Maintenance fee question

[sailingman22]

We have just received the deed last Friday for our first timeshare purchase at Pono Kai and Blue Green has requested that the 1st quarterly maintenance fee be paid prior to making this years reservation. I thought that the maintenance fee would be pro-rated since we did not receive the deed until February 9th of this year. Is this normal procedure when buying a timeshare that you are responsible to pay the years maintence fees in full when taking possession several months later?

The timeshare was bought from Holiday Group on Ebay who used Resort Closings for the closing. Thank you for your response in advance.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Who's Going There On Vacation?

Our timeshare resorts don't bill quarterly -- the whole amount is due by the end of the year before the use-year -- that is, we had to have our 2007 fees all paid up no later than 12-31-2006.

More to the point than whose name was on the deed when the earlier quarterly bill came due might be who gets to use the timeshare week being paid for. Generally speaking (not always, but frequently & usually -- it's up to buyer & seller to work it out ahead of time), the folks who pay the year's fee get the year's use. If that's you, then you send'm your check, you make your reservation, & you show up & check in & have a great time.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Dave M]

I agree.

The general rule is that if you get the use of your week this year, you are getting a full year's use (one week) and should pay the full year's fee.

When you buy from a resort, that will normally be the rule. When you buy on the resale market, the result is usually the same, although the issue of who pays and who uses is a matter for negotiation.

 

[sailingman22]

Thank you for the info. The original offer was submiited in October but we had numerous errors and problems with our closing agent so the transfer took additional time.

 

[timeos2]

Alan is correct

If you have the use of the 2007 time then you owe the annual fee. Why would it be prorated? Did you plan to only use 6.4556 of the week rather than the full 7 days because you bought in February? If they aren't charging a late fee and/or interest you are ahead of the game as most likely the due date for 2007 fees has already come and gone.

As this is your first timeshare or condo you have to realize what you own. The unit is yours - 52 weeks a year if it was a full ownership or 1 week for most timeshares - and you owe whatever is billed to maintain it, operate the resort around it, pay the taxes, etc etc. Even if the buildings were damaged and unusable you would still owe the fee as the only money Associations have to operate is the annual fees. Ask those whose resorts were damaged in the hurricanes. The purchase price does not go to the resort. If anyone gets a break on the annual fees (prorated for example) the other owners have to make that up. Why would they want to do that? Now that you are an owner do you want to help cover the 1/2 year of fees for the buyer in July? Of course not. The fees are due for the week you own each year. You have the right once they are paid to use what you own barring any disasters that prevent use. Pay the fee and make your plans for vacation at your new resort. Timesharing is great.