# Walking away from SA timeshares



## LMD

I own a Sudwala and two Mt Amanzi weeks. In light of the poor trading power of the MA weeks and the huge fee for the Sudwala week I am tempted to just not pay my fees and let them take back the weeks. They have served me well and I just have no use for them any more. If I do this can they impose any kind of lien or will there be any negative impact on my credit?
Thanks!


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## rcshelton

Mount Amanzi took my two weeks back in June of last year.  Very simple process handled by email and no cash involved.  Guessing that they would still do it.  The person to contact is Danie Schutte.  His email is investad@mweb.co.za


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## carl2591

it wont be so easy with suduwla. they will instist you sell the unit. I have been going through the same thing for months and got this strange offer.. 
i posted it on this thread.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187304&page=4

post #83

good luck


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## byeloe

rcshelton said:


> Mount Amanzi took my two weeks back in June of last year.  Very simple process handled by email and no cash involved.  Guessing that they would still do it.  The person to contact is Danie Schutte.  His email is investad@mweb.co.za



Several years ago, I sold my units at Glenmore sands, Falcon Glen and Durban Sands all to Danie Schutte.  When I later received a levy statement from Durban, I emailed them and said that I no longer owned the units and would not pay, I continued to get statements but eventually they stopped trying to collect.  No issues with my credit rating


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## AwayWeGo

*SA Timeshare Walking Away From Us.*




LMD said:


> Walking away from SA timeshares


We have heard nothing -- as in zippity-doodah & the sound of crickets chirping -- from Lowveld Lodge for 2-3 years now.  

No statements, no bills, no letters, no forms, no E-Mail, nothing other than a booklet represented as some kind of annual report. 

It's not that we would pay up if billed, now that the Lowveld Lodge is no longer a timeshare resort.  In fact, there has been no communication of any kind as to the status of our account or our ownership, if we even have those any longer.  In any case, the ball is in their court. 

We can't complain.  When we sprang for Lowveld Lodge (2003), we figured we would break even if we got 3 trades out of it into nice USA timeshares.  We got about double that before Lowveld Lodge converted itself to a non-timeshare & walled us off from any further communication. 

So it goes. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Dori

We are in the same boat as Alan with regards to Lowveld. We have loved owning, but will not pay MF's for something we cannot use or trade. We too feel that Lowveld owes us nothing. Our 2013 MF's are now due, so it will be interesting to see how they proceed.

Dori


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## Skatduder

I feel the same.. had many good trades with Lowvelt and Seapointer..
walked from both.. Funny thing, they keep sending me booklets too..


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## senorak

I "gave back" my DIK weeks last year.  No money involved on my part, (neither fees nor receiving $$).  The weeks had served us well....received many wonderful vacations over the years.  

Deb


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## klynn

*Sudwala*

I sold/gave away both my Sudwala weeks earlier this year. It was an easy process. If you want to know the contact info, send me a pm.


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## Dori

I received a statement from Lowveld today asking for the equivalent of $84. I'm not sure what this is for. It seems too late for any under-payment of the 2012 levy (which I did pay and bank), but certainly not enough to be a 2013 MF (which I definitely will not pay). I'm  not sure what this is all about. 

Dori


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## MuranoJo

Dori, 

If Lowveld gave you 'estimates' for levies so you could pay your levy ahead of time to deposit, perhaps this is a balance for the 'actual' amount?  Just a guess.

(Although all of my SA estimates have been higher than actual, so I've always carried a credit forward.)


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## redkayak

Last Dec I emailed Sudwala and asked if they would take my weeks back free of charge (I had already paid 2013 levies).  I received an email saying they could not but gave me two contacts on who I could go through and try to sell them.  Jan I received another email saying they would offer me R2000 for each week and pay the closing.  I agreed since getting money was better than giving them away free!  Anyway after several delays with mailing paperwork back and forth (the post office was on strike again and held up thing) I finally received an email stating I needed to pay my 2013 assessment in order for closing to go thru.  I figured this would happen since closing took so long and I had already banked 2013 weeks last year.  Told them to subtract assessment fee from what I was to receive on selling weeks plus some extra rand I had on account and charge my CC balance. I emailed them to what status was now on closing and got reply I no longer had any interest in Sudwala as of 17 June.  Guess they don't send closing papers in SA!  Anyway I am done with them, although I had many great trades and loved dealing with Niki.


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## Sandy

*I also walked away*

We bought Seapointer when the craze was posted here on TUG.  We got some terrific trades.  I haven't paid for a few years now, ever since their trouble began with the new owners.  

I couldn't deposit the resort with RCI because of the "trouble" and just left it. 

Funny thing, my RCI weeks account still shows Seapointer with the question: Do you want to deposit your Seapointer?  When I tried in the past, they couldn't take it.  

No repercussions at all.  Well worth the few hundred we paid at the time. I even got the Houses at Summer Bay in Orlando/Kissimmee!!!


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## Dori

Sandy, our Lowveld week got us into Summer Bay for a totol of three weeks! It was fantastic!

Muranojo, I thought that might be it, but this is coming 14 months after I paid my 2012 MF's. And to make it more confusing, no mention was made of the amount  I would need to pay for my 2013 MF's (which I have no intention of paying anyway) 

Dori


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## bdemerchant

Dori said:


> I received a statement from Lowveld today asking for the equivalent of $84. I'm not sure what this is for. It seems too late for any under-payment of the 2012 levy (which I did pay and bank), but certainly not enough to be a 2013 MF (which I definitely will not pay). I'm  not sure what this is all about.
> 
> Dori[/QUOTE
> 
> I have no idea why I seem to be the only Lowveld owner to get phone calls from their marketing people but this is the explanation of the recent "Levy Statement " we recently received.
> 
> 
> 
> Good day Mrs. XXXX
> 
> As per telecom of even date
> 
> We have received new directives from the Board , that all Share holders will be liable for the common Levy and will no longer be paying the levy, as the amount is too high for the board to carry out the cost for the transfer fee and common levy. The dividend from the rental pool does not cover the full amount outstanding on the common levy.
> 
> Below, please find the banking details in which the amount of  R614.21  should be deposited. A copy of the proof of payments is to accompany the signed documents
> 
> Account Name:                 Lowveld Lodge Share block
> 
> Bank:                                     Standard bank of S.A
> 
> Branch:                                 Pinetown
> 
> Branch Code:                      045626
> 
> Account Number:             051 850 184
> 
> Reference Number:       xxxxxx
> 
> 
> We trust the above is in order , please feel free to contact us should you have any further queries
> 
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> 
> I can give you the name and email if you wish to contact him- just send me a message.


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## Dori

Well, this is as clear as mud.  Are we no longer responsible for MF's just the R610? Are they saying that the rest of the MF cost has been recouped by rentals? I am toally confused. 

In any case, I am not paying any more money for a week I can do nothing with.

Thanks for posting this.

Dori


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## sewingmom112

[As previously warned, do NOT promote your book on TUG!]


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## HuskyJim

senorak said:


> I "gave back" my DIK weeks last year.  No money involved on my part, (neither fees nor receiving $$).  The weeks had served us well....received many wonderful vacations over the years.
> 
> Deb



Deb,
I am interested in doing the same thing - returning my units to Dik - who did you contact?

Thanks,
Jim


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## Mimi39

HuskyJim said:


> Deb,
> I am interested in doing the same thing - returning my units to Dik - who did you contact?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jim



Me, too.  I have gotten some good trades, but am not going to use timeshares now since my husband passed away.


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## kpitch

I was contacted by Lifestyle Vaction Club after emailing Sudwala that I no longer wanted my unit.  They agreed to take the week back, and attached forms for my completion.  Before signing and sending them back, I'm a little hesitant to send a signed Special Power of Attorney which gives them authority to act on my behalf.  To those who have gave their units at Sudwala to a company of this nature, did you sign this form?  I just worry about giving them authority to act on my behalf when Sudwala has my credit card number from paying the Special Assessment.  Maybe I'm paranoid.

All thoughts will be appreciated.

Kathy


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## klynn

kpitch said:


> I'm a little hesitant to send a signed Special Power of Attorney which gives them authority to act on my behalf. To those who have gave their units at Sudwala to a company of this nature, did you sign this form?


 
I signed it and had no problems.


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## kpitch

Thanks, that is great to know.  How long did the transaction take?

Kathy


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## HuskyJim

*Gave DIK back to DIK*

I ended up working directly with the folks at Dikhololo, and gave my units back to them.  No cost, took about 2 months to get the papers back and forth to them.

No complaints from me.  I had great trades (several to the Manhattan Club, The Galleon, etc.), anywhere we wanted to go, we could usually get.  It's over now, but it was a good 10 years with my grass huts.


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## silentg

What did you have to do? What papers went back and forth? I want to get rid of Dikhololo too, tell me what you did please?


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## PaulT

*Giving Back Dik Weeks*



silentg said:


> What did you have to do? What papers went back and forth? I want to get rid of Dikhololo too, tell me what you did please?


 

 I got rid of my Dik weeks 3-4 years ago. I didn't "give it back" to them. I just stopped communicating with them and stopped paying my maintenance fees. After a year they sent me a letter stating that they were taking the weeks back because the fees hadn't been paid. That was it ... no papers to sign or anything.

In case you are worried that this approach could effect your credit rating, it didn't. They don't report it and they have no way to let the 3 credit reporting agencies know that the weeks have been repossessed.


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## silentg

I received an email from Dik asking me to pay my current year maintenance fee, I replayed asking if the meant 2015 since I already paid my 2014 fees. Never got a response, so as the Beatles say I will Let it Be! Thanks for the info!
TerryC


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## silentg

Update on Dikhololo, I sent them back my shares, I still had original paperwork. I recieved a letter saying we no longer owned shares. No hard feelings on either side like previous posters, we were happy with the trades, but all things come to an end.
Silentg


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## martyap

A few years ago I sold a Durban Sands week on the SA equivalent to Ebay,
BidorBuy. Might still be an option especially if you put it at a low enough price to cover costs. If your yearly fees are in arrears that might be a problem because you or the new buyer might have to make those payments. You could at least browse around the site.


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## beejaybeeohio

*First Resorts Experiences*

First Resorts is the management company for Bushmen's Nek.  They would not "buy back" my studio, but I wonder if they will accept my offer to give the deed back to them?


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## MuranoJo

Doesn't hurt to try.  
After all, so many have just 'walked away.'

I've hung in there with Sudwala because so far the management does a good job and is improving the resort and the exchange rate is excellent.  So my TPU are pretty low cost.


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