:rolleyes: RCI Raided Weeks Rental Inventory Exposed

[ArthurN]

Please hold while we.....fix our "glitches" that our exposing the prime weeks deposit that we raid for our rental pools. I'm an IT professional and doubt a true "bug" of this magnitude would have been missed in testing. This is simply the true view of all the weeks that should be available for "weeks" trade without the nefarious "prime weeks rental pool" filter applied. RCI is a sham. I hope the class action lawyers are getting a good look at this.

 

[Carolinian]

Is RCI doing something with its new search feature? I missed that. If they are, it is a game to cover their scamming Weeks members, you are right about that.

 

[BocaBum99]

I'm not sure about that. They could be getting the inventory from sources other than deposits and just using the same technology to manage it.

I don't see how this is any difffernt than simply looking at the inventory in the exchange system and then seeing different prime week inventory on their rental sites.

RCI could be ripping off the spacebank, but this does NOT prove it.

 

[icydog]

Please hold while we.....fix our "glitches" that our exposing the prime weeks deposit that we raid for our rental pools. I'm an IT professional and doubt a true "bug" of this magnitude would have been missed in testing. This is simply the true view of all the weeks that should be available for "weeks" trade without the nefarious "prime weeks rental pool" filter applied. RCI is a sham. I hope the class action lawyers are getting a good look at this.

Did you have a link in your original post because I don't know what you are talking about. Thanks

 

[Carolinian]

I'm not sure about that. They could be getting the inventory from sources other than deposits and just using the same technology to manage it.

I don't see how this is any difffernt than simply looking at the inventory in the exchange system and then seeing different prime week inventory on their rental sites.

RCI could be ripping off the spacebank, but this does NOT prove it.

This ground has been plowed plenty of times over the years that RCI has been involved in these malpractices. There is lots of good inventory that goes for rent that comes from sold out resorts that do not bank HOA inventory. RCI has no other source than spacebank deposits as it has no program that allows individual members to put something up for rent. You may want to advance your theories on resorts still in development where it may be possible, but the fact that RCI does this extensively with sold out resorts disproves your theory.

Plus RCI employees including Bootleg on this site and Anon on TimeshareTalk who have had access to RCI computers as part of their jobs, have reported that they can track spacebank deposits of good weeks that have nothing to do with points for deposit, cruises, etc. that are immedietely placed into RCI's rental pool instead of being offered for exchange. That, my friend, is the smoking gun.

 

[BocaBum99]

This ground has been plowed plenty of times over the years that RCI has been involved in these malpractices. There is lots of good inventory that goes for rent that comes from sold out resorts that do not bank HOA inventory. RCI has no other source than spacebank deposits as it has no program that allows individual members to put something up for rent. You may want to advance your theories on resorts still in development where it may be possible, but the fact that RCI does this extensively with sold out resorts disproves your theory.

Plus RCI employees including Bootleg on this site and Anon on TimeshareTalk who have had access to RCI computers as part of their jobs, have reported that they can track spacebank deposits of good weeks that have nothing to do with points for deposit, cruises, etc. that are immedietely placed into RCI's rental pool instead of being offered for exchange. That, my friend, is the smoking gun.

Personally, I think RCI sucks. And, I think they are probably cheating. I don't have a theory about what they are doing or not doing. All I am saying is that the evidence provided in this thread doesn't prove anything to me one way or another.

I'd love to see what the class action lawsuit is saying in this regard. If this glitch is so obviously proof of wrong doing, it should be an open and shut case.

 

[ArthurN]

All I'm saying is that when I researching June 2009 exchange options on 11/13 - I came across several units at Vistana Jensen Beach (FL) and 1 unit at Residences at the Crane - upon attempting to book one of these options, I got that stupid message advising that I needed to contact RCI for assistance. IMHO, there is no "glitch" that will mistakingly diplay multiple units available at numerous properties unless they were truly available for trade. It's just speculation at this point but I hope some lawyers will be able to get to the bottom of this supposed "glitch". I'm sick of the better trade options not being available at RCI. They are supposed to be a company that makes deposited weeks available for exchanges - not a rental company, not a developer representative (i.e. 1 in 4 rules, etc), not a credit card company, and so on.....

 

[BocaBum99]

They are supposed to be a company that makes deposited weeks available for exchanges - not a rental company, not a developer representative (i.e. 1 in 4 rules, etc), not a credit card company, and so on.....

Why do you and others insist that they must be the company YOU want them to be? The are the company that the shareholders and management team wants them to be. Given their stock price, none of them seem to be doing a good job.

If you don't like them, quit RCI and join another exchange company. Or, start your own and you can decide what business the company is in.

 

[Mel]

All I'm saying is that when I researching June 2009 exchange options on 11/13 - I came across several units at Vistana Jensen Beach (FL) and 1 unit at Residences at the Crane - upon attempting to book one of these options, I got that stupid message advising that I needed to contact RCI for assistance. IMHO, there is no "glitch" that will mistakingly diplay multiple units available at numerous properties unless they were truly available for trade. It's just speculation at this point but I hope some lawyers will be able to get to the bottom of this supposed "glitch". I'm sick of the better trade options not being available at RCI. They are supposed to be a company that makes deposited weeks available for exchanges - not a rental company, not a developer representative (i.e. 1 in 4 rules, etc), not a credit card company, and so on.....

There are some inherent problems with a "realtime" search engine. The weeks are available when you first query the computer, but given the time it takes to go through each step of narrowing your search, someone else with a similar query may have taken that week as an exchange moments before you. When you're talking about highly coveted weeks, that's what I would expect.

Say there is 1 Christmas week in Maui that 10 of us are looking for. We all start our searches at approximately the same time, and we all see the 1 week that is available. Whoever attempts to confirm the search first gets the week - the other nine get a message that it's not available, or to call RCI. Perhaps they are hoping the other nine will enter an ongoing search, or will accept something else the VG offers them.

The only other option I see is to "show" the week only to the first person running that search, in effect holding it until that person changes the search parameters. But at what point to you trigger the hold? When they're down to less than 100 options? Less than 20? Do you "hold" all the inventory for a single resort while that person has that resort's listing up, since they choose their week and reserve it from that window? That will result in whole months popping in and out of availability, with your ability to "see" that resort dependent on the precise timing of your search.

 

[timeos2]

The simple answers are the best answers.

Why do you and others insist that they must be the company YOU want them to be? The are the company that the shareholders and management team wants them to be. Given their stock price, none of them seem to be doing a good job.

If you don't like them, quit RCI and join another exchange company. Or, start your own and you can decide what business the company is in.

Boca - That simple, easy and effective method of dealing with the "problem" of RCI has been suggested hundreds of times. Yet there are those that want to dictate how RCI runs their business and cost everyone money with useless and ineffective classaction lawsuits - the current one has been gutted and appears to ending with a big payment to the shysters and a whimper for the owners/members as most do. If RCI is so bad then don't deal with them (not you, I know YOU know the best way to handle this) and get on with life. Whining about the old days or fruitless class actions does nothing but cost owners.

 

[ArthurN]

You all are correct....I cannot dictate nor should I suggest how they run their business - I just wish that more companies gave a damn about their customers. It's just unfortunate to witness the deterioration of a company over the last 15 years.

 

[Carolinian]

Why do you and others insist that they must be the company YOU want them to be? The are the company that the shareholders and management team wants them to be. Given their stock price, none of them seem to be doing a good job.

If you don't like them, quit RCI and join another exchange company. Or, start your own and you can decide what business the company is in.

I expect them to be in the business that they hold themselves out to be in when they con people into depositing weeks. This rental on the side operation is a fraud on members who deposit weeks unless RCI makes full and prominent disclosure prior to accepting a deposit. They will never be honest enought to do that unless someone uses the law to make them, because it would run off a lot of deposits.

RCI would be honest if they made full and promininent disclosure of these practices, but they dishonestly hide it in the fine print, which they arbitrarily changed without notice from what many people first joined under.

 

[Carolinian]

Boca - That simple, easy and effective method of dealing with the "problem" of RCI has been suggested hundreds of times. Yet there are those that want to dictate how RCI runs their business and cost everyone money with useless and ineffective classaction lawsuits - the current one has been gutted and appears to ending with a big payment to the shysters and a whimper for the owners/members as most do. If RCI is so bad then don't deal with them (not you, I know YOU know the best way to handle this) and get on with life. Whining about the old days or fruitless class actions does nothing but cost owners.

You have always hated the class action and have several times prematurely announced its demise. I always thought that a class action was probably the wrong route to clobber RCI for their rental scam on depositors. A consumer protection lawsuit by a state AG is a much better way to hammer them and get some real results.

A member going off to another exchange company is not the most effective solution. What needs to be done is to be proactive and get the word out in our resorts about what RCI is doing and simultaneously get the word our about the alternative exchange companies. You are an HOA president, John. What have you done to inform your own members on RCI's rentals and on their options to use independent exchange companies?

The solution is to get lots of people to vote with their feet.

 

[timeos2]

The exchange industry is hurting

I expect them to be in the business that they hold themselves out to be in when they con people into depositing weeks. This rental on the side operation is a fraud on members who deposit weeks unless RCI makes full and prominent disclosure prior to accepting a deposit. They will never be honest enought to do that unless someone uses the law to make them, because it would run off a lot of deposits.

RCI would be honest if they made full and promininent disclosure of these practices, but they dishonestly hide it in the fine print, which they arbitrarily changed without notice from what many people first joined under.

Steve - I know we will never agree about RCI practices but from what I hear in the industry they are doing a great job of killing the golden goose all by themselves. They are hurting big time and that more than anything said here or any class action is likely to spur changes. Nothing talks like loss of revenues, declining membership and shrinking rentals to cause a shake up soon. Will we like it? Who knows but it's almost guaranteed it will happen. It sure won't be from the toothless class action but it is coming. II isn't thriving either so maybe both will get the makeovers they desperately need. Stay tuned!

 

[BocaBum99]

You all are correct....I cannot dictate nor should I suggest how they run their business - I just wish that more companies gave a damn about their customers. It's just unfortunate to witness the deterioration of a company over the last 15 years.

Costco does. Walmart doesn't. So, I spend a lot more money at Costco.

 

[BocaBum99]

I expect them to be in the business that they hold themselves out to be in when they con people into depositing weeks. This rental on the side operation is a fraud on members who deposit weeks unless RCI makes full and prominent disclosure prior to accepting a deposit. They will never be honest enought to do that unless someone uses the law to make them, because it would run off a lot of deposits.

RCI would be honest if they made full and promininent disclosure of these practices, but they dishonestly hide it in the fine print, which they arbitrarily changed without notice from what many people first joined under.

You already have a strong opinion of RCI. And, I think you've pretty much quit using them. If everyone who had a problem with them did the same thing, then there wouldn't be a problem any longer.

 

[Carolinian]

Why do you and others insist that they must be the company YOU want them to be? The are the company that the shareholders and management team wants them to be. Given their stock price, none of them seem to be doing a good job.

If you don't like them, quit RCI and join another exchange company. Or, start your own and you can decide what business the company is in.

Yeah, and I guess Enron was the company its management and shareholders wanted, as was Lehman Brothers, etc.

What you seem to forget is that there are laws that govern business behavior, one of which is state consumer protection law which makes ''unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or effecting commerce unlawful''. RCI's conducting this rental program on the side to put money in its own pocket without meaningfully communicating that to its depositors is both unfair AND deceptive.

companies are not unrestrained to commit any fraud they please.

 

[Carolinian]

You already have a strong opinion of RCI. And, I think you've pretty much quit using them. If everyone who had a problem with them did the same thing, then there wouldn't be a problem any longer.

And the uninformed are just left as lambs to be fleeced?

No, the real answer is being proactive to get the word out on what these people are doing. We need to spread the word through our HOA's and also let people know that there are alternatives.

Personally, I have one deposit left to use at RCI. I have been getting great trades at DAE.

 

[thinze3]

I made my last deposit with RCI a couple of years ago and did not renew my 5 year membership after it expired. The main reason was the fact that I could see the weeks I wanted on their rental database but just couldn't get a trade for the same weeks. I felt cheated. All this after Wyndham took over.

I switched to II and have been happy thus far, but we shall see.


Terry

 

[BocaBum99]

And the uninformed are just left as lambs to be fleeced?

No, the real answer is being proactive to get the word out on what these people are doing. We need to spread the word through our HOA's and also let people know that there are alternatives.

Personally, I have one deposit left to use at RCI. I have been getting great trades at DAE.

I have no problem with that.

 

[BocaBum99]

Yeah, and I guess Enron was the company its management and shareholders wanted, as was Lehman Brothers, etc.

What you seem to forget is that there are laws that govern business behavior, one of which is state consumer protection law which makes ''unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or effecting commerce unlawful''. RCI's conducting this rental program on the side to put money in its own pocket without meaningfully communicating that to its depositors is both unfair AND deceptive.

companies are not unrestrained to commit any fraud they please.

Any company that acts illegally should be punished as long as it can be proven that they acted illegally.

With respect to Lehman and other financial companies, I can't argue that someone was asleep at the switch. I am sure that will correct itself in the next 4 years. My guess is that they will go too far.

 

[reddiablosv]

Contact customer service.

All I'm saying is that when I researching June 2009 exchange options on 11/13 - I came across several units at Vistana Jensen Beach (FL) and 1 unit at Residences at the Crane - upon attempting to book one of these options, I got that stupid message advising that I needed to contact RCI for assistance. IMHO, there is no "glitch" that will mistakingly diplay multiple units available at numerous properties unless they were truly available for trade. It's just speculation at this point but I hope some lawyers will be able to get to the bottom of this supposed "glitch". I'm sick of the better trade options not being available at RCI. They are supposed to be a company that makes deposited weeks available for exchanges - not a rental company, not a developer representative (i.e. 1 in 4 rules, etc), not a credit card company, and so on.....

I am no fan of RCI and I believe in the Class action lawsuit against RCI, but,... I have to tell you that multiple times when I have tried to book on line and the message has come up.. contact RCI for assistance.. when I contacted RCI I got my exchange without a problem. Ben

 

[ArthurN]

Well I just spoke with RCI this morning to correct some items on my ongoing search and they were pleased to advise me that while they do not have any of my locations available for trade they have several units at several of the locations available for "cash" (I guess that's their new term for rental) - I said "of course you do" and politely declined. What a joke.

 

[DaveNV]

If I can step into the mud here, may I ask a question?

I'm new enough to timesharing, that by the time I bought my first timeshare a few years ago, Wyndham already owned RCI and either owned or was managing the two primary resorts I own. So my timeshare experience has Wyndham/RCI all over it.

Is there any connection to them owning/managing the resort AND owning the exchange company that resort uses? Isn't that sort of like the fox guarding the hen house?

Dave