What is flex change?

[dmharris]

Can someone explain what flex change is and how it works with Marriott owners who deposit into II?

Thanks in advance,

 

[Dave M]

If you deposit a week less than 60 days from check-in, you are subject to the Flex rules, which, based on the II terms and conditions, are as follows:

For exchange requests made less than 60 days prior to the travel date requested, Flexchange is a service in which vacation exchange requests may be submitted from 59 days up until 24 hours in advance of the travel dates desired. The commencement date of the week requested must be at least 14 days prior to the commencement date of the week being relinquished. If a Flex Deposit has been made, the exchange request must be made through the Flexchange service. Available Host Accommodations for the date requested will be offered and an instant Confirmation will be issued if one of the availabilities offered at the time of the call is accepted. Holiday, summer, and other highly demanded weeks usually are not available through Flexchange.

 

[dmharris]

Thank you Dave, now can you tell me if (and I have) deposited our week for 2007 with II and have requested weeks that are later in the year, not 12 months out yet, and as time goes on, I don't get my request, does II consider my weeks deposited/exhanged? That is, would I be able to book something for August 2007 or October 2007 (my preferences) after Memorial Day 2007 which is what I deposited in II?

What might be some situations where it is of benefit to utilize flex change?

Again, thanks in advance,

 

[KathyPet]

Due to the limitations of Flex Change it it usually only used as a last minute emergency if you find you cannot use a week that you already reserved.and are within 60 days or less of the check in day for that week. For example we have Barony Beach for the week of 9/17/06. We gave it to Marriott to rent for us. As of yesterday it had not rented. If it does not rent by 7/16 we can cancel the contract with Marriott and turn the week into II as a "last minute desposit". We then use Flex Change but we are restricted because we have deposited so late. We don't lose the week but are restricted into what we can "get" for it from II. If you reserved a 2007 week for May of 07 and deposited it with II you can request any week you want from II and if you want a good beach week you better get on it. Now you asked if II considers your week deposited with them. That depends upon which of two options you used. Did you do a "request first" which means you do not give up the use of your week until II fills your request for you. If they do not fill your request they cannot "take your week" which means you could still use the week you reserved at your home resort if none of your trades come through. It sounds as if you did not do this since you indicate you have not requested a trade through II yet although you gave them your week. So you have done a "deposit first" which means II can "use" your week.Now you have allowed II to give the week you reserved to someone else and you have to hope that one of your trades comes through. Personally I always do a request first since I want to be sure that one of my trades comes throught for me before I give up my week at my home resort.

 

[Bill4728]

The simple explanation is
1. Flexchange is only important if at the last minute, you deposit your week due to a change in plans.

2. If you deposit your week more than 60 days before check in, you'll never worry about flexchange. You can deposit a Nov 2006 week in July and use that week to reserve a room (no worries about flexchange) till Nov 2008. It doesn't matter if you make a request in July 2007, nine months after your unit was used. You have a regular deposit for use till nov 2008 (2 years after check-in)

 

[cp73]

I also assume that when you search as long as your search includes the next 59 days anything traded for a flexchange will be included ?????? regardless of what your trading?????

 

[Bill4728]

I also assume that when you search as long as your search includes the next 59 days anything traded for a flexchange will be included ?????? regardless of what your trading?????

Could you ask that again? I don't understand your question

 

[cp73]

Could you ask that again? I don't understand your question

I was referring to the comment that was made about the flex exchange. The person above was talking about it from the listing persons perspective. My comment was realted to the person who is doing the search and how do they find those units that are offered under the flex exchange. From a searchers point of view they are located in the same place as all the other exchanges and not differentiated from other listing available beyond 60 days. This was confusing to me. I was expecting to find the flex exchange listings to be separated from the regular exchanges....

 

[dmharris]

Thank you Bill and Kathy, very helpful especially the illustration you took the time to spell out Kathy, thanks!

 

[stevens397]

The search will show everything to most people, but if you have a flexchange deposit in, you will only see availability within 60 days.

Please understand that it is, in fact, restrictive but that doesn't mean you can't score something nice. And even if it's not the most desirable location out there, it can still be perfect for you! I gave my son a week and he traded into Lake Tahoe, but had to cancel (for business reasons) about three weeks before. I figured I'd never be able to use the flexchange week in the year I had remaining. In fact, it worked great. I was thinking about a guys golf trip, thought of II and the week we had deposited and a 3 bedroom came up in Orlando that could not have been more perfect for us.