ARDA fees seem to be not voluntary on all of my statements. Let's do a letter-writing campaign via email to Vistana about it. Join me, please!

[rickandcindy23]

I am just tired of this constant battle with Vistana over these $5.00 fees added into every single one of my weeks, and believe me, we own a lot of weeks.

So here goes:

Dear Vistana,

Please stop adding the $5.00 fee into the total amount due and add it as an additional amount that suckers can pay, if they want to help the Resort Developers, or whatever in the world you say it's for. I don't want to pay it.

Here is what happens: I subtract the amount, then I have a balance due of $5.00. I then pay my next year's fees, in this case 2024 fees, and I pay the estimated fees minus the $5.00. Then I go to reserve my 2024 deeded summer weeks, which I can reserve up to two years in advance, if I call via phone. Each time, I am told that I owe $5.00. I argue, I tell them that it's the ARDA fee, they say it's not the ARDA fee, and we go back and forth, and then, ultimately, I have to pay it in order to book my week. How is that a voluntary fee? I have paid it too many times to count and have asked repeatedly to not have this added to my statements each month.

Other companies, like Marriott, do not add the fee into the total amount. You can add it yourself, if you want to contribute.

So why is it that you do not understand the problem? Are there people in accounting that can fix this, or will it take a class-action lawsuit to get you to stop adding in that fee?

Sincerely and Unapologetically,

Cindy XXXXXX

 

[TUGBrian]

there is no chance this is done by accident...

how do i get a "voluntary donation" to TUG on every maint fee statement? =D

 

[TUGBrian]

For grins I fired off a few emails to some Marriott executives I've had relationships with in the past to inquire if there is any knowledge of the disparity between MVCI and VSE processes for the donation via maintenance fees. Perhaps we can enact some change here!

Not that I am holding my breath until it happens, but it cant hurt to try!

Will see how the responses go, if I even get any.

 

[Henry M.]

I agree the fee shouldn't automatically be added. They could have a checkbox requesting a donation be made, or something similar.

However, I've never had an issue simply deducting the fee when I make an online payment for my WKORV/WKORVN weeks. Also, I can only make reservations for the next use year. Today, I can only make reservations up to 12 months out, in October 2023. Are other locations different? Are you talking about paying 2024 fees to borrow Staroptions in 2023? Is this an issue for reservations in 2024 but not 2023?

 

[Eric B]

I agree the fee shouldn't automatically be added. They could have a checkbox requesting a donation be made, or something similar.

However, I've never had an issue simply deducting the fee when I make an online payment for my WKORV/WKORVN weeks. Also, I can only make reservations for the next use year. Today, I can only make reservations up to 12 months out, in October 2023. Are other locations different? Are you talking about paying 2024 fees to borrow Staroptions in 2023? Is this an issue for reservations in 2024 but not 2023?

Other locations can be different. At SBP, where @rickandcindy23 own many weeks, some of the portions at least can reserve at 24 months out. The problem is that the fees have to be paid to do that and the system is set up to ignore the $5 difference for the next year but estimate the year after without allowing for the $5 difference. My guess would be that the $5 difference will be made up for by rising fees anyway and there will likely be an ability to opt out of the ARDA "voluntary" donation once the new bills are generated, but it still really should be an opt in rather than an opt out.

 

[Henry M.]

Thank you for the explanation. I didn't realize some locations allowed for reservations further into the future. I agree that the ARDA fee should not be included by default.

 

[vacationtime1]

Thank you for the explanation. I didn't realize some locations allowed for reservations further into the future. I agree that the ARDA fee should not be included by default.

Yet another weakness in the Marriott IT experience.

 

[Eric B]

Other companies, like Marriott, do not add the fee into the total amount. You can add it yourself, if you want to contribute.

Yet another weakness in the Marriott IT experience.

I haven't been a Vistana owner all that long and it's been since Marriott started the merger, but this strikes me as having been a legacy Vistana issue.

 

[VacationForever]

I believe it is a Vistana legacy and I have been an owner since 1996. In Vistana system, the ARDA is hidden in the bill while MVC system breaks it out into an entirely different line where you have to put the charge against that line to pay the ARDA fee.

 

[TUGBrian]

I believe it is a Vistana legacy and I have been an owner since 1996. In Vistana system, the ARDA is hidden in the bill while MVC system breaks it out into an entirely different line where you have to put the charge against that line to pay the ARDA fee.

heres to hoping Marriott will bring its recent acquisition more in line with its own practices!

I for one would love to hear an explanation for why they would NOT choose to do this.

 

[SueDonJ]

Yet another weakness in the Marriott IT experience.

There are multiple threads about the ARDA-ROC amounts on MF's bills, like this one from 2015: [2015] ARDA-ROC Voluntary Contribution on Annual Bill In this one and others, you can learn that long before Marriott Vacations Worldwide acquired Vistana, the "suggested contribution" was an opt-in with Marriott ownerships and an opt-out with Vistana (formerly Starwood) ownerships.

I'm seriously waiting on the day that Vistana owners blame Marriott for every ill in the known universe.

 

[Ken555]

There are multiple threads about the ARDA-ROC amounts on MF's bills, like this one from 2015: [2015] ARDA-ROC Voluntary Contribution on Annual Bill In this one and others, you can learn that long before Marriott Vacations Worldwide acquired Vistana, the "suggested contribution" was an opt-in with Marriott ownerships and an opt-out with Vistana (formerly Starwood) ownerships.

I'm seriously waiting on the day that Vistana owners blame Marriott for every ill in the known universe.

I’ve been annoyed with this automatic $5 addition on my Starwood/Vistana maintenance fee invoices since I bought long ago. Every year I simply pay what I owe less $5, as do many others. It has never made sense, other than to think that at one point someone lobbied someone and voila, here we are…

Marriott can justifiably be blamed for many instances of poor practices, but this is not one of them.


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[dioxide45]

I think what is needed is to get over the hump and have a year where you don't pay the ARDA fee. I beleive the prepay amount is based on whatever you paid the prior year. If that included the ARDA fee, then they just include it in the prepay amount. Certainly Cindy's situation is unique. Not many people are prepaying two years in advance. For us, we didn't pay the ARDA fee last year and it isn't in prepay for 2023. Paying and having it later removed/refunded is different and doubtful that would cause it to be removed from the prepay amount.

 

[VacationForever]

I have been pre-paying MF almost every year because we like to deposit a year early into II and have never encountered "money owed" on the ARDA amount which we skip.

 

[dioxide45]

I have been pre-paying MF almost every year because we like to deposit a year early into II and have never encountered "money owed" on the ARDA amount which we skip.

I suspect that is because the amount you are paying is equal to the "Projected Fees for Next Year"? In Cindy's case, the $5 was paid last year and shows up in the "ARDA ROC PAC Contrib" field and it causes next year fees to be $5 higher. Thus when substracing it and paying the lower amount, it remains with a $5 balance on Next Year fees.

 

[SueDonJ]

I wonder if the difference has anything to do with the fact that Marriott hasn't ever required MF's to be prepaid if usage beyond the next year's usage is elected? We could always deposit to II for a period beyond the period covered by the latest billed MF's, without having to pre-pay to cover the period beyond (and since the DC/Abound inception we've been able to elect points for Weeks up to 25 months ahead without pre-paying MF's.)

I don't know exactly what I'm asking other than, has Starwood/Vistana been obligated by their II affiliation contract to collect pre-payment while Marriott hasn't ever been? And how might the fact that ARDA-ROC contributions are on the same bills be impacted by that obligation?

 

[dioxide45]

I wonder if the difference has anything to do with the fact that Marriott hasn't ever required MF's to be prepaid if usage beyond the next year's usage is elected? We could always deposit to II for a period beyond the period covered by the latest billed MF's, without having to pre-pay to cover the period beyond (and since the DC/Abound inception we've been able to elect points for Weeks up to 25 months ahead without pre-paying MF's.)

I don't know exactly what I'm asking other than, has Starwood/Vistana been obligated by their II affiliation contract to collect pre-payment while Marriott hasn't ever been?

Prepayment is definitely the issue here and is simply a policy set by Vistana to protect themselves from possible fraud by people that deposit and later default. They require the same prepayment if borrowing StarOptions. I would be more than happy if this prepayment went away when Abound rolls out. I doubt prepayment will be required when electing future use years to Abound, but not sure if they will still require it for II deposit and StarOption borrowing.

 

[Ken555]

I think what is needed is to get over the hump and have a year where you don't pay the ARDA fee. I beleive the prepay amount is based on whatever you paid the prior year. If that included the ARDA fee, then they just include it in the prepay amount. Certainly Cindy's situation is unique. Not many people are prepaying two years in advance. For us, we didn't pay the ARDA fee last year and it isn't in prepay for 2023. Paying and having it later removed/refunded is different and doubtful that would cause it to be removed from the prepay amount.

This didn’t happen to me. Perhaps it will with Marriott…oh, wait, who are we kidding?


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[pedro47]

Even Diamond Resorts deducted the ARDA fee from your maintenance fee statement. It was a voluntary fee.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Other locations can be different. At SBP, where @rickandcindy23 own many weeks, some of the portions at least can reserve at 24 months out. The problem is that the fees have to be paid to do that and the system is set up to ignore the $5 difference for the next year but estimate the year after without allowing for the $5 difference. My guess would be that the $5 difference will be made up for by rising fees anyway and there will likely be an ability to opt out of the ARDA "voluntary" donation once the new bills are generated, but it still really should be an opt in rather than an opt out.

Yes, exactly! That is the issue I am experiencing. When I argue that the $5.00 is the ARDA fee, they tell me that it's not the ARDA fee.

 

[jabberwocky]

I haven't been a Vistana owner all that long and it's been since Marriott started the merger, but this strikes me as having been a legacy Vistana issue.

Yes and no. For international members we are not subject to the ARDA fee (in fact it may be illegal to do so). The old Vistana bills never charged the $5. Now that Marriott has started billing the $5 fee appears there.

An unwitting (or simply unaware) owner might just pay the full amount without looking closely or understanding their legal obligations. Marriott should do more to avoid this.

 

[pedro47]

Yes, exactly! That is the issue I am experiencing. When I argue that the $5.00 is the ARDA fee, they tell me that it's not the ARDA fee.

if Is not the ARDA fee then what is the $5.00 fee for ?
That is the question.

 

[rickandcindy23]

if Is not the ARDA fee then what is the $5.00 fee for ?
That is the question.

Yep. I am frustrated with Vistana, like I am going to go crazy, but rather than to lose my mind, I just pay the stupid fee, but only on a few of my weeks. We own a few weeks between 24-32, and those I need to book as far out as possible, up to two years, to get my deeded weeks reserved.

I have other complaints with Vistana. Marriott has been great. I have owned Marriott as long as Vistana, so this is not a Marriott thing at all. It's always and forever been Vistana only. ARDA fees are supposed to be voluntary.

I did get an answer back from my letter, which I had to shorten to go through, and apparently I have to read information from the website to understand my ownership:

Dear RXXXXX

Thank you for the opportunity to further assist you with your ownership.

I sincerely apologize for the trouble you've experienced with the $5.00 ARDA fee. You are correct that it is a voluntary fee, and that it isn't required to make reservations. Advisors should not be requiring that fee. For future reference, advisors can view your balances with you on the online portal so that you're both looking at the same thing. If there is a discrepancy between you and the advisor, you are always welcome to request a supervisor for further assistance.

In case it might be helpful, here are a few key links to information located on the website:
- StarOptions balance: vistana.com/account-balances
- Ownership101: vistana.com/ownership101
- Book Reservations: villafinder.vistana.com/search
- Banking StarOptions: villafinder.vistana.com/bankstaroptions
- Converting to Marriott Bonvoy Points: vistana.com/ownership101#spg_conversion
- Pay Annual Fees online: https://www.vistana.com/owners-association

I hope this information has been helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Robert S.
Vacation Ownership Specialist

T (800) 847-8262 F (888) 475-9128
VISTANA SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES
9002 SAN MARCO COURT
ORLANDO, FL 32819

 

[pedro47]

Yep. I am frustrated with Vistana, like I am going to go crazy, but rather than to lose my mind, I just pay the stupid fee, but only on a few of my weeks. We own a few weeks between 24-32, and those I need to book as far out as possible, up to two years, to get my deeded weeks reserved.

I have other complaints with Vistana. Marriott has been great. I have owned Marriott as long as Vistana, so this is not a Marriott thing at all. It's always and forever been Vistana only. ARDA fees are supposed to be voluntary.

I did get an answer back from my letter, which I had to shorten to go through, and apparently I have to read information from the website to understand my ownership:

Dear RXXXXX

Thank you for the opportunity to further assist you with your ownership.

I sincerely apologize for the trouble you've experienced with the $5.00 ARDA fee. You are correct that it is a voluntary fee, and that it isn't required to make reservations. Advisors should not be requiring that fee. For future reference, advisors can view your balances with you on the online portal so that you're both looking at the same thing. If there is a discrepancy between you and the advisor, you are always welcome to request a supervisor for further assistance.

In case it might be helpful, here are a few key links to information located on the website:
- StarOptions balance: vistana.com/account-balances
- Ownership101: vistana.com/ownership101
- Book Reservations: villafinder.vistana.com/search
- Banking StarOptions: villafinder.vistana.com/bankstaroptions
- Converting to Marriott Bonvoy Points: vistana.com/ownership101#spg_conversion
- Pay Annual Fees online: https://www.vistana.com/owners-association

I hope this information has been helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Robert S.
Vacation Ownership Specialist

T (800) 847-8262 F (888) 475-9128
VISTANA SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES
9002 SAN MARCO COURT
ORLANDO, FL 32819

I'm please someone in the organization could give you the correct answer in writing. That you can use in the future.
Good luck and enjoy your many timeshare vacation.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Many of the people at Vistana are inept. I have had to tell many of them that I can book over a year out for any and all of my deeded weeks, not that I want to book a week 14 over a year out, but prime summer weeks, yes, I absolutely do need to do that. The 4th of July weeks disappear almost immediately at 12 months, so getting them ahead is in my own best interest. Even when they (Vistana) get it right, some will tell me I have to book the unit and day of the week on my deed. No, that isn't true. There is no day of the week on the deed that I can see.