Verifying Wyndham Rental of our unit

[yh52]

We own a week 51, one bedroom, ocean facing unit at Wyndham Santa Barbara (Friday to Friday) in Pompano Beach, FL. It's a great unit, 1200 Sq. Ft, wraparound balcony on a higher floor. We look forward to using it almost every year.

Unfortunately last year we were unable to use the unit. So we put our 2014 week 51 into the Wyndham Extra Vacations program for them to rent for us.

My understanding is that Wyndham Santa Barbara during that week tends to be sold out.

So, it was to my disappointment and consternation to find out from Wyndham a few weeks into 2015, that they did not rent the unit. Or so they claimed.

Frankly I had a hard time believing them when they told me the unit was unsold and unoccupied during this period.

My question is this....Is there any way to verify whether a unit is rented or not, short of checking on it myself, in person?

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

 

[am1]

Call the resort and ask to be transferred to the unit.

 

[ronparise]

Call the resort and ask to be transferred to the unit.

It's a little late for that. And if there was a tugger in the unit, chances are they unplugged the phone

I would bet someone at the property could dig into the records and find out whether the unit was occupied or not but I'd also bet that their records agree with endless vacations either the place really was vacant or if they stole your money,?they cooked the books

Bottom line you have given us one more reason not to hire endless vacations

 

[yh52]

I neglected to mention that we had also used Wyndham Extra Vacations to rent the same week/unit for us in 2013.

They came thru nicely in 2013, our first year using their rental program, with a check that more than covered our annual maintenance fee.

I wondered whether the engineering/maintenance emergency they had during that week in 2014 affected their interest in paying us for our rental.

Apparently there was some kind of flood in a bunch of Santa Barbara units on the week 51 check in day. Though our unit wasn't affected, they had to scramble and find rooms in other properties for displaced guests . I am sure that affected their revenues for the week, or possibly longer.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I believe the FLOOD was during week 52 at SB.

Yes, you have experience the "HOLE" in the Extra Holiday's business plan. You were VERY lucky in year 1.

Last year is MORE normal ... when a person calls to rent via Extra Holidays, the phone operator looks for the check in day and VOILA, there is YOUR unit. The person wants 1 night before the cruise and BANG your WEEK is booked. There is NO extra housekeeping nor an ability to rent by the day ... your "unit" is rented.

As for people staying in your unit? Could happen...besides the broken water pipe for ... due to customer satisfaction for a better view. Next time ... call the Front Desk at 9PM and ask to be transferred to YOUR unit number... no chit chat... Unit 709 please. When someone answers, ask to speak to YOUR self or spouse .. then play the "stop kidding; I know they are there - it is their week and ask, Are you their friends? Are you renting from them?" They will almost for sure, rat out HOW they got into YOUR unit. Now, you have the infor ... use it the next day when you call the manager (if not listed via EH).

Extra Holidays - will NOT tell you anything... either you get a check or not. And that is WHY I do NOT use Extra Holidays ... 40% commission for a 1 night rental ... if lucky.

PS That happened to me at Sea Gardens except I did NOT place my fixed week unit for rent with EH. I had the assistant resort manager doing *bleep* FITS 2 days later at the HOA meeting. And I had lots of other BIG SNOWBIRD owners in the room asking me questions. Demanded the RENT without any "their" costs being subtracted .. they had no contract.. they stole my week.

I miss that assistant resort manager ... that was OUR "DOWN" moment (and he knew me before) ... he was very good at rehabbing the units over the years he was there.

 

[55plus]

If the adjacent units are also fixed weeks do you know the owners? If so call and ask them if there was someone in your unit during that time...

 

[yh52]

When we placed our 2013 week 51 with Extra Holidays, it was late in the year and initially they refused to take it because we were within 45-60 days of the week 51.

I finally convinced them to take the week. But as a thank you I sent a note and gift to them.

I didn't mean it as a bribe, but truly as a thank you for taking the week into their inventory so late in the year.

In retrospect, perhaps that is why it why it went as well as it did on our first try. Or perhaps it was beginner's luck.

Thanks all for your input.