[ 2024 ] Timeshare Damaged During Hurricane

[BrianC515]

Hi Everyone, I recently became an owner of a timeshare unit/week in Florida that was damaged by the recent hurricane. My week is in July, and right now the timeshare management state they expect repairs to take up until december or later of next year.

My bill has come due, and I'm being asked to pay for a timeshare week I won't be able to utilize due to the repair needs. I'm investigating whether the insurance policy they're required to hold and levy premiums for via common expense covers lost revenue when a business is inoperable. I know this is a thing for some businesses, but I don't know if it is for timeshares.

I've also found through the contract that we have a reserve fund and want to know the figures in that. The contract states that anything paid out by Insurance past what's required for repair is kept in "operational surplus", a term I can't find defined therein.

My concern is that I'll pay this bill, my timeshare management will be reimbursed for damages and potentially then some, and I'll be paying the same amount next year, with no consideration of the insurance payout bearing on my yearly maintenance and dues.

Has anyone experienced something like this, and if so can you explain how some of this may work for us unit/week owners?

 

[dioxide45]

I would think if they had insurance to cover maintenance fees of owners, they wouldn't be asking you for them. I know some resort systems like Hilton have insurance for these kinds of things, but I wouldn't expect a small independent resort to carry it.

It is also likely that much of what you pay is going to cover the deductible, which can be very high for this type of storm damage.

 

[BrianC515]

Thank you. Would it be fair to expect maintenance costs for a given year to potentially be lower as all or many expenses related to standard property upkeep and utilization would cease with its closure? Do you know if that's ever something addressed and made public to unit owners?

 

[dioxide45]

Thank you. Would it be fair to expect maintenance costs for a given year to potentially be lower as all or many expenses related to standard property upkeep and utilization would cease with its closure? Do you know if that's ever something addressed and made public to unit owners?

You should be able to get information from your HOA BOD. Have you asked them these questions?

 

[BrianC515]

You should be able to get information from your HOA BOD. Have you asked them these questions?

Nope, I believe others have with less than satisfactory answers but I'm not typically the type to be present at meetings or mindful of communications they send out, at this point to my detriment. Definitely heading in that direction but I want to know what types of things I should be asking, what experiences others have had when faced with something similar, which is why I've come here, to the contract, and to Florida state law before following up

 

[theo]

<snip> … I'm not typically the type to be present at meetings or mindful of communications they send out, at this point to my detriment. Definitely heading in that direction but I want to know what types of things I should be asking, what experiences others have had when faced with something similar, which is why I've come here, to the contract, and to Florida state law before following up

As an owner of multiple timeshare weeks in SW Florida for many years now (all of those weeks are at independent resorts, none are at “chain” properties), I will share some personal observations and experiences from the devastation of Hurricane Ian on September 28, 2022 (and more recently, damage in 2024 from Hurricanes Helene and Milton). Two of our properties are still not yet repaired enough to reopen, so some folks are now looking at a third consecutive year of inability to access a property at which they own intervals, while nonetheless remaining responsible for paying annual maintenance fees.

1. Maintenance fees are due from owners each year, whether the (independent) resort is open or not. Utilities, real estate taxes (and notably, insurance costs) do not magically cease to exist because the resort is closed and under repair. Moreover, insurance claims for sustained damage involve hefty deductibles that need to be covered. Btw, insurance costs have already doubled or tripled in many instances in FL; interval owners are responsible for covering those increased costs at independent timeshare properties.

2. If you now plan and intend to belatedly ask questions of your HOA / BOD, you should certainly include an inquiry about the prospect of ”special assessments”, which would be unexpected costs in addition to mandatory (and rising) maintenance fees; a consequence of inadequate insurance claim payments and / or insufficient financial reserves.

3. In the post-Hurricanes Ian / Helene / Milton picture, I can envision no scenario in which you could possibly see any “reduced maintenance fees” or "excess insurance payment funds" at any independent Florida resort. On the contrary, the real and more appropriate question is how much more you will have to pay going forward.

I‘m sure that the above is not welcome input, but it is nonetheless factually accurate (so don’t shoot the messenger). For the record, I claim no knowledge whatsoever of how any of the various “chains” handle owner fees and costs during or after property closures resulting from severe storm damage. My above observations specifically and only address and relate to practices at independent timeshare properties in SW Florida.

 

[Passepartout]

One REALLY good reason I wouldn't own a TS in Florida. Each to their own.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Hi Everyone, I recently became an owner of a timeshare unit/week in Florida that was damaged by the recent hurricane. My week is in July, and right now the timeshare management state they expect repairs to take up until december or later of next year.

My bill has come due, and I'm being asked to pay for a timeshare week I won't be able to utilize due to the repair needs. I'm investigating whether the insurance policy they're required to hold and levy premiums for via common expense covers lost revenue when a business is inoperable. I know this is a thing for some businesses, but I don't know if it is for timeshares.

I've also found through the contract that we have a reserve fund and want to know the figures in that. The contract states that anything paid out by Insurance past what's required for repair is kept in "operational surplus", a term I can't find defined therein.

My concern is that I'll pay this bill, my timeshare management will be reimbursed for damages and potentially then some, and I'll be paying the same amount next year, with no consideration of the insurance payout bearing on my yearly maintenance and dues.

Has anyone experienced something like this, and if so can you explain how some of this may work for us unit/week owners?

One other thing you "may" have to worry about is the new Florida Building codes in regards to buildings which are three stories or taller. I have no idea if this pertains to your Timeshare but I want to throw it out there in case you do....

It "could" become very expensive when you add everything up.

@theo provided some very valuable input (as usual).

Best of luck.









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[knits1]

Hi Everyone, I recently became an owner of a timeshare unit/week in Florida that was damaged by the recent hurricane. My week is in July, and right now the timeshare management state they expect repairs to take up until december or later of next year.

My bill has come due, and I'm being asked to pay for a timeshare week I won't be able to utilize due to the repair needs. I'm investigating whether the insurance policy they're required to hold and levy premiums for via common expense covers lost revenue when a business is inoperable. I know this is a thing for some businesses, but I don't know if it is for timeshares.

I've also found through the contract that we have a reserve fund and want to know the figures in that. The contract states that anything paid out by Insurance past what's required for repair is kept in "operational surplus", a term I can't find defined therein.

My concern is that I'll pay this bill, my timeshare management will be reimbursed for damages and potentially then some, and I'll be paying the same amount next year, with no consideration of the insurance payout bearing on my yearly maintenance and dues.

Has anyone experienced something like this, and if so can you explain how some of this may work for us unit/week owners?

I had to pay a Hurricane clean up fee one year with Hilton. I also had a timeshare, assume it was independent, that was bought by Orange lake. It was badly managed and we ended up with a special assessment to help fix some of the problems. They also started raising the maintenance fees a lot more, which they not had done before. We had a free week in the Bahamas with that one, that resort was going down hill just as bad, and we lost it when they got bought by orange lake

 

[Pink_Warrior]

I lost two years' usage in Sanibel. There was a small assessment but the sting was not having use of the unit. My rub was that everyone didn't lose two years usage. It was damaged in September and came back on line not quite two years later. So I lost two years but those who had weeks in July/August and some September actually got to use their weeks.

 

[theo]

I lost two years' usage in Sanibel. There was a small assessment but the sting was not having use of the unit. My rub was that everyone didn't lose two years usage. It was damaged in September and came back on line not quite two years later. So I lost two years but those who had weeks in July/August and some September actually got to use their weeks.

This is the unfortunate consequence of unpredictable timing and severity of hurricanes in Florida. In the bigger picture however, random loss of timeshare use is clearly a “first world problem” anyhow.

I know a number of people (some of them family members) who own fixed weeks in coastal SW FL in October, November, December, January, February, March. Owners of October and November weeks have now already lost three consecutive years of usage (2022, 2023, 2024). December owners will very soon be in that same boat. January owners may also find themseleves in the same "no access for 3 consecutive years" situation if their resorts do not reopen by January, 2025; a development which is a very real possibility.

I'll be honest -- if we didn't already own the SW FL weeks that we have used and enjoyed for many years now, I would not buy (or even accept for free) timeshare weeks (or any other coastal property) in SW FL today. Between the undeniable consequences of climate change (hurricanes are often much more severe now, largely due to the elevated (and still rising] water temperature in the hurricane-fueling Gulf of Mexico) and the meteoric rise in insurance costs (some insurers are now bailing out of Florida entirely). Those are dice that I would personally just not be willing to roll today if I did not already have significant “skin in the game”.

 

[iowateach]

One other thing you "may" have to worry about is the new Florida Building codes in regards to buildings which are three stories or taller. I have no idea if this pertains to your Timeshare but I want to throw it out there in case you do....

It "could" become very expensive when you add everything up.

@theo provided some very valuable input (as usual).

Best of luck.









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Since you mentioned Florida building codes, let me ask the best place to get information. I am currently in Florida in a fixed week I have owned for more than 20 years. The last time I was on the property was 2003. I have owned four timeshares over the last 40 years, all fixed or floating weeks. I really never had any interest in spending more money converting to points. I came this year just for an update and to see if Wyndham was taking back units. Although I am aware of the building code issues in some Florida resorts, I have had no communication from Fairfield/Wyndham/Travel and Leisure about any additional monies owed. I was shocked when I was told if I had “upgraded” to points, I wouldn’t owe anything, but because I owned a week, I would owe roughly $25,000. It was a one-time offer, good for yesterday only, otherwise over $90,000. You know, the usual, one time timeshare hustle. I walked away.

I need to know if I have any recourse at this point. I know there are four Wyndhams in Pompano Beach and many have owners who have weeks. What have they done, or is this even true? What have other people done? Where can I get the best info? Thanks.

 

[Roger830]

Since you mentioned Florida building codes, let me ask the best place to get information. I am currently in Florida in a fixed week I have owned for more than 20 years. The last time I was on the property was 2003. I have owned four timeshares over the last 40 years, all fixed or floating weeks. I really never had any interest in spending more money converting to points. I came this year just for an update and to see if Wyndham was taking back units. Although I am aware of the building code issues in some Florida resorts, I have had no communication from Fairfield/Wyndham/Travel and Leisure about any additional monies owed. I was shocked when I was told if I had “upgraded” to points, I wouldn’t owe anything, but because I owned a week, I would owe roughly $25,000. It was a one-time offer, good for yesterday only, otherwise over $90,000. You know, the usual, one time timeshare hustle. I walked away.

I need to know if I have any recourse at this point. I know there are four Wyndhams in Pompano Beach and many have owners who have weeks. What have they done, or is this even true? What have other people done? Where can I get the best info? Thanks.

They must be saying that $25,000 could be a future assessment.

They could trade in your unit at a high cost for points in (CWA) Club Wyndham Access.

It's my understanding that they are not currently taking back fixed weeks. I was told that it could change in the future.

 

[iowateach]

I was briefly shown a list of financials for a fund containing $9,000,000, but required repairs would cost over $98,000,000 to retrofit the building I own. They say all weeks’ owners are footing the bill. Because I deeply distrust timeshare salespeople, I haven’t attended any “updates” in years and haven’t received any paperwork even suggesting this is expected. I’m looking for info on what’s been passed by the Florida legislature or any info to verify what I’ve been told.

 

[Roger830]

I was briefly shown a list of financials for a fund containing $9,000,000, but required repairs would cost over $98,000,000 to retrofit the building I own. They say all weeks’ owners are footing the bill. Because I deeply distrust timeshare salespeople, I haven’t attended any “updates” in years and haven’t received any paperwork even suggesting this is expected. I’m looking for info on what’s been passed by the Florida legislature or any info to verify what I’ve been told.

We own at Sea Gardens Ocean Palms which was built in 1999. There the reserve fund has been increased over the past few years and should be ok.

You were asking about Florida law. I'm not a lawyer but I am familiar with whats happening.

Because a building near Miami collapsed about 5 years, they are requiring buildings 40 years old and 3 or more stories high to be inspected.
If a fault is found then it has to be repaired. Of course if it's extensive then there could be a huge assessment. I don't understand how 3 and 4 story buildings are in the same category as 30 and 40 story buildings. We also own at Hollywood Sands which has a 3 story building and that concerns me.

I can't see a huge assessment like you have been told. It's likely the building sitting on valuable land would be torn down. I know that we won't pay a large assessment on our timeshares and neither will most others including Wyndham. It's likely that they own controlling interest in the Pompano resorts.

I only wanted to give back my week 7 because we want to stop driving to Florida in the near future. I have a week 7, President's Week 6 out of 7, on the 9th floor built in 1999 and they wouldn't take that back because of a blanket hold on fixed weeks.

They are in the process of closing multiple older less used fixed weeks, so that could why the hold.

Wyndham is closing a handful of legacy resorts - dedicated chart/tracker located in the first post for this unfolding set of events

** IMPORTANT ** Current Wyndham Statement as of 12/1/2025: https://clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinations.com/us/en/resorts/resort-news/2025/your-resort-portfolio-refresh Original Wyndham Statement as made on 7-15-2025...

tugbbs.com

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Since you mentioned Florida building codes, let me ask the best place to get information. I am currently in Florida in a fixed week I have owned for more than 20 years. The last time I was on the property was 2003. I have owned four timeshares over the last 40 years, all fixed or floating weeks. I really never had any interest in spending more money converting to points. I came this year just for an update and to see if Wyndham was taking back units. Although I am aware of the building code issues in some Florida resorts, I have had no communication from Fairfield/Wyndham/Travel and Leisure about any additional monies owed. I was shocked when I was told if I had “upgraded” to points, I wouldn’t owe anything, but because I owned a week, I would owe roughly $25,000. It was a one-time offer, good for yesterday only, otherwise over $90,000. You know, the usual, one time timeshare hustle. I walked away.

I need to know if I have any recourse at this point. I know there are four Wyndhams in Pompano Beach and many have owners who have weeks. What have they done, or is this even true? What have other people done? Where can I get the best info? Thanks.

Pay attention to offers made in writing. One time offers sound like a lot of "huffing".









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[Panina]

I was briefly shown a list of financials for a fund containing $9,000,000, but required repairs would cost over $98,000,000 to retrofit the building I own. They say all weeks’ owners are footing the bill. Because I deeply distrust timeshare salespeople, I haven’t attended any “updates” in years and haven’t received any paperwork even suggesting this is expected. I’m looking for info on what’s been passed by the Florida legislature or any info to verify what I’ve been told.

"all weeks' owners are footing the bill" sounds like a scare tactic to get you to pay to convert. Whereas you might eventually have an assessment week, owners will not be the only ones footing the bill.

 

[iowateach]

Their response was that points owners were spread over all Wyndham resorts, and they would pay nothing, I assume because they had paid big bucks for their units upfront. Weeks owners were responsible for their unit in their building. If I paid the $25,000, I would become a points owner. That’s when I thought I was hearing a new scam to get someone buy in. First of all, I don’t want points, Second, I would never spend another dime to own this as a home resort. Third, I have had four resorts over 40 years that all totaled up cost less than $15,000. I think part of the problem was I bought this from a Century 21 auction site and paid very little, and now they want their pound of flesh. I am just looking at getting as much information as I can. I know there must other Wyndham weeks owners in Florida, and I’m wondering what they know. To date I have received absolutely no information about any assessments.

 

[theo]

It certainly sounds to me like you are being fed the customary and predictable line of BS that routinely flows from the mouths of deceitful sales hyenas trying to peddle "conversion to points" to deeded week owners --- no more and no less. Bear in mind that true and accurate facts seldom (if ever) originate from those sales weasels.

That said, I would respectfully suggest posting an inquiry over in the Wyndham-specific forum, where you might narrow the readership field of your inquiry to other fellow Wyndham owners who have likely encountered the same situations and tall tales that you report having experienced.