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

[SueDonJ]

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.

 

[suzannesimon]

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.

 

[n777lt]

(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

 

[JMSH]

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?

 

[suzannesimon]

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

 

[SueDonJ]

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.)

 

[csxjohn]

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.

 

[PDXGolfer]

deleted (duplicate post)

 

[PDXGolfer]

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

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?

 

[ilene13]

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

 

[dioxide45]

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

Owner Services.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

What is the cost for a guest certificate??

 

[Robert D]

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

 

[skyequeen]

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.

 

[sparty]

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.

 

[wvacations]

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.

 

[dioxide45]

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.

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.

 

[skyequeen]

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.

 

[nakyak]

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.

 

[SueDonJ]

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.

 

[jont]

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.

 

[nakyak]

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.

 

[javabean]

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.

 

[dioxide45]

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.

 

[silentg]

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.