Sticky - Give back your unwanted wyndham Timeshare - Wyndham Ovations / Wyndham Cares / Certified Exit

[tschwa2]

I have a couple questions about this process. If you have existing timeshare points, is it better to convert them to RCI weeks before you deed back to Wyndham?
Also, is this program available for those who have purchased their Wyndham timeshares on the resale market?

Giveback is generally available for resale owners. Points for 3 years not available for resale owners. Depositing points in rci won't help much because you lose access to rci as soon as the process starts. If you deposit points and make a reservation, you won't have access to see or make any changes but the reservations will not be cancelled. You won't be able to add a guest certificate or anything after the process starts so make sure you want those rci reservations otherwise you just spent more on rci exchange fees to use those points.

 

[dgalati]

Giveback is generally available for resale owners. Points for 3 years not available for resale owners. Depositing points in rci won't help much because you lose access to rci as soon as the process starts. If you deposit points and make a reservation, you won't have access to see or make any changes but the reservations will not be cancelled. You won't be able to add a guest certificate or anything after the process starts so make sure you want those rci reservations otherwise you just spent more on rci exchange fees to use those points.

You will lose your online login access to RCI when you sell or give back but the RCI membership can be accessed for a few months by calling in. You can also deposit points and then transfer them to another Wyndham owners account no charge. The key is finding a owner that will book a reservation for you if needed.

 

[paxsarah]

I noticed while looking up information for one of my other deeds that one deed I returned via Ovation was recorded with the county as having a consideration of $9,749. Of course, the only thing changing hands was the deed - I received nothing in return. Am I right in thinking this is weird? Is this some kind of accounting voodoo by Wyndham?

 

[tschwa2]

I noticed while looking up information for one of my other deeds that one deed I returned via Ovation was recorded with the county as having a consideration of $9,749. Of course, the only thing changing hands was the deed - I received nothing in return. Am I right in thinking this is weird? Is this some kind of accounting voodoo by Wyndham?

I think that is a little weird too. I've seen it like that when you are using "equity" toward a new purchase but not for a plain old give back.

 

[dgalati]

I think that is a little weird too. I've seen it like that when you are using "equity" toward a new purchase but not for a plain old give back.

Wyndham math at its best.

 

[TheHolleys87]

We are in process of giving back our Shell points to Wyndham, and when the process is complete I’ll post a summary of the process and timeline (it’s not quick!). But we learned there are separate phone numbers for the Wyndham, Worldmark and Shell Certified Exit programs, so here they are:

Wyndham 1-855-312-9040
Worldmark 1-855-312-9041
Shell 1-866-313-8547

 

[TUGBrian]

updated the first post with these 3 numbers

 

[geoand]

We are in process of giving back our Shell points to Wyndham, and when the process is complete I’ll post a summary of the process and timeline (it’s not quick!). But we learned there are separate phone numbers for the Wyndham, Worldmark and Shell Certified Exit programs, so here they are:

Wyndham 1-855-312-9040
Worldmark 1-855-312-9041
Shell 1-866-313-8547

Can you tell us what Shell club you own? I have tried to return my Shell ownership but was told no.

 

[TheHolleys87]

Can you tell us what Shell club you own? I have tried to return my Shell ownership but was told no.

We own Shell Hawaii, bought from the developer (I know, shame, shame, but we really believed we’d return to the BI every other year and didn’t know about resale).

 

[TheHolleys87]

Our Certified Exit odyssey has ended with successful transfer of our Shell Vacations Club ownership back to SVC.

It began on November 10, 2020, when we sent an email to SVC Member Services via the link on the member website. Later that day we received an email describing the Certified Exit program and the requirements and giving us a phone number to call. On Nov. 12 we spoke to a Wyndham CE rep, who spent quite a bit of time explaining the details and answering all our questions. He also looked up our contracts (we had two) and confirmed that they were eligible for the program, then later that day sent us an email containing all the specifics (see attached). The most important detail for us was that there was no cost, but we did have to pay the member fees each month until the transfer was complete (we did not have to pay the entire 2021 MF assessment).

We were told that it would take several weeks before we received documents, and sure enough, the next time we heard from them was on January 20, 2021, when we received a 2-page Irrevocable Assignment of Shell Owners Club Membership, which had to be signed and notarized, and a one-page Owner(s) Acknowledgment Form specifically stating that if we had paid anyone to help us with the process, we should demand our money back! (I've attached a copy of that document too, but not the Irrevocable Assignment document.) We sent them back on Jan. 21, and again, no response until March 16 when we emailed them asking for follow-up, and they replied that our documents had been approved and forwarded to the cancelation department. Then finally, in today's mail we received letters dated April 11, 2021, confirming that final processing of our contract cancellation has been completed. Hooray!

So, the only cost to us was four months of MFs, plus having the documents notarized and mailed (USPS Priority Mail). We were happy with the process, other than its taking five months, and don't regret it. If anyone has questions, I'll try to answer them!

 

[bogey21]

So, the only cost to us was four months of MFs, plus having the documents notarized and mailed (USPS Priority Mail).

You did well getting out but are omitting one cost; i.e. the amount you paid up front to buy into Shell...

George

 

[Rolltydr]

You did well getting out but are omitting one cost; i.e. the amount you paid up front to buy into Shell...

George

Assuming they did get some use out of it, that needs to be factored into the equation, as well.

 

[dgalati]

You did well getting out but are omitting one cost; i.e. the amount you paid up front to buy into Shell...

George

That is considered the sunk cost and once paid you will never see it again.

 

[geoand]

Our Certified Exit odyssey has ended with successful transfer of our Shell Vacations Club ownership back to SVC.

It began on November 10, 2020, when we sent an email to SVC Member Services via the link on the member website. Later that day we received an email describing the Certified Exit program and the requirements and giving us a phone number to call. On Nov. 12 we spoke to a Wyndham CE rep, who spent quite a bit of time explaining the details and answering all our questions. He also looked up our contracts (we had two) and confirmed that they were eligible for the program, then later that day sent us an email containing all the specifics (see attached). The most important detail for us was that there was no cost, but we did have to pay the member fees each month until the transfer was complete (we did not have to pay the entire 2021 MF assessment).

We were told that it would take several weeks before we received documents, and sure enough, the next time we heard from them was on January 20, 2021, when we received a 2-page Irrevocable Assignment of Shell Owners Club Membership, which had to be signed and notarized, and a one-page Owner(s) Acknowledgment Form specifically stating that if we had paid anyone to help us with the process, we should demand our money back! (I've attached a copy of that document too, but not the Irrevocable Assignment document.) We sent them back on Jan. 21, and again, no response until March 16 when we emailed them asking for follow-up, and they replied that our documents had been approved and forwarded to the cancelation department. Then finally, in today's mail we received letters dated April 11, 2021, confirming that final processing of our contract cancellation has been completed. Hooray!

So, the only cost to us was four months of MFs, plus having the documents notarized and mailed (USPS Priority Mail). We were happy with the process, other than its taking five months, and don't regret it. If anyone has questions, I'll try to answer them!

What She’ll club did you own?

 

[TheHolleys87]

You did well getting out but are omitting one cost; i.e. the amount you paid up front to buy into Shell...

George

Well, I meant the cost to give it back! We didn’t have to pay any transfer fees or other costs that would have been associated with “selling” it (giving it away). We consider the purchase price to be a sunk cost - paid off years ago, nothing we can do about it now, and my post is meant to help other Shell owners who might be considering divesting themselves of their ownership.

Assuming they did get some use out of it, that needs to be factored into the equation, as well.

We did get some use out of it but not enough to justify the MFs. And via all of you, our TUG friends, we realized we can rent for less than the MFs and stay in different resorts, i.e. resorts that exchange in II not just in RCI!

 

[TheHolleys87]

What She’ll club did you own?

We owned Hawaii, a tiny number of points that was just enough to book Kona Coast every two years.

 

[chapjim]

You did well getting out but are omitting one cost; i.e. the amount you paid up front to buy into Shell...

George

That may be a useful number in looking at the entire ownership but initial cost is a sunk cost and is totally irrelevant when making a decision whether to use Certified Exit.

 

[dgalati]

We did get some use out of it but not enough to justify the MFs. And via all of you, our TUG friends, we realized we can rent for less than the MFs and stay in different resorts, i.e. resorts that exchange in II not just in RCI!

Finally someone who gets it! Renting is cheaper then owning and paying maintenance fees, without being locked into one club or system. Read it and weep you naysayers. You know who you are!

 

[bbakernbay]

We successfully used Wyndham Ovation program several years ago to deedback our lovely 2 bedroom Stonecastle unit at Fairfield Glade. We bought it cheap on eBay but MFees were climbing too high to suit us. Probably 2-3 months total without any issues only had to pay for Notarization and Courier fee at UPS. Glad it is gone but we still return using other alternatives.

 

[Cyrus24]

Finally someone who gets it! Renting is cheaper then owning and paying maintenance fees, without being locked into one club or system. Read it and weep you naysayers. You know who you are!

Once all this new change sorts out, renting may no longer be cheap. Might remain better than owning but rental rates will go up.

 

[dgalati]

Once all this new change sorts out, renting may no longer be cheap. Might remain better than owning but rental rates will go up.

Yes I just bought 392,000 more points yesterday knowing this is the case. Like I said this actually helps bring owners that rented back in. Economics 101 if its cheaper to own if not rent.

 

[Gorn1120]

I'm about to start the Certified Exit path. The FB group said some people were able to use their points for up to 3 years. Do you know the general eligibility requirements?

 

[markb53]

I'm about to start the Certified Exit path. The FB group said some people were able to use their points for up to 3 years. Do you know the general eligibility requirements?

You have to have purchased your points from Wyndham not the resale market. And I believe you ha e to be giving everything back to get 3 years use with no maintenance fees. That programs is called limited edition, if I’m not mistaken.

 

[PeterS]

I'm about to start the Certified Exit path. The FB group said some people were able to use their points for up to 3 years. Do you know the general eligibility requirements?

You have to have purchased your points from Wyndham not the resale market. And I believe you ha e to be giving everything back to get 3 years use with no maintenance fees. That programs is called limited edition, if I’m not mistaken.

The eligibility is constantly changing. I turned in two resales and got the 3 year usage (4 years ago). So resales are not excluded.
It all depends on what they want at the time. They may want a specific resort this month but no bonus, but not at all next month, and yet last month they have needed it so bad they offered the bonus 3 year usage...
Keep two things in mind... ask for everything (no harm in it) and if they offer you what you want or more... take it.... as they may not offer it again.

 

[tschwa2]

The eligibility is constantly changing. I turned in two resales and got the 3 year usage (4 years ago). So resales are not excluded.
It all depends on what they want at the time. They may want a specific resort this month but no bonus, but not at all next month, and yet last month they have needed it so bad they offered the bonus 3 year usage...
Keep two things in mind... ask for everything (no harm in it) and if they offer you what you want or more... take it.... as they may not offer it again.

You are the first and only to report the free usage with resale when given back. My speculation is that perhaps they were coded as retail but it never hurts to ask when inquiring about certified exit.