[2/10/17 UPDATE] VSE charging for 3rd party reservation changes! [+Contact Info. for complaints]

[DeniseM]

Same letter sent to non-Elite owners, except we don't get the one free confirmation:

Dear Owner,

Recently you received an email about the application of a third-party guest fee for members of the Vistana Signature Network (VSN). We’d like to provide additional information to help answer any questions you may have.

Most notably, you will not be charged the fee to transfer your reservation to a third-party guest during the Home Resort Reservation Period (12–8 months prior to arrival).

The fee only applies to a third-party guest reservation booked within the VSN Network Float Period or the VSN Network Priority Period starting at eight months prior to arrival. Our intent is to ensure all Owners have a fair opportunity to secure reservations at VSN villa resorts during this period.

Once the fee has been applied to a specific reservation, any further name changes to that reservation will not incur an additional fee. Third-party guests include friends and family members not listed on the ownership deed or contract.

Please contact Owner Services at 888-986-9637 should you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Clark
Vice President, Owner Services
Vistana Signature Experiences

 

[DeniseM]

(BTW, I don't know why my profile is identifying me as a guest. I am a TUG member! )

When you pay for your TUG membership, you are sent the member code to add to your profile, and that is what changes your status. For all the details, click on the yellow BBS Help link at the top of the page, and scroll down to the last link.

 

[DeniseM]

Tuggers - I want to congratulate YOU on this roll-back, I am sure that it is due to your efforts!

*I get a chuckle out of the fact that they don't acknowledge that they made a mistake - they are just "providing additional information."

 

[Ken555]

Tuggers - I want to congratulate YOU on this roll-back, I am sure that it is due to your efforts!

*I get a chuckle out of the fact that they don't acknowledge that they made a mistake - they are just "providing additional information."

Yes. Nice job, everyone! Congrats.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[VacationForever]

What about the language that says rental of VSN reservations is strictly prohibited? Just because they collect a guest fee doesn't mean rentals are allowed. II also collects fees for guest certificates, and you're still not allowed to rent them.

Not in the language, but in differentiating between charging guest fee for Home reservation and SO reservations.

 

[okwiater]

Not in the language, but in differentiating between charging guest fee for Home reservation and SO reservations.

Maybe I'm not understanding. Where is the implication that Vistana is no longer prohibiting guest rentals of VSN reservations?

 

[LisaH]

I also received the letter and am OK with the modified fee rules. So glad tuggers work together to get this corrected!

 

[duke]

I am reading the underlying implication that VSN is not prohibiting rental to 3rd party guests for SOs reservation by collecting guest fees.

I think you are correct. They have no way to determine if your 3rd party guest is a friend or a paid rental sale. SO, this is really their way of collecting a fee for SO paid rental business.

 

[psfcfa]

Just got off the phone, having added guest name to my home resort reservation at WKORV for 2/24. No problem, no fee...

 

[Dawnwrey]

When you pay for your TUG membership, you are sent the member code to add to your profile, and that is what changes your status. For all the details, click on the yellow BBS Help link at the top of the page, and scroll down to the last link.

Thanks, Denise!

 

[DavidnRobin]

I am reading the underlying implication that VSN is not prohibiting rental to 3rd party guests for SOs reservation by collecting guest fees.

Not correct - renting non-HomeResort SOs is prohibited as stated in CCRs (as previously discussed).

 

[VacationForever]

Not correct - renting non-HomeResort SOs is prohibited as stated in CCRs (as previously discussed).

I should have worded that they will unlikely enforce it.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Less than 5% of Owners rent out their villas - according to VSN.
Renting out non-HomeResort SOs is still prohibited.

This is a VSN fee for name changes for SO reservations (not HomeResort reservations) that is allowed according to VSN documents (not HOA docs) as I previously wrote. I think people get confused because VSN handles both HR and SO reservations, but they are different. This is why there are both HOA and VSN disclosure documents (CCRs - aka Owners Manual).

 

[DavidnRobin]

I should have worded that they will unlikely enforce it.

Proceed at your own risk - enforcement will remain (which ain't saying much - since it is weak and easily circumvented as some people here know and continue to do). I have friends who have rented from people that reserved non-HomeResort SOs reservations at both WKORV and WKORVN (listed on RedWeek). So... VSN is going to place a fee on all since they cannot easily differentiate between the two.

 

[The Haileys]

This is still messy as hell. I guess it will sort out when I go to reserve villas for our big family stay at SVV. We'll be getting at least 4 2 BR, and maybe 2 1 BR. Some in the HO period with our SVV and Flex, and then some with SO from rollover and the WKORV SOs. Unless they let me check in to 6 villas myself, and then I request room keys for all the adult children, I'd have to pay $59 for each villa that I don't occupy.

 

[SMHarman]

You know, after reading that third paragraph several times, it is also imprecise in it's wording. The phrase "third-party guest reservation" could mean a reservation created during the SVN booking period (< 8 months before arrival) or it could conceivably mean a reservation transferred to a guest during the SVN booking period. The word "booked" seems like it should mean a reservation created in the SVN period, but it could also conceivably mean the act of transferring the reservation to a guest. The intent sentence would suggest that "booked" means a reservation created during the SVN period since transferring reservations in the SVN period would do nothing to ensure that all owners have a fair opportunity to secure reservations.

I'm sure several people at Vistana reviewed this email before it was sent out. How could they end up with wording that is so vague and imprecise??

Booked / reserved to my reading is when the confirmation number is generated.

Beyond that it is a cancel or amend. The amend does not generate a new confirm no.

 

[DeniseM]

Unless they let me check in to 6 villas myself, and then I request room keys for all the adult children, I'd have to pay $59 for each villa that I don't occupy.

You can absolutely check-in 6 villas yourself, and then add your guests names/credit cards to your reservation at the front desk, for no fee.

 

[SMHarman]

Same letter sent to non-Elite owners, except we don't get the one free confirmation:

One free per ownership interest. Not one free.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Has anyone gotten a letter about deeded weeks at SBP?

 

[elleny76]

I still don't get it... if I need 3 rooms for me and my family using SO when do I need to book to avoid the fee? after 8 months or just at 8 months when they open for non owners?

 

[seagila]

I still don't get it... if I need 3 rooms for me and my family using SO when do I need to book to avoid the fee? after 8 months or just at 8 months when they open for non owners?

As long as you, the named owner/VSN member, are checking in your whole party at the beginning of your stay, you don't need to pay for a guest confirmation fee because you do not need it. If a member of your party is arriving ahead of you and want to check themselves in, then you'd need a guest confirmation and pay the fee if it were a SO reservation. Home Resort reservations will not require a guest confirmation fee.

 

[Denise L]

One free per ownership interest. Not one free.

I got one for our SDO that isn't in VSN. It says that the fee doesn't apply for that ownership. Well, it actually says:

Dear Owner,

Recently you received an email about the application of a third-party guest fee. Please disregard that email as this fee only applies to members of the Vistana Signature Network.

We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. Please contact Owner Services at 800-847-8262 should you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Clark
Vice President, Owner Services
Vistana Signature Experiences

 

[SMHarman]

I got one for our SDO that isn't in VSN. It says that the fee doesn't apply for that ownership. Well, it actually says:

Dear Owner,

Recently you received an email about the application of a third-party guest fee. Please disregard that email as this fee only applies to members of the Vistana Signature Network.

We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. Please contact Owner Services at 800-847-8262 should you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Clark
Vice President, Owner Services
Vistana Signature Experiences

But my point easy expanding on this.

As a valued Four- or Five-Star Elite Member, you receive one complimentary third-party guest reservation transfer per each Elite-qualifying Vacation Ownership Interest annually.

That's per interest not per elite ownership.

 

[VacationForever]

Proceed at your own risk - enforcement will remain (which ain't saying much - since it is weak and easily circumvented as some people here know and continue to do). I have friends who have rented from people that reserved non-HomeResort SOs reservations at both WKORV and WKORVN (listed on RedWeek). So... VSN is going to place a fee on all since they cannot easily differentiate between the two.

I don't rent out or rent from owners, so it does not affect me. But I can see VSN closing one eye to SO rentals as they get their cut through charging of guest fees.

 

[dsmrp]

Same letter sent to non-Elite owners, except we don't get the one free confirmation:

I'm 3* and my letter didn't include a free confirmation per VOI either.
In another poster's msg their letter indicated it was for 4* and 5*.
Not a biggie to me

I do agree with others that VSE will not enforce much the no renting of SO reservations rule.
Too costly for them to implement something in logic, and they don't gain hardly anything for it.

I guess VSE might continue the practice of not confirming the reservation when the guest on the reservation
calls for confirmation. Maybe owner/rentees will be forced to have more 3 way conference calls
Friends & family of owners should trust owners will make the name change,
and owners also can forward the email confirmations to friends & family.

Good email campaign everyone to stick up for your rights!