[ 2014 ] Cancelling a Westgate Timeshare [merged]

[T-Dot-Traveller]

[QUOTE="Bean82, post: 2265698, member: 115368". I sent it certified with a return receipt. Let’s hope I get away from this horrible mistake.[/QUOTE]

******

All timeshare companies are LEGALLY. required to process a rescind / when the buyer does it within the specified time .

Consider it like returning a clothing item to a store for a refund .
You DO NOT have to give a reason or explanation .

Relax & feel glad you found TUG

 

[Bean82]

We used our debit card. Should I call the bank and tell them not to authorize any charges from Westgate? They were supposed to take out the rest of the deposit at the end of April. I don’t want to cancel the card and not be refunded. Today I sent a copy of the rescission letter to account services so they could see I had requested rescission so no charges should be made.

 

[Passepartout]

We used our debit card. Should I call the bank and tell them not to authorize any charges from Westgate? They were supposed to take out the rest of the deposit at the end of April. I don’t want to cancel the card and not be refunded. Today I sent a copy of the rescission letter to account services so they could see I had requested rescission so no charges should be made.

Forgive be for saying they REALLY had you off your game! A debit card gives the holder of the number access to your bank accounts- and NO PROTECTION that you'd get from using a CREDIT CARD!

In this case, YES. I think you should go to the bank and close those accounts that are linked to that card, and re-open new accounts and get new debit cards issued.

I mean no disrespect, but some of the questions you've asked indicate inexperience in monetary and financial matters. You'd do better if you had a mentor or a class in personal finance. Don't fret about it, we've all been there.

Jim

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

We used our debit card. Should I call the bank and tell them not to authorize any charges from Westgate? They were supposed to take out the rest of the deposit at the end of April. I don’t want to cancel the card and not be refunded. Today I sent a copy of the rescission letter to account services so they could see I had requested rescission so no charges should be made.

Agree with Passepartout; NEVER give anyone your Debit Card number or Password; it's like giving them a blank check.

Make sure the account balance is down to 1 cent so they can't bleed you dry. Leave it open with 1 cent so they can electronically give you your money back.

Open a brand new debit account with another (different) financial institution.

Keep all of us posted, and best of luck.






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[Iggyearl]

Make sure the account balance is down to 1 cent so they can't bleed you dry. Leave it open with 1 cent so they can electronically give you your money back.

Great advice. You need a vehicle for the refund. Then start over.

 

[Passepartout]

I also concur ^^^ Leave $.01 and open new accounts for the rest.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I also concur ^^^ Leave $.01 and open new accounts for the rest.

We used our debit card. Should I call the bank ......

I would leave enough to cover any monthly bank fees - as well .

 

[Bean82]

I have opened up a new bank account. This account has $5.00 in it enough to keep it open to have the refund given back to us. As soon as we see that it’s been credited it will be closed all together.

They have received everything I have received the text alerts from the post office. I tracked my letters. The phone calls began today. It didn’t come from our closing officer or sales rep. This is someone else saying I need to contact them immediately about our cancellation of our timeshare. They were from The Gatlinburg location.

 

[Passepartout]

They have received everything I have received the text alerts from the post office. I tracked my letters. The phone calls began today. It didn’t come from our closing officer or sales rep. This is someone else saying I need to contact them immediately about our cancellation of our timeshare. They were from The Gatlinburg location.

Ignore them. Some sales weasel trying to save his commission.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I have opened up a new bank account. This account has $5.00 in it enough to keep it open to have the refund given back to us. As soon as we see that it’s been credited it will be closed all together.

They have received everything I have received the text alerts from the post office. I tracked my letters. The phone calls began today. It didn’t come from our closing officer or sales rep. This is someone else saying I need to contact them immediately about our cancellation of our timeshare. They were from The Gatlinburg location.

Hang in there and be patient. They have so many days in which they must provide you a refund so be patient until it does show up. Please let all of us know when the money is back in your hands (or bank account).

Good move to rescind!





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[Quillswife]

Hi all,

Like many others here, we were suckered into a timeshare through Westgate in January. Since that time, my husband has lost his job and the payments are difficult. Here is my question and I've searched to see if it has already been asked but didn't see anything like it. We didn't have room on our card to put the full downpayment, so they scheduled it to be paid in 3 payments. Our last payment is due very soon, so we haven't completed the downpayment, nor been deeded the property. Does the 10 days for rescission start from the day we signed the papers or would the date be dependent on finishing the downpayment? Hopeful thinking I know... thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[Passepartout]

Hi all,

Like many others here, we were suckered into a timeshare through Westgate in January. Since that time, my husband has lost his job and the payments are difficult. Here is my question and I've searched to see if it has already been asked but didn't see anything like it. We didn't have room on our card to put the full downpayment, so they scheduled it to be paid in 3 payments. Our last payment is due very soon, so we haven't completed the downpayment, nor been deeded the property. Does the 10 days for rescission start from the day we signed the papers or would the date be dependent on finishing the downpayment? Hopeful thinking I know... thanks in advance for the advice.

Sadly, the rescission period begins the day after you sign the contract. So it appears you are new timeshare owners. Carefully consider stopping that payment, sending them a 'hardship' letter, and suffering the consequences. It won't be pleasant, but better than paying the full price, and being committed to essentially a lifetime of payments for something with ZERO resale value. Yes, a default and ultimately foreclosure will have effects on your credit, but that is over in 10 years of keeping up all other obligations. Consult with a financial and/or legal professional before making a final decision. My advice is worth exactly what you pay for it.

All the Best. We wish you'd visited us before attending a Wastegate presentation.

Jim

 

[Wanderbliss]

Hi all- I’m new here and I hope this is the right place to post- it seems like it’s the main Westgate thread. I am so so grateful I found you within my 10 day rescission period as I do plan on sending my letter either tomorrow from here in Orlando or on Monday from home.

I have a question that has been asked before in this thread but it went unanswered. I know I should photocopy the signature page of the contract and include it in my letter. But I am wondering if I need to return the secret Manila envelope that holds all my paperwork when I mail back the binder and the tablet. Or do I keep that envelope and my paperwork?

Second question: My legal name is hyphenated (for example Mary Smith-Jones) but it appears as Mary Smith on most of the documents but there are a couple of places that might say Mary Smith-Jones. Should I sign my letter with both names, kind of like “Mary Smith aka Mary Smith-Jones” or will that hurt me in some way?

My last question is, I am not sure where the contract number is located? I don’t see anything (yet-still reading) that says “contract #” but then again I am kind of still in the panic stage of this process

I know the steps have been outlined here over and over again but I just want to type my plan here to be extra sure I’m not missing anything:

1. Photocopy the contract signing page

2. Write the letter, using one of the templates here, including a line about returning the binder and such under separate cover. Husband and I sign it.

3. Photocopy that for our records.

4. Mail the letter and the photocopied contract page via certified mail return receipt requested.

5. Wait patiently and don’t answer any phone calls.

6. Be eternally grateful that I found you in time.

I can NOT believe I fell for it!! I just can’t.
Thank you for any/all advice.
-D

 

[Passepartout]

6. Be eternally grateful that I found you in time.

I can NOT believe I fell for it!! I just can’t.
Thank you for any/all advice.
-D

Welcome to TUG! You have a good grip on the necessities. I've never seen a Wastegate contract, so I have no clue what their contract- or owner number, or account number might look like, so you're on your own. I suspect it's somewhere on or near that signature page. Or hidden on the CD that's in the hidden pocket of the binder.

Your suggestion of the AKA on your name(s) works for me, and should remove any doubt that you are you.

You'll breathe a deep breath of relief when you hand the letter over to the nice postal clerk and walk out with that postal receipt.

After your money is safely back in your accounts where it belongs, and if timeshare still has some interest (please don't say Wastegate), c'mon back and we'll talk. We're glad you found us in time. Get some sleep and mail the letter tomorrow before the long weekend. Anything can happen during your travel home that could delay it getting to the post office.

Jim

 

[Wanderbliss]

Thank you Jim! You say hand written is ok? I don’t know where I would find a computer with a printer around here.
Again, I am endlessly grateful. Thank you.

 

[Passepartout]

Thank you Jim! You say hand written is ok? I don’t know where I would find a computer with a printer around here.
Again, I am endlessly grateful. Thank you.

Hand PRINTED should be fine (harkening to a TUG thread about cursive writing being a secret code for old people ). You might find a library, or maybe a UPS store. Of course the resort would have a business center for people to print boarding passes, but might frown on leaving copies of a rescission letter scattered around.

Jim

 

[Wanderbliss]

Thank you again- I know I’m asking a lot of dumb questions but I noticed that on our closing documents our address is spelled incorrectly (an extra e in our street name) - do you think I should write our address both ways on the letter? Or do I possibly void our ability to rescind because we signed off that everything was correct? Ugh.

 

[Passepartout]

Thank you again- I know I’m asking a lot of dumb questions but I noticed that on our closing documents our address is spelled incorrectly (an extra e in our street name) - do you think I should write our address both ways on the letter? Or do I possibly void our ability to rescind because we signed off that everything was correct? Ugh.

Don't worry about it. As long as your letter conveys the message that you want to cancel your association with and the purchase from Wastegate, they'll have no choice but to process the rescission. It's the state law, not a courtesy. You are simply exercising your RIGHTS.

Get it written and get thee to the post office, pronto. Time's awastin'.

 

[Bean82]

Why is the waiting game the hardest? It’s been two weeks. I know they have 45 days! They called once. The only other thing is our sales representative sent us a welcome card. She sent it last week after they received the rescission. Why would she even bother? Still no money back in our account. I know it’s only been two weeks but it feels like it’s been 2 months. I just want to know it’s over with!

 

[jwalk03]

Why is the waiting game the hardest? It’s been two weeks. I know they have 45 days! They called once. The only other thing is our sales representative sent us a welcome card. She sent it last week after they received the rescission. Why would she even bother? Still no money back in our account. I know it’s only been two weeks but it feels like it’s been 2 months. I just want to know it’s over with!

You are likely to get other welcome materials and things of that nature as well. Most of this is systematically done when you signed the contract it just takes time, and continues to be sent even if you rescinded. Don't worry about any of it, and don't excpect any kind of confirmation from them. When I rescinded a Westgate contract I got nothing other than a refund showed up on my credit card one day, never heard any other peep from them.

 

[Passepartout]

Why is the waiting game the hardest? It’s been two weeks. I know they have 45 days! They called once. The only other thing is our sales representative sent us a welcome card. She sent it last week after they received the rescission. Why would she even bother? Still no money back in our account. I know it’s only been two weeks but it feels like it’s been 2 months. I just want to know it’s over with!

Yeah, we know it's frustrating, but be thankful that there ARE rescission laws in every state. That's not true elsewhere in the world. And look at it from Wastegate's point of view. You aren't their customer. They lost you. There is NO reason to extend you any courtesy. You are taking up the time of some clerk in the office building to process your rescission. S/he doesn't have time to also satisfy the wishes of lost customers that they owe money.

Be patient. You'll be reimbursed.

Jim

 

[Wanderbliss]

Me again - I ended up sending the letter today because I just couldn't get around our Friday plans to get to a post office. Saturday we were flying all day. But, it's sent and I so hope I did everything correctly. I will keep you posted and tell you the amount you can add to your tally, hopefully!
Thank you again!

 

[Wanderbliss]

I sure do ask a lot of questions. So, my certified letter was delivered - my question (and I looked on the USPS site but couldn't find it) is, does the tracking also extend to the return receipt that will supposedly be mailed back to me? My letter was delivered yesterday. I was going to mail the promo materials back today with another letter just in case. I really am paranoid. I think today is day 10 (I signed on the 16th) and so I feel like it wouldn't hurt to send the letter one more time. I know I sound nuts but I really want to get rid of this thing. If it works, I would love to tell you all the lies they used to reel me in. Maybe it'll help someone else. Thanks!

 

[Passepartout]

I sure do ask a lot of questions. So, my certified letter was delivered - my question (and I looked on the USPS site but couldn't find it) is, does the tracking also extend to the return receipt that will supposedly be mailed back to me? My letter was delivered yesterday. I was going to mail the promo materials back today with another letter just in case. I really am paranoid. I think today is day 10 (I signed on the 16th) and so I feel like it wouldn't hurt to send the letter one more time. I know I sound nuts but I really want to get rid of this thing. If it works, I would love to tell you all the lies they used to reel me in. Maybe it'll help someone else. Thanks!

Just sit on your hands. Another rescission letter will not hurry the process. They have one letter. It was postmarked before the end of the rescission period. They MUST process it. You can send back their junk if you want, just keep the postal receipt in case they ask for proof. They won't.

If today is the final day of your rescission period, they MIGHT not even start the process as long as there is time for you to change your mind. Then it could take up to 45 days for your refund to be posted. You are gonna be a wreck by thin unless you put it out of your mind and get back to your 'regular' life. It will be cancelled. You will be free of their clutches.

Yes, you DO ask a lot of questions. It would have been easier on you if you'd asked them before you signed that contract, but you've done what you need to do to undo the damage. So RELAX!

Jim

 

[Wanderbliss]

Yes, you DO ask a lot of questions. It would have been easier on you if you'd asked them before you signed that contract, but you've done what you need to do to undo the damage. So RELAX!

Jim

Haha I'm sorry - I know I sound crazy. I did ask the salesperson a ton of questions but they were all answered with lies that I unfortunately believed. Thanks Jim - I'm sorry - I'll try to calm down