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[5/2009] Raintree vacation club

Corman

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WOW, I wonder what got thier attention, the phone calls, emails or the threat of a class action lawsuit.
 

sjuhawk_jd

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Welcome to TUG

Hello folks. I am helping Raintree Vacation Club improve its communication with its Members. As others have posted, Raintree's leadership acknowledges that they really messed up by not providing more notice and giving Members greater insight into the financial challenges the Club is facing. We understand and appreciate the concerns expressed here and elsewhere. In response, flexible payment plans are offered for those who request them. I am not here to spam, defend or argue -- just to let you know Raintree has a new Web site, www.raintreelistens.com to provide answers and enable better connections between the Club and Members.

Welcome Daniel to the TUG. I am glad raintree is doing the right thing by understanding the power of the "Groundswell" and paying attention to the concerns, aspirations, and advise of its members.
 

cdn_traveler

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SA being withdrawn?

Congratulations everybody! Raintree has withdrawn the Special assessment!

RVC owners that sent complaints and e-mails should give themselves a huge pat on the back. :whoopie: :cheer:
 
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Blondie

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That is not the message I received in my latest email from them. They are offering a more flexible payment plan as well as info regarding capping maint fees and the like. To what do you refer cdn-traveler?
 

quiltergal

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You'd all better go read the message. It says it will be revisited, with proof of how our MF dollars were spent and that that money is not enough to cover operating costs. They're just delaying the inevitable. Either we pay a SA or our annual MFs go up. Don't think this is just going to go away.

From raintreelistens.com

Please note: In response to Member feedback, Raintree has withdrawn the Special Assessment. There were mistakes in the way it was communicated and Raintree apologizes for taking Members by surprise. The intention is to revisit the issue later this year after compiling information that will demonstrate clearly and unequivocally that Raintree has used the maintenance fee monies properly but they are insufficient to cover operating costs. We appreciate the excellent suggestions the Club has received from many of its Members and will incorporate these as we move forward.
 
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Blondie

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Now I am totally confused... I just received an email a few days ago that had another explanation regarding a flex payment plan and said new bills will be coming out. I guess that is good for now, but it concerns me that the leadership is so quick to change financial strategies and that their knee jerk reactions to sending out the bills, then revamping them and then rescinding them signal a lack of direction. Who is in charge here...??
 

PamMo

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I just spoke with member services at Raintree and they have definitely withdrawn the special assessment completely for right now. They have listened to owners' concerns and put it on hold indefinitely. It sounds like we will be getting more detailed information on exactly what they were trying to do and why, before they ask for a SA again. An email/snail mail regarding the cancellation of the SA is on the way.
 

sjuhawk_jd

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Assessment withdrawn

Hats off to RVC and its members. First of all, I just came back from a stay at Raintree's flagship resort (Miner's club at the Canyons, Park City, Utah). What a resort! Top notch all the way, daily maid service, plush cotton gowns in two bedrooms, etc. More like Ritz Carlton/Four Seasons Fractional residences than a timeshare. Second, they repeal the special assessment and admit the mistakes made by the management in communicating the assessment with its members.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Received this email today:

Dear Member,

Raintree has determined it is in the best interests of the Club and Members to withdraw the Special Assessment at this time. There were serious mistakes in the way it was communicated and we want to address the excellent suggestions the Club has received from many of its Members. Raintree's intention is to revisit the issue later this year, after compiling information that will demonstrate clearly and unequivocally that Raintree has used the maintenance fee monies properly but they are insufficient to cover operating costs.

We will issue refunds to Members who have already paid their Special Assessment.

We want and encourage Member input and are committed to doing a better job of keeping lines of communication open in the future. Please visit our new site - www.RaintreeListens.com - for updates.
 

Zelda

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1. Consider your investment in the Club Regina/RVC a sunk cost and walk away. They can take your "asset" back and cancel your membership. It is hard to imagine they would have any recourse to one's credit rating given that the time share has been fully paid for.

Read your contract. You agreed to pay maintenance fees. If you don't pay, they can (and will) report your nonpayment to a credit agency. What you paid for the 30-year (or remainder, if you bought resale) RTU contract is only part of the contract. MF's are essential to running the property. That's true with ANY timeshare.

3. Pursue the class action lawsuit avenue...long and arduous, but perhaps the best way to recoup some of our investment.

Realistically, no one would take this case, unless you want to pay a lawyer money up front. But what is the complaint? That you don't want to pay a special assessment for improvements - that RVC has the right to issue? Regardless, you will not recoup your initial "investment" for your timeshare purchase - especially if you bought from the developer. Hasn't TUG taught us all that "Timeshares are not financial investments!"

One gets the sense that this organization is going down...and in my mind it would be foolish to, in all probability, throw good money after bad

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I respectfully disagree.[/QUOTE]

Most of the posts on here are a bit old.........
As of today Sept. 24, Raintree will be sending the Special Assessment out again before the end of the year......
We as a group have posted on the Complaints Board many , many pages of fact in the overleaveraging of Raintree and also the $26 million against Raintree and Starwood for the FRAUD leveled on the Villa owners. They purchased their upgrade to the Villas that were to be built and the monies put into a escrow fund for construction.....and out of Doug Bech's (CEO of Raintree) own mouth...."they spent the monies on Sales Commissions and to pay down their enormous debt to Starwood. They are very over leaveraged to several companies.
ANYONE THINKING OF BUYING INTO OR UPGRADING WITH RAINTREE OR WHATEVER THEY CHANGE THEIR NAME TO .....NEED TO RECONSIDER..........THEY ARE OVERLEAVERAGED AND HAVE MISAPPROPRIATED ALL THE MONIES THAT THEY HAVE COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS FOR MAINTENENCE ON THE PROPERTIES AND HAVE NO MONIES TO DO IT. DO NOT FALL FOR THEIR...BS.....THAT THEY WILL FIX THESE PLACES UP...A FEW BANDAGES HERE AND THERE JUST AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY HAVE COLLECTED FROM US OVER THE YEARS THESE PLACES SHOUD BE ONE OF THE BEST AROUND....

Speaking just for the Cabo property.....we have been members for 12 years....NOTHING has been upgraded for all those years....although each year at our "update" breakfast we have been "lied" to and told they are working on it this year.

Do not get involved with this management company....until there is complete transparency and honesty.
(it could be a cold day in hell................)
 

Bodie

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Raintree Vacation Club

As original owners of Club Regina, before RVC came in, I found it to be really quite nice. In Cancun, the staff is friendly, environs clean, restaurant good and the bus system is great. However, I would not buy now, nor would I upgrade. Original owners did not pay a lot of money, and are probably staying, but caveat emptor to those considering such a purchase. RVC is not a well run company, more like a Ponzi scheme. The RVC staff, by and large, do their best. If you're considering a timeshare, stick with those that are operated by large hotel chains such as Marriott, Starwood, etc. Yes, they are more expensive, but they are much better managed. I really do love my Marriott timeshare. As to whether or not to buy on the secondary market, it may or may not be worth it, depending on what is important to you.
 

CbearBBS

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Beware...Raintree is now rated F by the Houston Better Business Bureau. Huge outcry over mismanagement, escalating maintenance fees, and an outrageous "special assessment"
 

PamMo

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Beware...Raintree is now rated F by the Houston Better Business Bureau. Huge outcry over mismanagement, escalating maintenance fees, and an outrageous "special assessment"

A total of 50 complaints were made against Raintree in the last 3 years. 43 of those were in the last 12 months - when the special assessment (equal to one year MF's) came out. Almost all the complaints were over billing/contract disputes - not too surprisingly.
 

Spindoctor

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Raintree Drops WESTIN Facilities

This is absolutely outrageous. As if charging the special assessment was not eough, now Raintree has dropped members rights to use Westin facilities - ON PURPOSE. You now have to pay for the gym, tennis court and must pay full price - cash only - at most of the restaurants and bars. It has apparently gotten so bad at Puerto Vallarta that Westin has put up a fence to keep Club members out.

http://www.raintreelistens.com/en/art/67/

The same restrictions apply at Cancun and Cabo

http://www.raintreelistens.com/en/art/69/

http://www.raintreelistens.com/en/art/70/

And did "RAINTREE LISTENS" ask members for a response BEFORE dropping this? NO. They hid the fact that they were dropping this from members, did not solicit member comment and did not seek member approval.

The reason given for dropping Westin facilities? That "members" complained that it was too expensive. Clearly, the "new" Raintree management is seeking to pad their own pockets at owners' expense.

If anyone has any address for listing complaints against Raintree, please post them. Perhaps only if we convince no one to go to their facilities will this "management" team be fired and replaced with a team who has a member centric priority rather than a profit driven priority.
 

DanielKeeney

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SpinDoctor: I help the team at Raintree communicate with Members and wanted to clarify a couple points.

There are some misunderstandings and inaccurate information circulating regarding Raintree Vacation Club’s relationship with Starwood (owners of Westin). Until January, Raintree Vacation Club contracted with Starwood to provide property management services at the three Club Regina resort properties. That was the full extent of Raintree’s relationship with Starwood. Raintree did not own or otherwise control Starwood facilities or amenities -- so we did not take this access away from Members as you describe.

In 2009, after reporting to Members that expenses continued to exceed revenues for a third consecutive year, Raintree Members were united in encouraging dramatic cuts in expenses. And as you note, Members in large numbers did post on and through the Raintree Listens website encouraging the organization to do more to cut expenses to bring them in line with revenues. The single largest expense of Raintree Vacation Club was its contract with Starwood. In January, Raintree let its contract with Starwood expire and took over property management of the three Club Regina resort properties.

Raintree Vacation Club now manages and operates those properties as it does the majority of other resort properties that fly the Raintree banner. We believe that this move will provide savings and improve the level of service enjoyed by Members. Starwood responded by discontinuing some of the perks for Members -- but Members continue to have access to Starwood facilities at the same costs that hotel guests pay.

We really appreciate your input. Any Member can access www.raintreelistens.com for more information or to submit comments or questions to the organization.
 

Spindoctor

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Raintree Vacation Club now manages and operates those properties as it does the majority of other resort properties that fly the Raintree banner. We believe that this move will provide savings and improve the level of service enjoyed by Members. Starwood responded by discontinuing some of the perks for Members -- but Members continue to have access to Starwood facilities at the same costs that hotel guests pay.

REALLY? Requiring members to now pay for perks that were part of the membership we paid for every year? You call that a "benefit?" Get real Keeney. What you fail to state is that while members encourage cost savings, they never suggested, agreed to nor asked to have benefits cut for which they contracted when purchasing their time shares. RVC has breached the original sales agreements with members- without consent or agreement.

What I can now expect from Raintree management of Cancun, PV and Cabo is the low-end managment I've found at Villa Vera resorts and the reason I will never return to a Villa Vera resort - They are 3rd class properties managed by buffoons who do not understand either quality or service. Now we will get the same at the formerly Westin associated properties. Why don't you just do the correct thing and offer the properties to Westin so that members can have a quality operation in place?

So again - Raintree members have gotten is the shaft. Pay more-get less.
 

Zelda

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Lawsuit filed and final

For ALL members of Raintree go to Girard Gibbs website, girardgibbs.com and scan down to Raintree litigation...

As of April 13, 2012 the lawsuit regarding the unlawful Special Assessment was final.

The $1.7 million was won by the eleven Plaintiffs and it included ALL U. S. MEMBERS.

United States District Court, Northern District of California.. Case # CV 10-03125 CW

Any further information contact Girard Gibbs in San Francisco @ 415.981.4800.
 

hellolani

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Additional info for new owners of resale

Just wanted to add to the pool of info - I purchased a RVC membership on ebay from a couple who paid their asssessments and qualify for the extra points being US residents. I'm a Canadian resident, but I purchased a US account. I called into Member Services just now and was informed by the rep that RVC has not yet made a decision on whether to allow those extra points granted to be transferred to new owners. I was told to call back in two weeks. FYI.
 

Zelda

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hellolani,
that is absurd that they will not let you transfer go through.
that is what you paid for.
the Canadian members need to follow along with our law suit see my previous input and file a class action in Canada to the same effect for the Special Assessment as we did.
they can not charge some members something and not the others. the assessment was illegal and they have to return the weeks to the members for each week that they paid a SA for.
the Special Assessment was non- contractual and the with holding of useage for not paying is considered Breach of Contract. They can not do that.
Contact a law firm that will take it on a contingency basis as our did and then log into ot case documents from our lawsuit.
It doesn't take many members to sue and set a presidence for all Canadians. Our lawsuit only had 11 Plaintiffs that fought for us.
:) :) :)
 

hellolani

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Update: no extra points

Just spoke with another rep, and they've unilaterally determined that members who purchased accounts from members who paid the assessment are not eligible for the settlement points.

I'm sure they're betting that we're few enough that it would be too hard to organize, and I'm guessing they're right. I have no idea how to find other members in the same shoes. Plus we're Canadian.
 

scobrn

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RVC Settlement

I read the settlement agreement that was approved by the courts. If you paid the assesment and then sold the membership, you still have the use of the points from the settlement. It specifically doesn't transfer to the transferee.
 
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