# What Would You Do?



## ReadyToTravel (Jul 29, 2006)

Advice appreciated:

I currently own two SA timeshares:  Strand Pavilion (week 36, 1 Bdr) and Lowveld Lodge (week 29, 2Bdr).  When First Resorts took over management of LL, they "lost track" of the levies I paid for 2003-2005. (I had already spacebanked the weeks with RCI.)   

After several months of back and forth with the resort trying to resolve the issue, I grew frustrated and requested that they take the week back rather than have to pay the back levies they said I owed but had, in fact, already paid.  I did receive word today that the management company is willing to take back the week but want me to sign papers saying I do not want any money for it.  

Question is:  should I pay the levies (again) that they have no record of to hold on to the week or, in your opinion, is it best to walk away since I still have the SA Strand Pavilion?  With the way things have been going in SA recently (exchange rate, rising fees, lower trading power, etc.) combined with the poor reputation of First Resorts, I am thinking it may be a wise decision to give it back.  Your thoughts?  (BTW, I am not walking away without paying and sticking the other owners; I did pay the levies but Lowveld Lodge says they do not have a record of it.)


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## SJRSONG (Jul 29, 2006)

How did you pay your levy?  I usually pay with my CC and I have all my transactions recorded.


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## philemer (Jul 29, 2006)

If you can't find your receipts I'd give it back. Did you pay levy by credit card? Your co. would have a copy.

Phil


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## ReadyToTravel (Jul 29, 2006)

I cannot find my receipts, but RCI spacebanked the weeks (and I used the 2003 week) so I know they were paid up.  My choice is to pay $800+ back levies for 2003 to 2005 and then this year's fee...over $1K OR rgive it back.  

At this time, my reasoning is since they are wiling to take it back, I can purchase another for less with a better management company...just don't know if there is a flaw in my logic and am looking for the benefit of TUGgers collective knowledge and experience.


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## ELE (Jul 29, 2006)

SA RCI may have some record of verification of payment prior to depositing your weeks. Someone at the resort had to respond to RCI's request of whether payment had been made. If you cannot prove that you paid, let them have the week.  Buy another one at a resort with better recordkeeping.


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## philemer (Jul 30, 2006)

Contact RCI SA at thespecialists@rci.co.za  I bet they can provide proof of your deposits. If not, dump the week. Cape Escape, and TUG, have numerous SA wks. for less than $500.

Phil


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## Carolinian (Jul 31, 2006)

First Resorts is an arm of the infamous Club Leisure group of ''Bullfrog'' Lamont. Scroll through the posts on the SA board of Crimeshare to learn more about them.  Club Leisure includes First Resorts, Flexi-club, CRI, Star Club, etc.  see www.crimeshare.org/77.html  There is a recent post there of a very interesting article published in the Johannesburg Star newspaper.

I wouldn't touch anything connected with Club Leisure with a 10 foot pole.


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## ReadyToTravel (Jul 31, 2006)

Thank you for the information.  I will take them up on their offer to take the week back and, possibly, look for something else in SA.  I have leard bad things about First Resorts before and agree that it's best not to be involved with them.  Does anyone know which other resorts are under the First Resorts umbrella so I can avoid them?  Thanks again for the advice!


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## michelle (Jul 31, 2006)

Dont know if this is the case with all SA resports, but RCI will accept a deposit of a resort without the levy having been paid, e.g. I spacebank my Strand Pavilion 2 years out, but only pay the levy in the year that it is for. So unfortunately telling them that RCI took the resort so therefore it must have been paid, may not work.


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## ELE (Jul 31, 2006)

RCI have never deposited any of my SA weeks, including Strand, without verifying payment of mf.  Often times, I have to wait several days before the week actually shows in my account.


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## NJmom (Jul 31, 2006)

When I first purchased my SA weeks I was able to deposit them without paying the levys first.(only needed to be current)  Starting last year I was required to pay the levies before depositing.  

That being said, I would bet that the Strand week you own is a very good week.  If the $1000 levy is for both weeks  together I would think they would be worth that to keep.  Your Strand week would probably cost almost that much by itself.  

How would you have paid your levies if not by credit card?  

I have not found another way to pay.


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## JudyS (Aug 1, 2006)

NJmom said:
			
		

> ...That being said, I would bet that the Strand week you own is a very good week.  If the $1000 levy is for both weeks  together I would think they would be worth that to keep.  Your Strand week would probably cost almost that much by itself....


I think it was just Lovweld Lodge that claims the fees are unpaid.

Frankly, it sounds like a scam to me.  I would probably walk away.


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 1, 2006)

*Paying Ahead & Depositing Early.*

For the sake of (possibly phantom) maximum "trade power," I like to deposit my Lowveld Lodge week as far ahead as possible.  Every time (i.e., annually starting 2003), that has meant paying ahead on levies by charging the estimated amount to my American Express card, having the resort verify to RCI-SA that the estimated future levy has been paid, then going ahead with the deposit as soon as it shows up on RCI.com as available for deposit. 

The process has been trouble-free & the results have been satisfactory (i.e., going through with depositing the week & using it to get good exchanges into  nice USA timeshares) . 
-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## ReadyToTravel (Aug 1, 2006)

Judy, that is correct...it is only Lowveld Lodge that disputes my payment.  I have never had a problem paying the Strand levies.  I will be receiving the paperwork that says I have "abandoned" the property from the resort.  Although this sounds bad, I think it is something like a quit claim or a SA term as they assured me if will not negatively impact my credit.  Does anyone know otherwise??


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## Carolinian (Aug 2, 2006)

The Club Leisure Group, of which First Resorts is a tenacle, is notorious in SA for putting negative credit information on the records of SA members who don't pay up for their points clubs (CRI, Flexi-club, Star club, etc.).  Check the reports on crimeshare on that.  Maybe they are different dealing with Americans or with their resort management tenacle, but I would be careful.
Of course, it may be that they are so happy to increase their ownership of the resort they don't care in your situation.  There have been several instances in SA of the points operators trying to create situations where members abandon their ownership, which then ends up in the hands of the points operator rather than the HOA, and they end up closing and selling the resort for a profit once they get majority control.


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## ReadyToTravel (Aug 2, 2006)

I just received the paperwork via fax from the resort...lots of legalese :annoyed: and  

One thing stands out clearly, however...they are chgarging me R500 for the "privelege" of abandoning.  Now, while I know it equals only $73, it still is the principal of the thing.  I asked what the charge is for and am awaiting a response.  Probably for the administrative costs of filing the paperwork, etc.


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## king1 (Aug 2, 2006)

Just sign and return the papers without the R500.  They're not going to come after you for that kind of money, but are just the type that will try anything to get another nickel from you.


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## LisaH (Aug 3, 2006)

A similar thing happened to me with my Durban Sands week. I clearly paid my levy and deposited my week with RCI, only to be told a year later that they didn't have it on record that I had paid. Luckily, the good old Herb was still alive at the time and he went to bat for me by providing the detailed info that I had paid. I have since sold the Durban Sands week. It's just not worth the aggravation. I think any time that the change of deed/shareblock is involved, First Resort charges 500 Rands.


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## Carolinian (Aug 3, 2006)

There is a list of resorts managed by First Resorts on their website, like Lowveld and Durban Sands.  That is a good list of resorts to avoid in SA.
It is unfortunate that an outfit like Club Leisure Group bought and merged several management companies, creating First Resorts.  It looks like they are playing the same games in resort management that they have long played with their points clubs.


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## Dottie (Aug 3, 2006)

I once had a similar problem with one of the SA resorts.  I could not find my bank statement for the month paid and since it was more than 1 year before had to pay a small fee to the bank for duplicate copies for proof of payment.  I was not sure exactly which month the payment would show so got 3 months of statements.  Since then, I keep copies of my bank statements for the month the levy was paid in a file folder for each resort.  I will keep the copies as long as I own the week.  This system works well for me. I also try to use only 1 charge card for all levy payments.  That helps me too as I tend to switch my other cards for mileage offers.

Dottie


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