RCI apparently sued again over rentals

[Walt]

What fine print in the dentist's office?

Carolinian,
Not trying to discount anything that you are for....however, fine print is everywhere. People don't read the fine print at the dentists office, the car dealership or before they say yes to the free weekend. The disclaimer is always in the fine print.

And I am not for or against either side in this matter. I have seen just as many people lie to get the free gifts as I have seen developers lie to sell.

I simply think the playing field should be even. If RCI rents my week 52 in coastal CA for $1100 good for them. If I rent the week I traded for in Myrtle Beach for $850 good for me.

They shouldn't have it both ways.

JMHO,
Cindy

What fine print in the dentist's office?

Walt

 

[Jennie]

Ding! an idea suddenly occurred to me. It's so simple, I must be getting semi-senile to not have thought of it years ago. Here is my dream scenerio:
RCI should be required to maintain a "paper trail" for each week deposited, and to make it available upon request to auditors and other interested parties such as the member who deposited it. If I deposit my 2007 President's week 2 bedroom lock-off unit in Ft. Lauderdale, I should be able to learn that another member subsequently received it in exchange for their deposit of a Wk. X 2 bedroom unit at ABC Resort in XYZ city. The actual names of the parties could be kept confidential.

If, on the other hand, RCI sold my week as an "Extra Holiday" or auctioned it off on SkyAuction, I should be able to find out the date of the transaction and the price paid by the recipient. Or at least independent auditors or members of a "watchdog committee" should be able to see the date and RCI's reason for transferring my week out of the "weeks spacebank" and into a rental program. If RCI claims that they considered my week to be "excess inventory" or a week with anticipated "low demand," this could be challenged if it does not appear to be accurate (honest?) information.

If my week was rented to allegedly pay for airline tickets or other travel services used to fulfill the request of an RCI Points member, then RCI should be required to specify exactly what week they deposited into the weeks spacebank to replace my week. However, since they obtain so many weeks from Points owners, and developers, I never did buy into their claim that they needed to swap any weeks from the weeks bank to accomplish this.

With all the sophisticated computer programs available, it should be a simple process for RCI to track the activity on any week under their control. I'm certain that if "outsiders" had the right to look at what is being done with members' weeks or Points, and why, there would be far less "game playing."

Just because RCI has declared that it has the right to do as it wishes with deposited weeks, does not necessarily mean that a Court of Law will agree with them.

 

[Walt]

Is RCI living up to their Rental Statement?

With all the sophisticated computer programs available, it should be a simple process for RCI to track the activity on any week under their control. I'm certain that if "outsiders" had the right to look at what is being done with members' weeks or Points, and why, there would be far less "game playing."

Just because RCI has declared that it has the right to do as it wishes with deposited weeks, does not necessarily mean that a Court of Law will agree with them.

In this day and age of computers, paper trails for transactions are easy. Getting RCI to make one may be another story.

RCI may win the law suit if RCI is doing what they say they are doing in this statement below. But that is the Big Question. Are They?


Walt


RCI also said this "A. Generally-Comments from a Vice President, RCI

Many people have asked questions regarding our rental programs; where does the inventory come from? Is RCI renting weeks we have deposited for exchange?

Before I try and clarify what is a complex subject, let me say first of all that we take this issue VERY seriously. We are audited annually by Deloitte & Touche to ensure that we are managing inventory consistent with our stated policies. This is an area which is highly regulated in many states so we have to do it. But it's also true that we started this audit process long before we had to do it so we could confidently state that we have a fair exchange policy.

One of the reasons that many of RCI's new programs are so complex is because we go to elaborate lengths to make sure we're doing everything we can to ensure that we're giving our Members the best possible opportunity to get the exchange they want. We have a large Inventory Management department dedicated to delivering this. I know that this sounds like spin so far (it's not) so let me lay out the facts.

I can assure you that ALL of the weeks deposited by RCI Weeks members for exchange are available "EXCLUSIVELY" for exchange unless and until they fall within the "marketable inventory" category (at which point they are still available for exchange), which refers to weeks that members historically simply do not want or use.

 

[Gadabout]

RCI also said this "A. Generally-Comments from a Vice President, RCI

We are audited annually by Deloitte & Touche to ensure that we are managing inventory consistent with our stated policies. This is an area which is highly regulated in many states so we have to do it.

One of the reasons that many of RCI's new programs are so complex is because we go to elaborate lengths to make sure we're doing everything we can to ensure that we're giving our Members the best possible opportunity to get the exchange they want. We have a large Inventory Management department dedicated to delivering this. I know that this sounds like spin so far (it's not) so let me lay out the facts.

I can assure you that ALL of the weeks deposited by RCI Weeks members for exchange are available "EXCLUSIVELY" for exchange unless and until they fall within the "marketable inventory" category (at which point they are still available for exchange), which refers to weeks that members historically simply do not want or use.

There is 'way too much room for fudging on their part in that quote.

 

[Walt]

Explain?

There is 'way too much room for fudging on their part in that quote.

So explain how?

Walt

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

What fine print in the dentist's office?

Walt

I have a hard time reading the fine print in my optomotrist's office.

 

[Gadabout]

I can assure you that ALL of the weeks deposited by RCI Weeks members for exchange are available "EXCLUSIVELY" for exchange unless and until they fall within the "marketable inventory" category (at which point they are still available for exchange), which refers to weeks that members historically simply do not want or use.

Unless everyone has access to exactly what rents and what doesn't, how would you know when or if something has fallen into (and can't get out of) the "marketable inventory" category?

Jennie made a good point about tracking the inventory from deposit to final disposition.

 

[CaliDave]

Jennie made a good point about tracking the inventory from deposit to final disposition.

I could see RCI agreeing to this and all for a $49 tracking fee

 

[Barbeque]

Figures don't lie, but liars figure.

 

[Carolinian]

Has anyone gotten any more info on the Hanly Conroy suit against RCI that was supposed to have been filed in federal court in New Jersey? It was supposed to be on their website last week, but isn't yet. An attorney who posted that he is doing research for that suit has been asking for useful info on several timeshare sites.

 

[Jennie]

One of our lesser known TUG members, who holds a high level executive position in a major, non-travel related corporation, spoke for over an hour with an investigator for the law firm planning the class action suit. TUG member X has IMHO a genius level intellect. She's the brightest person I've ever met. She has spent years acquiring an amazing amount of knowledge about almost every aspect of the timeshare industry, including the rental of weeks by RCI, which she considers to be outrageous. She discussed these issues in depth with the investigator. He listened attentively, asked good questions, and has been contacting other people she recommended. The firm is looking for New Jersey residents who have been "injured" by RCI's policies, to serve as lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

 

[suskey]

I am a NJ resident and would love to help with this..however, how would I know if I had been 'injured'? I have been frustrated in searching for good exchanges, I have rented from RCI when I could not find the exchange I wanted...but Iam unsure how any of this is proof of RCI's guilt. WIsh I had something concrete to offer to this lawsuit..because I am outraged at RCI's practices.

Susan

 

[Carolinian]

I am a NJ resident and would love to help with this..however, how would I know if I had been 'injured'? I have been frustrated in searching for good exchanges, I have rented from RCI when I could not find the exchange I wanted...but Iam unsure how any of this is proof of RCI's guilt. WIsh I had something concrete to offer to this lawsuit..because I am outraged at RCI's practices.

Susan

Talk to them, and ask the lawyers working on this issue that question. There was a link on tug but it got deleted. It is still there on www.timesharetalk.co.uk and www.timeshareforums.com

 

[geekette]

I am a NJ resident and would love to help with this..however, how would I know if I had been 'injured'? I have been frustrated in searching for good exchanges, I have rented from RCI when I could not find the exchange I wanted...but Iam unsure how any of this is proof of RCI's guilt. WIsh I had something concrete to offer to this lawsuit..because I am outraged at RCI's practices.

Susan

If you had to rent from RCI when you couldn't find an exchange with RCI, seems to me that is a perfect description of the problem. "I can't find it as an exchange, but they did let me rent from them."

 

[Kauai Kid]

Legal Eagles Take On RCI

Probably posted in the wrong place but I thought it should be posted somewhere on TUG ASAP.

Following info from TimeSharing Today email:

RCI is facing two class action suits for weeks program members. The claim is that RCI rents out the most desirable weeks, thus depleting the most desireable weeks from members who want to exchange.

Green Welling, LLP a San Francisco law firm can be reached at 415-477-6700 or gw@classcounsel.com

Another lawsuit in Federal Court (Murillo vs RCI case 06-1222) is being handled by four major law firms. Contact Gilbert, Heintz and Randolf, LLP in Washington DC at 202-772-2200 or information@ghrdc.com

Time to go watch Matlock serve justice to the innocent.

Sterling

 

[daventrina]

Mahalo!!!!

Sterling,
Thanks for finding this and posting it. We'll be sure to be in contact with these folks.

 

[Kauai Kid]

Dave and Trina: Be sure and keep us TUGGERS informed. Apparently there is another thread with the same info on TUG. I don't have RCI and don't want them.

My one and only experience in suing someone was in small claims court and by golly the legal system worked. We won.

Good luck--sounds like there are some big time firms going after RCI this time.

Sterling

 

[timeos2]

Not about the real victims

Samll claims is about justice. Class action, and corporate policies, are about dollars. Justice and fairness are nearly unknowns as both sides are in it for the $$$. Don't expect anything good to come from that for the mere members of the class.

 

[AwayWeGo]

$ $ $ $

Justice and fairness are nearly unknowns as both sides are in it for the $$$.

As the famous attorney said to his client...

You have an excellent case. Now, how much justice can you afford?​

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

 

[Carolinian]

I have heard from the lead plaintiff in one of the suits. He has a real interest in reform, and is much better positioned to insist that the outcome of that case really involves reform. Also one of the attorneys involved in an active timeshare exchanger himself and I suspect will also have an interest in seeing reform, as well as $$$$$ as part of the agenda.

 

[melizzard]

A little confused ...

Hi everyone, I'm an RCI weeks member ... I've been reading this thread with great interest ... many of you have said that if we don't like the way RCI is doing business, we need to not exchange with them and not be members.

Sorry to be so ignorant, but what are the options if you don't want to go to your home resort all the time?

Thanks so much,
Melissa

 

[Carolinian]

In some cases, resorts are dual affiliated with Interval International, so it is an option.

For everyone, there are the independent exchange companies, where the individual member rather than the resort affiliates. These include www.daelive.com , www.platinuminterchange.com , www.htse.net , www.tradingplaces.com , www.interchange-timeshare.com.au . and www.sfx-resorts.com .

 

[melizzard]

Thanks, Carolinian ...

First of all, I assume you're from one of the Carolinas? I'm from High Point, NC.

These independent exchange companies ... do they work just like RCI in that you deposit your week then exchange for one of theirs? Thanks, so much, for your patience with someone who has ever only known RCI!

xxoo
Melissa

 

[Carolinian]

Yes, I am from the eastern part of N.C., and, yes, the independents work the same way. You deposit your week, get an exchange credit, and then use that for an exchange in the future. Many of the independent exchange companies have representatives who will answer questions on forums at www.timeshareforums.com

 

[daventrina]

[Edited to delete message that solicited clients and which is not permitted on these forums. Dave M, BBS Administrator]
In reference to TimeSharing Today:
RCI Weeks Program class action in New Jersey on behalf of RCI Weeks Program members.
http://www.classcounsel.com/news/rci.html