{UNLOCKED] Wyndham notice RE commercial use

[Jan M.]

I also think we're going to see issues with maintenance fees getting paid as people dump contracts. I can't imagine that the market to buy timeshares right now is very hot.

With every change since I've belonged to TUG that's impacted VIP owners or renting there's always a lot of "this is going to hurt the resorts and Wyndham." That didn't happen and it won't happen this time either.

The market for selling and buying resale deeds/contracts is cyclical. There are a few times a year that are great for the buyers but not so much for the sellers. There's a year round market for anything with low maintenance fees.

 

[HitchHiker71]

Super simple, for every 1,000 fewer renters during Owner Priority dates, for example, there are 1,000 more vacations "available" for Club owners to take their family on vacation. It really is as simple as 1+1=2.

And for every renter that receives a cease and desist letter, who then ignores said letter, and then has their GC usage suspended and/or their entire account usage suspended - that results in more availability that then results in more owner occupancy.


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[Melder]

Hmm...I don't think we'll see an increase of availability, I think Wyndham will take those units for themselves.

Over the last couple of years I certainly have. I've been able to book where I want, when I want and the unit I want at 10 months. This wasn't possible a few years ago. I'd have to settle for less desirable dates / locations.

 

[GrandmaGail]

No, it doesn't make any difference whatsoever.

You're faced with the same options a number of owners have already dealt with months ago or even last year.

1. Add your family members names to the smallest deed/contract in your account. That will greatly reduce the number of points you're using for guests and the number of guest confirmations you're using. You can use any of your points for their reservations and aren't limited to just the points from the deed/contract you add them to. Those family members should pay the maintenance fees on the points for their reservations. That doesn't constitute renting.

2. Downsize the number of points in your account to what you can reasonably expect to use for yourself and any family members on your account.

Contact Certified Exit to see what your options are. They will take back some or all of what you have. You won't receive any money but what you own may qualify for the limited program. With that they take back what you own and give you three years use of the points. However you can only use the points for anyone on your account. No guest reservations.

Thanks for the recap. Because of my deed, do I have to do a title change with a title company or can I have Wyndham just add family members to my account? I only have one contract which is a deeded one. Also I don’t want to give up any points on this contract or turn it back over to Wyndham as my elderly father was duped, pressured, and lied to to take on several contracts to get more points and a more prestigious ownership. He eventually had one contract foreclosed on and transferred one to me. He spent hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years, and I don’t want that money spent for nothing. And now with this unwarranted threat from Wyndham I am afraid to use any GCs.

 

[bnoble]

Over the last couple of years

I think it's very hard to compare post-3/2020 to pre-3/2020, for all sorts of reasons.

 

[am1]

Thanks for the recap. Because of my deed, do I have to do a title change with a title company or can I have Wyndham just add family members to my account? I only have one contract which is a deeded one. Also I don’t want to give up any points on this contract or turn it back over to Wyndham as my elderly father was duped, pressured, and lied to to take on several contracts to get more points and a more prestigious ownership. He eventually had one contract foreclosed on and transferred one to me. He spent hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years, and I don’t want that money spent for nothing. And now with this unwarranted threat from Wyndham I am afraid to use any GCs.

The money that was fleeced from him is gone. Wyndham has the owners fighting each other and not them. Thats the way the powers that be like it.

 

[GlennBenscoter]

Looking at vrbo this morning I see Bonnet Creek Dec 14-17 2br or larger over 151 ads for Resort Rental Pros.

 

[Sandi Bo]

Do you think that is Wyndham? I'm not familiar with Resort Rental Pros. I also think it's common to see listings on VRBO that aren't necessary available. They won't be instant bookings and if you inquire, it's not available. Did you try to book? Although I also have a hard time believing 151 rooms for anyone, that seems like an integrity issue in itself.

Also, I haven't checked, but I bet it's on Extra Holidays, too?

 

[GlennBenscoter]

I was wondering if it was a contracted group. I thought Extra Holidays would use their on listing name. I did not try to book. I just checked EH has from 339 /night vs the virbo is 266 / night

 

[F1or1da1]

What

That is not how Koala works for example. Their system doesn’t require any owner to give their login credentials. Koala simply serves as a broker between the seller and the buyer for requested vacations. I know a few other pints managers who take the same approach that Koala does just using private FB groups to facilitate the process instead of a website. Having to hand over creds, while popular in the past, has become an outdated concept nowadays.


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whats Your experience with Koala like?

 

[HitchHiker71]

What

whats Your experience with Koala like?

I cannot comment firsthand on Koala use - perhaps others will do so - but for Club Wyndham owners the process is all clearly outlined right on their website:

KOALA: Timeshare Rentals Made Easy. Top Resorts Up To 70% Off

Rent direct from timeshare owners and book vacations at the world's best resorts for less. KOALA makes timeshare rentals easy, safe, and secure.

www.go-koala.com

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[cbyrne1174]

What

whats Your experience with Koala like?

Using Koala is a great way to get your account flagged! The website makes you put in Koala's email and phone number into the guest certificate when you book.

 

[chapjim]

Using Koala is a great way to get your account flagged! The website makes you put in Koala's email and phone number into the guest certificate when you book.

True dat!

 

[Happy Hopian]

I definitely agree that certain salespeople used this tactic to get sales.

We all know the salespeople lie and will say whatever they want to make a sale

We all know that what the salespeople say does not matter, only what's in the contract. And the contract has had reference to "not for commercial purposes" for quite a long time, it's also been in the user directory.

As owners, and especially as TUG users, since we know the salespeople lie, we can't hide behind "well, the salespeople said it was ok" excuse... we know better, and any of you actually trying to feign ignorance on this topic are being disingenuous.

There are a handful of people on TUG who probably quit their jobs and made enough to support themselves by doing this. At the expense of other owners. Some of us are extremely glad that Wyndham is/has put an end to this.

At the expense of a couple of you... tough luck.

So not for commercial use, unless you use Extra Holidays... yeah I think a court will reverse that if anyone had the jewels to challenge them

 

[am1]

So not for commercial use, unless you use Extra Holidays... yeah I think a court will reverse that if anyone had the jewels to challenge them

The ones that did already left.

 

[HitchHiker71]

So not for commercial use, unless you use Extra Holidays... yeah I think a court will reverse that if anyone had the jewels to challenge them

The more I think about what's ongoing - the more I think that, at least in part, minimizing and discouraging owner-based rentals is just as much about price/value preservation for EH/Wyndham than the outright discouragement of owner-based rentals. Don't get me wrong - it's obviously about both - but EH is competing against many owners that price rentals well below market prices really - especially those who are only renting to cover MFs, and those who are willing to take less margin than EH. EH cannot compete with owner-based renters that are willing to run slimmer margins (and in some cases almost no margin at all) - so they are eliminating the competition. It will definitely be interesting to see how much activity EH allows for owners over time. At some point Wyndham is going to have to establish clearer boundaries on this topic - but not until after they meet whatever goals they have to eliminate enough competition.

 

[Sandi Bo]

There are so many things wrong with EH. I wonder how profitable it actually is, or if anyone cares? Their website is pathetic. If you call in, they don't care (about the website), they just say that it's best to call. You can't rent 3 or especially 4 bedrooms there, I don't think. Certainly no presidentials. Not that I am aware. Why did they exclude EH from owner priority dates? Just seems like if someone actually took an interest in making EH a profit center, there's a lot of potential.

 

[RENTER]

[



how is it that one owner making reservations with their points, is done at the expense of other owners.


Im sitting in a Wyndham timeshare now, with both electricity and running water (my house has neither today, thanks to Hurricane Ian) A wyndham timeshare owner made that reservation, with their points and named me as their guest.

What kind of logic brings you to the conclusion that this was done at your expense?. . I dont understand it, but just to be safe...Thank you. and Let me know what I owe you.

I am still in Florida. I am renting from other owners since I used up all my 2022 and 2023 points. I am still catching Wyndham sales agents lying to potential buyers that they can rent to pay for VIP and I am referring those guests to this site to follow the debate of whether you can do or not. I am hoping that because of the revolt here by owners who use guest passes is causing Wyndham to compromise because we are costing them business. Three things indicate to me that they may. First is the waiting list. That should make those who were unhappy that some owners would book a room a year ahead and then cancel to rebook at lower points. They will not get the room back if other owners want it. Second, is the phone verification. That should slow down those who are really a commercial business. Third is something many of you may not know. Wyndham has joined a partnership with Airbnb. Those who have listings on Airbnb have told me they received a letter about this from Airbnb. That Wyndham is going to help them host at the resorts but want approval on the wording of the listing and confirm that the host is a owner. If not a trick to catch who is renting on Airbnb, that would also put a stop to the real commercial business and allow owners to continue to rent to pay for their costs. Several questions, is this a trick? Did Wyndham realize how much they were hurting owners who were depending on that rental income? Or did Wyndham realize if this country does slip into recession, their business will suffer because sales and hotel guests will dwindle. Already short-term renters across the country are complaining about how their rentals have dried up with the slowing economy. So, one can assume the hotel business is also suffering. So, they may let people continue to rent now except for those popular dates and resorts and then stop the rentals once the economy recovers. I sure hope it is not a trick and a real compromise since I have enjoyed my time using Wyndham. I do not want to leave. But I would have never bought if I could not have rented. If Wyndham continues to step on those who did nothing wrong, then I do not want to continue to pay them.

 

[paxsarah]

That should make those who were unhappy that some owners would book a room a year ahead and then cancel to rebook at lower points. They will not get the room back if other owners want it.

1. This has not been possible on a regular basis since 2017, when Wyndham instituted automatic upgrades while also varying the time at which a cancelled reservation comes back so the same owner can't reliably catch their own cancellation.
2. The waitlist already doesn't change anything because of #1, but also because the waitlist is not functional within the discount/upgrade window. The waitlist stops 2 months out.

 

[bnoble]

2017

Has it really been that long? Wow, time flies I guess.

 

[RENTER]

1. This has not been possible on a regular basis since 2017, when Wyndham instituted automatic upgrades while also varying the time at which a cancelled reservation comes back so the same owner can't reliably catch their own cancellation.
2. The waitlist already doesn't change anything because of #1, but also because the waitlist is not functional within the discount/upgrade window. The waitlist stops 2 months out.

wrong again. People were still booking and rebooking. Yes the change made it harder but it was still being done.

 

[jules54]

Over the last couple of years I certainly have. I've been able to book where I want, when I want and the unit I want at 10 months. This wasn't possible a few years ago. I'd have to settle for less desirable dates / locations.

IMO the more availability at the more desirable resorts was created by Covid not owners no longer renting their reservations. I think you’ll find 2023 will show less inventory available again as so many owners have rolled their points forward.

 

[paxsarah]

wrong again. People were still booking and rebooking. Yes the change made it harder but it was still being done.

Since 2017 owners have been rebooking available inventory and then canceling their original reservation, but

They will not get the room back

was over as of May 2017. Nobody’s been getting their own room back reliably.

 

[chapjim]

Wyndham has joined a partnership with Airbnb.

We heard about that a while back.

People were still booking and rebooking. Yes the change made it harder but it was still being done.

I suppose if someone has absolutely nothing to do and is extraordinarily lucky, he might score a cancel/rebook now and then.

 

[WManning]

The ones that did already left.

No one in their right mind would risk their family jewels fighting the heavy weight champ.