This exact thing happened to me.
I picked up a SBP resale in late December, had to call Starwood to pay my MF via phone. When I did, the agent I spoke to ABSOLUTELY INSISTED I needed to pay the SVN fee. I went around and around with her, getting no where, finally asked to speak with her supervisor. She was exasperated- "Can you please tell me what problem you have with being in SVN?!". I explained I had no problem with it, would in fact love the option- however since I can't be a member, I'm opposed to paying the SVN fee. I eventually got her to check with a supervisor and she came back to tell me that I was right and I did not need to pay the SVN fee. (When I asked her to check on availability of summer weeks, she also ABSOLUTELY INSISTED that I owned a fixed week and that was all I could book. Sigh, I then had to explain the whole floating week concept to her. She finally said that I knew more about it than she did. I told her I honestly hoped that was not true, I had just picked the thing up and actually knew very little about it.)
I also got a notice today that I am being sent to collections for unpaid SVN fees.
Cindy, if they call you again, could you just give them my number as well?! So far I have been unimpressed with Starwood.
H
