Maintenance Fees Owed

[legalfee]

I recently purchased a Wyndham timeshare on Ebay from VIN. After joining the timeshare's users group the moderator (who also is on the HOA board) hinted that I needed to get documentation that no money was owed to the association. So I called the closing company to get an estoppel letter.

It turns out the maintenance fee, late fee, and interest are owed. The escrow only covers the maintenance fee. This money owed supposedly would keep me from making a reservation although VIN made a reservation for me in November.

From what I understand only owed taxes would keep me from getting a deed which I haven't gotten yet and I understand can take a long time. What makes me mad is VIN's ad on Ebay even now says all fees have been paid. Yeah right. I'm new at this and learning as I go. This group has been a great source of information.

 

[vacationhopeful]

In my dealings with VIN months after I got the deed, I called and they paid the back MFs with a credit card immediately. No Problem.

They even gave me all my money on another deed when the unit size was smaller than what was in the ad on another week.

Call them.

 

[Goofyhobbie]

VI Network, Inc (VIN)

legalfee,

I am not speaking here for TUG or as a Moderator for TUG.

My experiences with VIN were exceptionally good. They are a company doing an enormous amount of transactions and mistakes happen.

The employees that I have dealt with were exceptionaly helpful in getting things corrected when discovered. I highly recommend the company and encourage you to work with them to get your concerns rectified.

If there was an error in their advertising they will make it right and do so expeditiously.

You may or may not have noticed their TUG rating and threads about them provided at this link: Vacation Innovations Inc (VIN)

Recommend that you contact the Seller you dealt with at time of purchase and if you have any follow-up needs contact Mike Saylor at VIN.

Mike Saylor | Director of Sales | VI Network, Inc. | Tel: 407.956.4476 | Fax: 407.956.3625 | Cell: 407.353.7976

saylor@vininc.com

Once everything has been resolved to your satisfaction or not come back to the link provided and provide your rating of the company.

Also, please share with us here on this thread when your concerns are satisfied or not satisfied.

 

[toby9116]

VIN has always treated me fair and made it right when things were not as advertised.

 

[DeniseM]

In all fairness, I have to say I have had 2 bad experiences with VIN. I did eventually get my money back, but they did not resolve the issue with either of the TS's I purchased from them.

1) Sold me a Wyndham TS that Wyndham had foreclosed on previous to my purchase.

2) Replaced it was a 2nd TS and told me the 2009 MF had been paid and I would not be obligated to reimburse them for it. Later, during the purchase process, they decided that was a "mistake" and wanted me to pay the MF. I declined and got my money back.

 

[vacationtime1]

I have had two very positive experiences buying from VIN.

But the only experience that matters to you is yours. Let them know of the problem, give them a chance to fix it, and let us know what they do.

That is how we all learn.

 

[legalfee]

Y'all I'll call VIN Monday and see if they will make things right. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[GrayFal]

Y'all I'll call VIN Monday and see if they will make things right. I'll let you know what happens.

As suggested above - have them pay the MFs and any penalties associated with that MF and provide you with a receipt.

For USVI properties, in order to transfer ownership, taxes have to be paid thru 2005. Get proof/receipt from them that that is the case.
The tax office returned my 2006 payment as they were in arbitration and could not accept the payment until everything is settled.
Most of us who are buying resale in the USVI realize that even though we are taking ownership in 2010 or 2011, the back taxes will eventually be billed to us.
That is something you might want to "negotiate" with VIN - request a 'credit' of say $50 a year for 2006,07,08, 09 off your purchase price as your ownership does not start until 2010.

Let us know how u make out.

 

[legalfee]

As suggested above - have them pay the MFs and any penalties associated with that MF and provide you with a receipt.

For USVI properties, in order to transfer ownership, taxes have to be paid thru 2005. Get proof/receipt from them that that is the case.
The tax office returned my 2006 payment as they were in arbitration and could not accept the payment until everything is settled.
Most of us who are buying resale in the USVI realize that even though we are taking ownership in 2010 or 2011, the back taxes will eventually be billed to us.
That is something you might want to "negotiate" with VIN - request a 'credit' of say $50 a year for 2006,07,08, 09 off your purchase price as your ownership does not start until 2010.

Let us know how u make out.

I called VIN this morning and they have sent a check to pay for the maintenance fee, late fee, and interest. As far as tax it's my understanding that Wyndham will pay the tax from 2006-2009 but I'm responsible for the 2010 tax which is due September 1st.

 

[teepeeca]

I have dealt with "VIN" for several timeshare purchases, and have found them to "always" do the honorable thing, and "make it right" if there is a mistake.

It appears that they "did right" for you.

Tony

 

[GrayFal]

I called VIN this morning and they have sent a check to pay for the maintenance fee, late fee, and interest. As far as tax it's my understanding that Wyndham will pay the tax from 2006-2009 but I'm responsible for the 2010 tax which is due September 1st.

Steve, please post this question on the Yahoo Group.
Wyndham doe NOT pay the taxes to the USVI - each owner at BBC is billed individually by the tax office.
And 2010 taxes are not due Sept 1, they have not been allowed to collect for 2006 yet due to a legal challenge of how the bills are calculated.

With many TS ownerships, it is common for the taxes to b part of the MFS - this is NOT the case with the USVI (and many California TS) they are billed separately.

Call VIN back and tell them you know Wyndham does not pay the taxes for this property and they MUST verify that the taxes are paid thru 2005 or they will not be able to get your deed recorded.

Do not let them tell you this is not the case.

 

[legalfee]

Steve, please post this question on the Yahoo Group.
Wyndham doe NOT pay the taxes to the USVI - each owner at BBC is billed individually by the tax office.
And 2010 taxes are not due Sept 1, they have not been allowed to collect for 2006 yet due to a legal challenge of how the bills are calculated.

With many TS ownerships, it is common for the taxes to b part of the MFS - this is NOT the case with the USVI (and many California TS) they are billed separately.

Call VIN back and tell them you know Wyndham does not pay the taxes for this property and they MUST verify that the taxes are paid thru 2005 or they will not be able to get your deed recorded.

Do not let them tell you this is not the case.

OK. I've also heard mediation will start in May and a court date is set for December. FWIW on my estoppel there's a handwritten note that says: 70.35 Govt of US Virgin Islands due 9/1/10. That was next to the line: Taxes billed for this year were: n/a (included in the maintenance fee). I guess eventually they'll get this straightened out. I'll make sure VIN does the right thing with the taxes.

 

[richardm]

Just be careful.. If the ownership is deeded, make sure you get a tax clearance letter!

I recently saw a Bluebeards transaction that had to be cancelled, because a tax clearance letter was not able to be obtained. The unpaid tax showing due was $15,358.89 (Taxes $12,283.11 plus penalties of $3,070.78 and extra $5-cost that wasn't defined)..

The issue in this instance seems to go back even farther than the current lawsuit over 2006 levies and forward. Evidently, for some units- when Equivest dissolved, there were outstanding taxes that remained unpaid for the unit as a whole (not just the individual intervals). According to a Wyndham rep, they are involved in a lawsuit over whether they can be held responsible for these unpaid Equivest taxes.

The closing agent tried to work out an arrangement with the island's Finance Dept and Tax Assessors office to hopefully determine how much was owed for this individual interval, but they were not cooperative. The closing firm could never determine if the Finance Office made a mistake by attaching the entire unpaid tax amount to the interval, or did so purposefully. Regardless, they didn't seem at all inclined to try and fix it!

Needless to say, after about nine months of headache- both buyer and seller agreed to cancel. The buyer is probably so scared of timeshare now he'll never think of buying again. The seller thought about suing, but didn't want to pay a large retainer for an attorney (and wasn't ever really sure who he could now sue anyway)- so he's decided that his credit be damned and has simply stopped paying his maintenance fees.

This horror story is thankfully the exception rather than the rule, but should give you a glimpse into the possible complexity of these particular real estate closings.

 

[GrayFal]

OK. I've also heard mediation will start in May and a court date is set for December. FWIW on my estoppel there's a handwritten note that says: 70.35 Govt of US Virgin Islands due 9/1/10. That was next to the line: Taxes billed for this year were: n/a (included in the maintenance fee). I guess eventually they'll get this straightened out. I'll make sure VIN does the right thing with the taxes.

Steve, thanks for the clarifying PM - yes, once the ownership is recorded (and this does include a tax satisfaction document) and the resort transfer fee is paid to Wyndham and they recognize you as the owner - they will submit your owner information to the USVI tax department who will bill you directly.

 

[caribbean]

Pat-

As per what Richard said, I "have" two of those weeks and have been trying to get the deeds recorded for over 18 months. In my case, Wyndham is responsible for the 2005, 2006, & 2007 taxes. The guy I bought from owes 2008 and I officially take over for 2009. They haven't paid. And I can't get a tax clearance letter till they do. At least I know what is going on and am enjoying my semi-ownership till it all gets straight. Weird.

 

[GrayFal]

What a mess! I hope Steve does not have these problems.

 

[legalfee]

What a mess! I hope Steve does not have these problems.

I hope not too. What gives me hope is the estoppel looks OK the previous owner got a deed 11/09 and you have a deed to the same unit (254) I'm getting.