Help on exchange!

[Deb from NC]

Hi all,
I have a week on hold in Santa Fe through Platinum Interchange, but now my
Home resort (Spicebush) is telling me that I can only trade through RCI or Interval. Can that be correct? Apparently they have some type of contract with them? I'm not sure whether to pursue this further or just give up....
Advice would be welcome!
Deb

 

[siesta]

That does not sound right at all ... hopefully an owner will chime in and confirm.

 

[DeniseM]

It's not true - your resort cannot legally prevent you from trading with an independent exchange company. The resort may have a contract with II and RCI, but YOU have the right to deposit with an independent.

When you do an independent exchange, you should not tell your home resort that is what you plan to do - because it just gives them an opportunity to interfere. This is the procedure:

1. Make a reservation for yourself at your home resort.
2. Contact the independent exchange company and make the deposit
3. The exchange company will contact your resort and complete the transfer

 

[Deb from NC]

Thanks all.....I think I will contact the President of our homeowners assn.
( I had spoken with the management company earlier). Can I accurately tell him
That a relationship with the independents cost nothing (except of course to the member using them?)

 

[DeniseM]

Deb - the resort and BOD do not need to have a relationship with the exchange company for you to complete your deposit. Trying to get the resort to affiliate with them only muddies the water, and will take months to accomplish.

Question -

1. Did you follow the procedure above?

2. If so, did the resort refuse to make the deposit, when the exchange company (not you) contacted them?​

If not - I would start over using the procedure I outlined above.

 

[bnoble]

And, if you haven't yet, ask Platinum for their assistance. They may have some tips/tricks to work with whoever manages this resort.

 

[Deb from NC]

Hi all,

Denise, I'm afraid I made the mistake of trying to be proactive and I told the management company I would be depositing with Platinum. They were the ones that told me it would be a problem. Platinum has not contacted them yet.
I'll start over, taking your advice.

I never had a problem depositing my Port O Call week with smaller exchange companies, even though it's RCI affiliated. So this took me by surprise. Live and learn I suppose.....quite irritating, though......

 

[DeniseM]

My experience has been that you don't tell reservations any more than they absolutely have to know! Good luck!

 

[sandkastle4966]

I ditto Denise's comment - I have been told by one of my weeks reservation attendants that I can't deposit summer weeks - that they are for "owner's use". I book 'em, and deposit them 3 months later without an issue.

 

[Deb from NC]

Thanks all...this has definitely been a learning experience!