Beware of Editing Guest Certificate--Club Wyndham "Does Not Care"

[jkweber]

I changed a guest certificate to correct a phone number on the certificate. They charged me an additional $99. I waited to see if they would send me a credit. When none showed up on my statement, I called resolution services and spoke to John S. Employee number 722767. He told me that the guest certificate was non-refundable, so that by correcting a phone number, I owed them an additional $99. The guest was the same--the phone number was the only thing corrected. John S. also told me that there was no supervisor that I could speak to, to plead my case. In other words, he was the court of last resort. I told him that Wyndham was stealing my $99. He would only repeat his spiel that a correction was a new guest certificate. When I asked him how he would feel if this happened to him, he said "I won't tell you that". He then dismissed me by asking if there was anything else.

I hope Club Wyndham reads this message, and understands that they are crooks and thieves, hiding behind some rules designed to screw the owner. Their motto is that "Club Wyndham Cares." That is BS. If you are thinking of buying Club Wyndham directly from the club, DON"T. If you buy on the after-market, just beware of the possible traps you might fall into.

 

[bnoble]

Wyndham is VERY strict about GCs. It’s one reason I don’t assign guests until either I have to (to cure overlapping reservations) or it’s right before check in.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Don't correct the phone number next time. Or get it right the first time.

They make NO exceptions. Change anything on a GC and its another GC. You don't need the phone number to check in, just the name.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Tell them you want to go back to the old phone number and not be charged $99. That has been a rule for years and years. Burning $99 each change gets expensive.

 

[bnoble]

There's a good chance that changing it back is another $99. I'd leave it be.

 

[jkweber]

If I only I had known before I went through all this. Wyndham seems to bury the info, and then surprise--you lose.

 

[LMD]

Can you dispute it with your credit card? Charging you 99 to change a phone number is crazy!

 

[scootr5]

Can you dispute it with your credit card? Charging you 99 to change a phone number is crazy!

Personally I would not do that. It's written policy that changes require a new guest certificate. Disputing a valid charge will likely result in losing the dispute and possible getting your account locked.

 

[55plus]

It's called a revenue stream. It's automated with no human involvement. It's basically free money for the reservation department, which is free money for Wyndham. Being a VIPP owner grandfathered in by Wyndham I have unlimited reservation transaction. It's only a matter of time before Wyndham caps our free transactions.

 

[dioxide45]

Shoot, even the airlines show some leniency in fixing typos in someone's name on an airline ticket.

 

[Sandi Bo]

Aren't transactions still free for everyone? (Not to be confused with the GC issue here).

 

[paxsarah]

Aren't transactions still free for everyone? (Not to be confused with the GC issue here).

Yes, all online transactions are free for everyone. And for *all* transactions to be free (including by phone) doesn't require grandfathering - it remains a current benefit for gold and above.

 

[davidvel]

I changed a guest certificate to correct a phone number on the certificate. They charged me an additional $99. I waited to see if they would send me a credit. When none showed up on my statement, I called resolution services and spoke to John S. Employee number 722767. He told me that the guest certificate was non-refundable, so that by correcting a phone number, I owed them an additional $99. The guest was the same--the phone number was the only thing corrected. John S. also told me that there was no supervisor that I could speak to, to plead my case. In other words, he was the court of last resort. I told him that Wyndham was stealing my $99. He would only repeat his spiel that a correction was a new guest certificate. When I asked him how he would feel if this happened to him, he said "I won't tell you that". He then dismissed me by asking if there was anything else.

I hope Club Wyndham reads this message, and understands that they are crooks and thieves, hiding behind some rules designed to screw the owner. Their motto is that "Club Wyndham Cares." That is BS. If you are thinking of buying Club Wyndham directly from the club, DON"T. If you buy on the after-market, just beware of the possible traps you might fall into.

Did you approve the charge when you made the change or did they have your credit card on file and charge it without your knowledge?

 

[JWM2021]

I changed a guest certificate to correct a phone number on the certificate. They charged me an additional $99. I waited to see if they would send me a credit. When none showed up on my statement, I called resolution services and spoke to John S. Employee number 722767. He told me that the guest certificate was non-refundable, so that by correcting a phone number, I owed them an additional $99. The guest was the same--the phone number was the only thing corrected. John S. also told me that there was no supervisor that I could speak to, to plead my case. In other words, he was the court of last resort. I told him that Wyndham was stealing my $99. He would only repeat his spiel that a correction was a new guest certificate. When I asked him how he would feel if this happened to him, he said "I won't tell you that". He then dismissed me by asking if there was anything else.

I hope Club Wyndham reads this message, and understands that they are crooks and thieves, hiding behind some rules designed to screw the owner. Their motto is that "Club Wyndham Cares." That is BS. If you are thinking of buying Club Wyndham directly from the club, DON"T. If you buy on the after-market, just beware of the possible traps you might fall into.

I can do one better than that:
I put in GC info, hit confirm, and got an error (not the "oops something went wrong error" but some white screen with simple text something like "error. Unable to communicate. Too many nodes open" or some such). I hit the back button, all the guest information was still there. I hit confirm. About 3 minutes later got a confirmation; then about 2 minutes after that got another. Yep, no changes but still another GC. Customer care "can't do anything about it."

 

[Jan M.]

I can do one better than that:
I put in GC info, hit confirm, and got an error (not the "oops something went wrong error" but some white screen with simple text something like "error. Unable to communicate. Too many nodes open" or some such). I hit the back button, all the guest information was still there. I hit confirm. About 3 minutes later got a confirmation; then about 2 minutes after that got another. Yep, no changes but still another GC. Customer care "can't do anything about it."

Won't not can't. They can add another guest certicate to your account. Keep calling.

However since guest certificates don't carry over to the next calendar year there might not be any point in giving you a replacement GC if you won't be able to use it.

 

[bnoble]

I would use email for this rather than call customer service. But given Jan’s point about calendar years maybe not worth the trouble.

 

[HitchHiker71]

If I only I had known before I went through all this. Wyndham seems to bury the info, and then surprise--you lose.

It's not buried really - it's right on the Guest Confirmations website section for any owner to see/access. Input Guest Confirmation or Guest Certificate in the Search bar and this is the first hit. Most of us have learned this the hard way just as you have - it's definitely one of those teachable moments for Wyndham ownership. Sometimes you can get them to make an exception, but it's rare and it's entirely at the discretion of Wyndham as to whether they will do so. There are no magic words that I've found - luck of the draw type thing.

Guest Confirmations

Are you a Club Wyndham owner? Learn more about guest confirmations, which allow you to share your ownership with family and friends.

clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinations.com

 

[Jethro37]

Wyndham is VERY strict about GCs. It’s one reason I don’t assign guests until either I have to (to cure overlapping reservations) or it’s right before check in.

What is the cutoff for assigning a guest certificate? 48 hours?

I have one in early January I can't apply presently because the system reports it would exceed 2 guest bookings during owner priorities windows in a year. I think the system is seeing I've had 2 guests in 2024 meet that criteria, but none yet for 2025.

I'm thinking I can just apply the guest certificate when the new year roles around but wanted to be sure there wasn't a cutoff timeframe to applying a guest certificate.

Thanks.

 

[tschwa2]

I believe it may be 72 hours. Yes you need to wait until January 1.

You may be able to do it in less but not online. It would take a call.

 

[bnoble]

I don't cut it to the very last minute. Instead, it is "When I know for sure which of the family members will be arriving first."

 

[dioxide45]

I know some of the point brokers and renters don't change the guest name until day of checkin.

 

[bnoble]

That strikes me as a good way to invite Wyndham to look at my account, but what do I know?

 

[chapjim]

It's not buried really - it's right on the Guest Confirmations website section for any owner to see/access. Input Guest Confirmation or Guest Certificate in the Search bar and this is the first hit. Most of us have learned this the hard way just as you have - it's definitely one of those teachable moments for Wyndham ownership. Sometimes you can get them to make an exception, but it's rare and it's entirely at the discretion of Wyndham as to whether they will do so. There are no magic words that I've found - luck of the draw type thing.

Guest Confirmations

Are you a Club Wyndham owner? Learn more about guest confirmations, which allow you to share your ownership with family and friends.

clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinations.com

View attachment 86530

A rule of contract interpretation is that ambiguities are construed against the drafter.

The highlighted bullet says changing a name requires an additional Guest Confirmation. A reasonable interpretation of this sentence is that according to Wyndham's written policy, other changes do not require an additional Guest Confirmation.

Edit: Certainly if Wyndham wanted to specify other other changes requiring a GC, it could have done that.

 

[Jethro37]

I know some of the point brokers and renters don't change the guest name until day of checkin.

Does that mean add a certificate at all or just update name of an existing GC?

 

[jules54]

I have put guests names on after the reservation was already started. Guest confirmations online usually go through the system immediately, but I always confirm with the resort after a few hours.