points program is usable there?


Yes.  But remember, my week is worth 80K RCI Points.  I can do any thing I want with those points. Example:

1.  I can use my home week (a stupid thing to do). Then I get to stay at the Grandview (GV) for 1-week and give up my week (8OK Points). 

2.  I can stay somewhere for a week (example HGVC Waikoloa, 60K Points), use the RCI Points required to procure that week, and bank the balance (20K), for future use. Note that this goes for the GV, where I can book a week thru RCI for less than 80K RCI Points and bank the remainder of the points for future use. 

3.  I can stay somewhere for less than a week and use the RCI Points required and bank the remainder. For example, book the Jockey Club in Las Vegas over New Years Eve.  For the 3-nites I used 28K RCI Points and then banked the remainder for future use.

Your unused RCI Points from the previous year carry over to the current year, so you don't lose them.  And if you need additional points for this year, you can use any from next year.  Example, if I need 120K Points to stay somewhere, I have 80K available for this year, + 20K from 2013, + I use 20K from 2015.  That still leaves me with 60K RCI Points available for this year, next year, or the year after.

When you join RCI and own a RCI Points TS, your given a weeks account and a RCI Points account.  You only sign into the points accounts. and you get a fixed number of RCI Points to work with, instead of an arbitrary TPU value. Plus your not given a whole week to use, lose, but can't break down into days.  

This is "somewhat" similar to the Hilton/HGVC TS that I own.  That TS is also deeded/titled/recorded in the state of Hawaii.  By depositing my week into HGVC, I get 7K HGVC points.  I can do what I want with those points: daily, weekly, what ever.

Last thing. Never, Ever, pay to convert your existing TS from RCI Weeks to RCI Points.  Buy resale.  Benefit from another persons costly mistake.


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## Ron98GT (Feb 26, 2014)

egg1701 said:


> Lawsuits are worthless.  What is better if everybody stop being an RCI member. or renew the membership.  RCI has no rights to charge an exchange fee for property they don't own.  That fee should rightfully go to owners.  When I first join RCI I thought only the membership fee was the only fee.  They didn't elaborate that there are exchange fees, gift fees,  extend credit or points fees.  The only way to beat them is to not renew with them. Till they get the message.  But I doubt this will happen because they survive the 2009 stock market meltdown so they are too big to fail.   Unless every members read this post and band together and boycott RCI.


RCI is an exchange company!  If you don't like them, don't use them.


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## egg1701 (Feb 26, 2014)

lcml11 said:


> Can you use the titled week you made reference to in both the weeks and points program?  Or is the week only usable in the RCI Weeks program and the week in the RCI Points program is usable there?


lcml11,  Unless your resort allow you to do this not RCI.   I wanted to change my May week to Football season and they wouldn't do it so they try to Extort more money by offering me both point and weeks membership on RCI for $5,000 more.  My resort are pushing points now because they (SAY) don't have any weeks resort in Inventory.  I didn't do anything because they didn't do what I wanted to do. Change my week for an even Exchanged.   Do what Ron98GT said if your curious about the point system being better.
Me I know its going to cost me  199.00 for a week anyplace RCI has in inventory.  And 139.00 for my affiliated resorts within the vacation village network.   So if I want to go in the middle of the week for three nights or the weekend. it only cost 199.00 a week So for three nights would cost me $66.33 dollars a night.  Why bother with the hassle of the point system. Plus the point system is limited on RCI  I like to travel to Europe and the point system sucks for Europe on RCI.   J.M.H.O   JOE


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## tschwa2 (Feb 26, 2014)

egg1701,  If you don't own a float week and you want another week either at your resort or somewhere else, you will have to go through an exchange company and pay a fee unless you can arrange for a direct exchange yourself.

This is the same pretty much at all resorts.  All of the points systems have program fees in addition to MF's.  Many of these internal systems even charge additional transaction fees on top of the program fees and MF's.  So getting away from RCI won't necesarily help.  Some of the smaller independent exchange companies have lower fees but have significantly less inventory.  

You were talking to the sales force who were trying to sell you on points.  Since you know they don't have the inventory you want in Europe, and they charge too much than don't subject yourself to talking to the sales force.


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## egg1701 (Feb 26, 2014)

Ron98GT said:


> RCI is an exchange company!  If you don't like them, don't use them.


RON, That not my point.  I was not told this when I bought my timeshare the first time in retail. If I knew everything I know now. I would have never bought a timeshare.  Rightfully the exchange fee should go to owners.  Might be a class action for this?  They don't own your week so why should they get the money.  This is the reason they charged membership fee so you can exchange your week.  Originally what I thought.  I love RCI  I will beat the system. My resort will end up buying me out.  I am going to do what RoandJoan are doing.  Only in Europe not the States F- that.


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## tschwa2 (Feb 26, 2014)

I don't think you will have luck full time timesharing in Europe.



Your problem is with the lies and half truths told to you by your salespeople. I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for your resort to buy you out.


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## egg1701 (Feb 26, 2014)

tschwa2 said:


> egg1701,  If you don't own a float week and you want another week either at your resort or somewhere else, you will have to go through an exchange company and pay a fee unless you can arrange for a direct exchange yourself.
> 
> This is the same pretty much at all resorts.  All of the points systems have program fees in addition to MF's.  Many of these internal systems even charge additional transaction fees on top of the program fees and MF's.  So getting away from RCI won't necesarily help.  Some of the smaller independent exchange companies have lower fees but have significantly less inventory.
> 
> You were talking to the sales force who were trying to sell you on points.  Since you know they don't have the inventory you want in Europe, and they charge too much than don't subject yourself to talking to the sales force.


tschwa2, You misunderstood this. 





> Since you know they don't have the inventory you want in Europe.


 Not Europe my Mizner Place resort inventory.  If you check RCI directory check out how many resorts are in Italy on the points system?  None are in the popular areas.  Yes I have a floating week.  This is how I got duped into buying a May week.  I live in Rhode Island why would I buy a May week in Fla.  They didn't tell me I had to pay an  Exchange fee of 139.00 to get a football week through RCI.  That part would have cancelled any timeshare deal.


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## tschwa2 (Feb 26, 2014)

A floating week would be indicated on your deed.  You would then need to call 12-24 months in advance to reserve a week in your floating period. The salesman might have indicated it would be no problem to "float" through RCI but it sounds like he breezed over the fact that you own a fixed week.

You sound like you have a deeded week that you have to go through an exchange company to get another week.  I also own at a Vacation Village affilliate and the $139 fee is probably going to be less than the exchange fee with other companies.  Many of the independent companies so not charge an annual membership fee so that might be a way to spend a little less.

The weeks inventory isn't really that much better for North American members of RCI.  Have you had any luck exchanging to Europe so far.



> Yes I have a floating week. This is how I got duped into buying a May week. I live in Rhode Island why would I buy a May week in Fla. They didn't tell me I had to pay an Exchange fee of 139.00 to get a football week through RCI. That part would have cancelled any timeshare deal.


Again they will say anything to get you to buy and most of it is not entirely true.  Unfortunately, your paperwork did indicate what you bought and also indicated that you could cancel.  If you have paperwork or a deed that indicates you own a float week then you should have no problem cancelling the contract or reserving a week within your float period.


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## egg1701 (Feb 26, 2014)

tschwa2 said:


> A floating week would be indicated on your deed.  You would then need to call 12-24 months in advance to reserve a week in your floating period. The salesman might have indicated it would be no problem to "float" through RCI but it sounds like he breezed over the fact that you own a fixed week.
> 
> You sound like you have a deeded week that you have to go through an exchange company to get another week.  I also own at a Vacation Village affilliate and the $139 fee is probably going to be less than the exchange fee with other companies.  Many of the independent companies so not charge an annual membership fee so that might be a way to spend a little less.
> 
> ...


I bought in 2009 By the time I figure out how the timeshare system works with my resort and RCI it was well past the cancellation period. No my paper deeded contract said Floating Unit.  Not floating week.  This is why I cannot cancel they misled me. Both term are contradictory. I found out I got duped when I called my resort to book a week that wasn't mine they told me I had to go thru RCI.  I told them I didn't bank my week and wanted to use my floating week. They told me I have a Floating unit. That's when I found out I got screwed. That was in 2011 when I finally figured that I don't have a floating week.  I can get any week I want with RCI this they didn't tell me.  This was one of many tricks that covered their misleading ass.  tschwa2 Sorry I didn't finish reading your post I read and respond to the highlighted part.  Sorry I have a Floating unit. The (misled)  Everything you said was true in my situation. yes I have traded for one week in Capri. One week in Assisi,  one week in Fabro-Ficulle an hour away from Rome and Florence. IF I had stayed another week I would have booked Rome at the last minute Last called on RCI as an exchange. ( The wife said enough of Italy.  Was there for a month last April.  Total lodging fees came to 1,000.00 my daughter aand her boyfriend was also with us in her own room for two of the for weeks I was there.  Believe I got my money worth.  Venice I could have gotten an exchange but did a Hotel instead only stayed two nights and the cost was a little cheaper.  But the Venice resort had some sort of fee I think  Electric or deposit I forgot and wasn't going to pay a week worth of that.


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