Lets start by saying that we are another couple that was suckered by Vacation Properties Marketing... So, we'll just throw out hats in the ring with all the other good-intentioned, hard working people who were the victims of "organized theft."
Because of the difficult economic times we were facing, my wife and I decided that it would benifit us financially if we either rented or sold out timeshares... Yes plural... Timeshares. We had been receiving emails from various companies, and one fine day in June, my wife decided to fill out some "on-line" contact information. It wasn't more than 15 minutes later that Bernard O'Connor called my house and spoke to my wife... Yes, I'll be naming names throughout this report.
The information presented by Mr O'Connor was very insightful and enlightening. Mr O'Connor was advised that we would have to discuss the prospect of listing our timeshares with Vacation Property Marketing and that we would be in contact with him in a few days to notify him of our decision.
It was only a short time afterward that Cindy Andreula (spelling not significant) was in contact with us. It seemed to us that she was "claim jumping" Mr O'Connor's intrest; however, we entertained her telephone call. Ms Andreula went on to tell us how vital it was for us to list out timeshares with her immediately because of the great volume of conventions and the vast number of people who were actively looking for timeshare rentals.
Ms Andreula continued to give us her solem word that she would have renters lined up by the end of the weekend; moreover, that she could have buyers in place to make offers on our timeshares within 30 days. Ms Andreula employed common sales tactics using "small talk" and trying to stroke each of our personal egos... I should know, I was a used car salesman!!! After repeated telephone conversations, being reassured by Ms Andreula that all her claims were legitimate, and being guarenteed that we could cancel any contract with Vacation Property Marketing and that any money paid by us would be refunded if the agreement was cancelled within six months.
Having given considerable thought to the wealth of reassuring information that Ms Andreula presented us, especially the ability to receive a full refund if our agreement was cancelled within six months, her personal "guarenteed" to make us money, and her reassurance that she only had our best interest in mind, we agreed to list our timeshares with Vacation Property Marketing.
We hadn't even received our marketing contracts, five in all, when Ms Andreula had us on a three-way call with our credit card company, billing us a total of $1100.00 for listing all the properties... Such a good deal she gave us, so she claimed!
Weeks later, and after repeated phone messages to Ms Andreula, we still were not in receipt of the marketing contracts. At this time I contacted Chris Windsor... Another cog in the wheel of deceipt!!! I informed Mr Windsor of our concern in not receiving the marketing contracts. At this time I was advised that the contracts had been sent and that I should have received them weeks prior. When I verified the address I discovered that they had been sent to an address unknown to us. I then asked to have the contracts re-drawn and sent to us again.
Upon receipt of the contracts we discovered all five to be in error... Yep 100%... To the negative margin. I immediately contacted their customer service department and explained the errors. I was asked to annotate the correct information and fax them back to Vacation Property Marketing, which I did immediately.
At one point during this fiasco we asked that Ms Andreula be discharged from handling our listings and that Mr O'Connor be reassigned. Much to his protest Mr O'Connor agreed to cope with the countless administrative errors made by Vacation Property Marketing to that point. Shortly following we received the third edition of our marketing contracts. We found that some of the previously reported errors had been correctred and a portion had gone ignored, in either case, all five llistings still contained errors.
Vacation Property Marketing was made aware of the errors. At this time we physically made pen changes to the marketing contracts and mailed them back to Vacation Property Marketing for appropriate action. Meanwhile, as we checked Vacation Property Marketing's website we also noted that the properties were not being properly identified. Two of the properties in Branson, MO contained images leading to believe they were lodges... Rather than being properly identified as Ambassador units. Furthermore, two of the properties in Canyon Lake, TX contained the same images as those depicted in Branson, MO. Again, rather than being properly identified as Ambassador units. The fifth listing was in Las Vegas, NV and was of minor concern to us.
Weeks later we received the corrected marketing contracts, signed them and promptly returneed them to Vacation Property Marketing. Again, we voiced our dis-satisfaction concerning the errors depicting out properties on Vacation Property Marketing's website.
It's now 3 months later and NONE of the promises, assurances, or guarentees made by Vacation Property Marketing, it's agents, or it's personnel have come to be factual, except one... They said they would charge us $1100.00, and they did!!!
This morning I called Vacation Property Marketing and spoke to Chris Windsor. After explaining our position, informing him that we were not satisfied, and requesting a full refund as ensured by Ms Andreula, I was advised that if the cancellation had been made within seven days of the agreement a refund would have been provided. Mr Windsor went so far as to informn me that refunds had been made as far as "60 days out, but never as far as 90 days." Mr Windsor offered to correct the continuing errors on the properties descriptions and so much as offered to afford me premium listings, which I had no interest in.
Upon asking to speak Mr Windsor's supervisor, I was informed by Mr Windsor that there was no supervisor to speak to as he was the head of the department. I then advised Mr Windsor that everyone was accountable to someone, somewhere and that I wanted to speak to whomever he was immediately accountable to. It was at this time that I was told that a gentleman by the name of Darryl Brown would be contacting me.
Within approximately 10 minutes of my conversation with Mr Windsor I received a call from Victoria Thomas who represented herself as a customer services supervisor. After lengthy conversation with Ms Thomas it was obvious that she was not sympathetic, just simply pathetic. I noted that she was not interestred nor concerned of the issues that my wife and I have endured at the hands of Vacation Property Marketing. She repeatedly stated, "the customer is always right, " but tried to pass off the fact that she could not "legally" provide me a refund as a result of being misinformed... Lied to would be more accurate... By Ms Andreula and that the company was not liable for the actions of any of it's employees. The conversation was terrminated shortly thereafter.
I later received a telephone call from Darryl Brown, who I recalled Mr Windsor identifying as his immediate supervisor. After carefully explaining the course of events, the multitude of administrative errors and blunders by Vacation Property Marketing, Mr Brown offered to provide premium updated listings, and corrections to our market contracts, to include accurate descriptions and depictions of the properties.
I further advised Mr Brown that the nature of my initial contact with Vacation Property Marketing was to request a full refund as agreed between us and Ms Andreula and that I wanted nothing further to do with Vacation Property Marketing. I was subsequently advised that I would receive no form of reimbursement from Vacation Property Marketing.
Mr Brown eloquently attempted to steer clear of my request for reimbursement by asking to update my information on file with Vacation Property Marketing. I confirmed my name, mailing address, and email address; however, when it came to updating the property descriptions I turned down his request to do so by telling him that I would not, nor never again list any of my properties with Vacation Property Marketing. Mr Brown then very unprofessionally hung up on me.
All the foregoing is true and accurate to the best of my recollection. I have formed the opinion that the Vacation Property Marketing staff members which I spoke to have been nothing but uncaring, deceitful, untrustworthy, and fraudlent, with the exception of Mr O'Connor. I'm sure that there has to be at least one, maybe two, honorable members in this organization. As for the others, they should either be boiled in oil, or tarred and feathered, then run out of town... Nothing would be too good for them.
To the best of my ability inform my family and friends of the unscrupulous and immoral methods practiced by Vacation Property Marketing to pilfer money from hard working honest people. A copy of this report will be prominently displayed in my businiess and brought to the attention of all customers who enter my establishment to not have any dealings with Vacation Property Marketing. I will also be filing a report with the Better Business Bureau of Kissimmee, Fl. Lastly, I invite all who have been deceived, lied to, or misrepresented by Vacation Property Marketing to join any class action suit entered to against Vacation Property Marketing.
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