LEAVING WESTGATE TIMESHARE

[AlmostPOOR]

So yesterday was my official day of no longer being an WESTGATE timeshare owner. I was pressured in and made to seem like I got a deal bc my brother had one. (WRONG - they make everyone the same DEAL) I went to book my free week and immediately realized I would not be able to utilize it… Unless I wanted to go to Utah for 700. I immediately did some thorough research and realized I was not aware of all of the hidden fees. If this was so great why are people selling for 1 penny… THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SHARING AND THAT IS WHY I AM TELLING MY STORY. I found the CD hiddien in the binder as said and of course Im freaking because I don’t have a cd rom in my house. So I take it work and there were so many files to look through. I found the correct one saying I had 10 days for WESTGATE SMOKY MOUNTAINS. Before this when I was freaking I did call them and that was a huge mistake. DONT LET THE SALE KNOW YOURE LEAVING WITHIN LEGAL TIME. THEY ARE LOSING YOU AND THE MONEY YOU MADE THEM. My boyfriend called and told them cut to the chase we know our legal rights and just wanted to confirm this is the correct address. Also, make sure you and back tablet and binder or you will lose out of the money you put down. Any who I sent a certified letter to the address and received my refund in 5 days!!!! I also sent the other stuff in through flat rate. Make sure you add that in a clear letter stating you’re canceling.
Listed below is my version of what was on the CD-Rom, YOURS COULD BE DIFFERENT!!!

 

[Passepartout]

Great narrative, Congratulations!

 

[theo]

It's always a real pleasure to learn of someone managing to escape the greedy clutches of slimy Wastegate in time. Congrats and well done!

 

[TUGBrian]

still amazed they hide the CD in the binder even today...we did a story about that years ago!

looking it up the story was from 2008, more than 14 years ago!!!

Westgate Resorts deliberately hides cancellation documents from timeshare buyers!

Discover how Westgate Resorts conceals its cancellation form in a discreet pocket of their timeshare sales binder, making it challenging for buyers to exercise their rights.

tug2.net

and here was the original post on it:

[2008] Successful cancellation of Westgate purchase

Hello Tuggers! I am a new member of these discussion boards, thanks for sharing your knowledge and wisdom. We toured Westgate Woods- Branson two years ago and bought a vacation sampler week. We just took our trip using this pre-paid vacation week at the Westgate Smokey Mountains resort in...

www.tugbbs.com

congrats on rescinding and saving thousands!

 

[jeffox]

I'm surprised it was on a CD and not a floppy disk.

 

[LannyPC]

Thanks for sharing your story. But, everything you said about sales presentations and rescinding has been emphasized numerous times for many years here on TUG.

Now that you've gone through that experience, the advice that's usually offered here on TUG is this. Do your research before buying any TS or even accepting one for free. There are many deals to be had and they will be out there for years to come.

If you're unsure, try renting first so that you can "try before you buy". Even if it costs a couple hundred bucks more to rent than what the MFs are, that $200 will seem like a bargain if/when you are trying to get rid of the TS.

 

[chapjim]

I'm surprised it was on a CD and not a floppy disk.

Oh, crap! I hope no one from Westgate reads this!!

 

[Konsuella10]

So yesterday was my official day of no longer being an WESTGATE timeshare owner. I was pressured in and made to seem like I got a deal bc my brother had one. (WRONG - they make everyone the same DEAL) I went to book my free week and immediately realized I would not be able to utilize it… Unless I wanted to go to Utah for 700. I immediately did some thorough research and realized I was not aware of all of the hidden fees. If this was so great why are people selling for 1 penny… THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SHARING AND THAT IS WHY I AM TELLING MY STORY. I found the CD hiddien in the binder as said and of course Im freaking because I don’t have a cd rom in my house. So I take it work and there were so many files to look through. I found the correct one saying I had 10 days for WESTGATE SMOKY MOUNTAINS. Before this when I was freaking I did call them and that was a huge mistake. DONT LET THE SALE KNOW YOURE LEAVING WITHIN LEGAL TIME. THEY ARE LOSING YOU AND THE MONEY YOU MADE THEM. My boyfriend called and told them cut to the chase we know our legal rights and just wanted to confirm this is the correct address. Also, make sure you and back tablet and binder or you will lose out of the money you put down. Any who I sent a certified letter to the address and received my refund in 5 days!!!! I also sent the other stuff in through flat rate. Make sure you add that in a clear letter stating you’re canceling.
Listed below is my version of what was on the CD-Rom, YOURS COULD BE DIFFERENT!!!

Congratulations!

 

[Benn]

It is unbelievable that they are still hiding the CD! We purchased in 2010 and the folio had a pocket specifically for the CD but that wasn't where they put it!

 

[Jackiestees]

still amazed they hide the CD in the binder even today...we did a story about that years ago!

looking it up the story was from 2008, more than 14 years ago!!!

Westgate Resorts deliberately hides cancellation documents from timeshare buyers!

Discover how Westgate Resorts conceals its cancellation form in a discreet pocket of their timeshare sales binder, making it challenging for buyers to exercise their rights.

tug2.net

and here was the original post on it:

[2008] Successful cancellation of Westgate purchase

Hello Tuggers! I am a new member of these discussion boards, thanks for sharing your knowledge and wisdom. We toured Westgate Woods- Branson two years ago and bought a vacation sampler week. We just took our trip using this pre-paid vacation week at the Westgate Smokey Mountains resort in...

www.tugbbs.com

congrats on rescinding and saving thousands!

It is unbelievable that they are still hiding the CD! We purchased in 2010 and the folio had a pocket specifically for the CD but that wasn't where they put it!

Brian, may we share this (long overdue) upcoming (Jan 5) Orlando in-person protest? https://facebook.com/events/s/hostage-protest/423166903227512/

 

[Carolinian]

Brian, may we share this (long overdue) upcoming (Jan 5) Orlando in-person protest? https://facebook.com/events/s/hostage-protest/423166903227512/

There was an organized group in the UK that did repeated in person protests against one of the more disreputable timeshare developers. They got an old ambulance and painted slogans on it opposing that developer. They called it the "Scambulence" and it was the centerpiece of their protests. When I was a moderator on the old UK-based TimeshareTalk site, I used to love to read their accounts of their protests.

 

[noreenkate]

Congrats @AlmostPOOR-

TN - timeshares sales are somewhat regulated and if you feel they used deceptive practices please contact TDCI-

TDCI: Don’t Let Timeshare Scammers Leave You Without a Vacation

NASHVILLE – If you’ve gone on vacation in a resort-populated area, it’s likely you’ve been offered to join a timeshare seminar. With vacation season in full swing, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is offering tips to help consumers avoid...

www.tn.gov

• Know the law. In Tennessee, the developer has to disclose certain information before or at the time of purchase. The developer cannot mislead or give false information to the purchaser in order to get the purchaser to buy (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-32-132).
• Know the cancellation policy. In Tennessee, a timeshare purchaser has the right to cancel the sale for 10 days from the date of signing the contract if the purchaser made an onsite inspection of the property, and 15 days if there was no inspection. The cancellation notice must be writing (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-32-114).

 

[Carolinian]

Congrats @AlmostPOOR-

TN - timeshares sales are somewhat regulated and if you feel they used deceptive practices please contact TDCI-

TDCI: Don’t Let Timeshare Scammers Leave You Without a Vacation

NASHVILLE – If you’ve gone on vacation in a resort-populated area, it’s likely you’ve been offered to join a timeshare seminar. With vacation season in full swing, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is offering tips to help consumers avoid...

www.tn.gov

• Know the law. In Tennessee, the developer has to disclose certain information before or at the time of purchase. The developer cannot mislead or give false information to the purchaser in order to get the purchaser to buy (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-32-132).
• Know the cancellation policy. In Tennessee, a timeshare purchaser has the right to cancel the sale for 10 days from the date of signing the contract if the purchaser made an onsite inspection of the property, and 15 days if there was no inspection. The cancellation notice must be writing (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-32-114).

In most states, the place to go for help is the state Real Estate Commission. In the many years that Blackwell Brogden served as chief counsel of the timeshare section of the NC Real Estate Commission, he was a hard charging advocate for consumers who did not mind going up against developers or even RCI (whom he forced to make significant pro-consumer changes when they rolled out RCI Points). While his successor does not seem to have the passion he did, it is still a place that will offer help to consumers.

 

[noreenkate]

In most states, the place to go for help is the state Real Estate Commission. In the many years that Blackwell Brogden served as chief counsel of the timeshare section of the NC Real Estate Commission, he was a hard charging advocate for consumers who did not mind going up against developers or even RCI (whom he forced to make significant pro-consumer changes when they rolled out RCI Points). While his successor does not seem to have the passion he did, it is still a place that will offer help to consumers.

The original post was about Westgate smoking mountains- that’s in Gatlinburg TN not in NC - that is why I offered up TN specific information…The TN Division of Consumer Affairs is “clearing house” for the State Attorney General’s.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

I'm not sure about TN, but in FL (and other states), timeshare salesmen are real estate agents. If that's the case in TN, file a complaint with the real estate office in the state (whomever regulates them). At the very least, that realtor would lose his license and he would have to find another line of work.

TS

 

[pedro47]

Congratulations for not purchasing Wastegate.

 

[dioxide45]

I'm not sure about TN, but in FL (and other states), timeshare salesmen are real estate agents. If that's the case in TN, file a complaint with the real estate office in the state (whomever regulates them). At the very least, that realtor would lose his license and he would have to find another line of work.

TS

Did you click on the link provided? In TN, complaints against Real Estate Agents go through the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs. The advice was specific to Tennessee. You can Google it and follow the trail and it leads to the same place. I am not sure why people are criticising specific advice provided to the OP.

 

[noreenkate]

Did you click on the link provided? In TN, complaints against Real Estate Agents go through the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs. The advice was specific to Tennessee. You can Google it and follow the trail and it leads to the same place. I am not sure why people are criticising specific advice provided to the OP.

Thank you…
I am actually sorry I posted, but I am glad that the OP got out in time.