This complaint is long but it is necessary for you to understand the hidden agenda of Timeshare sells. I learned the hard way. Please read and save yourself from the "Timeshare Trap".
Bluegreen salesmen are rip off artists and they rip off trusting couples by telling half truths. It has cost me but I have learned alot about the "Timeshare Trap" buisness.
We bought our timeshare about 4 years ago. We were given a high price at first and turned it down because of the price. Another salesman came over to our table and told our salesman that a deal just came in and since they worked together he was going to let him in on it first.
The price was a third of the first price and it included unlimitted bonus nights and weeks. We were told we could get a nonus night for $49.00 a night and a bonus week for $99.00.
It was almost closing time and both the salesman and the closing officer made mention of it but offerred to stay as long as we needed.
This put me under pressure to hurry. I was trying to read the legal jargin that only a lawyer could understand. Therefore I skimmed over the contract.
Feeling under pressure to hurry and finish and not understanding most of what I read plus the fact that I don't rip people off therefore I didn"t suspect to get ripped off, we signed the contract.
The nightmare started. It was three years before we ever got a reservation and only then because one of their sales rep's had to get it for us.
The half truth is you can get reservations anywhere they have resorts. The whole truth is that those that have siler and gold status by buying 18,000 or more points have priority over me because I only have 8000 points.
The half truth is that I can call in and get reservations anytime.in fact the web site says now you have the flexibility to go everywhere anytime.
The whole truth is that it is next to imposible to get a reservation when you call. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes up to three hours just to get a reservation if you are in fact lucky enough to get one.
The half truth is that if you want to sell your time share they will sell it for you. The truth is that they do not sell time shares. They put you in contact with a timeshare sells company by the name of Pinnicle which is another rip off in itself.
The half truth is that we can come and use the facilities at the resort even if we don't have a reservation. The truth is that you can only use the resort facilities if you get permission from the resort and only then if there is space available.
The half truth is that you get bonus nights for $49.00 dollars and bonus weeks for $99.00. The whole truth is that this is not a set price but it depends on the resort as to what the price will be.
The half truth is that they will pay your club dues for you. The whole truth is that they pay them for two years and then you begin to pay them after that in addition to the maintenance fee.
The half truth is that they will teach you how to use your time share. The whole truth is that they want to get you to another 3 day weekend to sell you more points.
We were invited to Charlston, S.C. For a three day weekend to teach us how to use our timeshare. When we got to the meeting the sales pitch began. They wanted us to upgrade and buy more points not teach us how to use it.
After I voiced my dismay with the timeshare and Bluegreen due to the fact that I could never use it the sales person got on the phone with the reservations department and identified herself as my wife. She was requesting a reservation for us. She was on the phone for 45 minutes getting the same run around that we have already experienced.
She did however get us a reservation at Myrtle Beach in Feburary for a week. No sun bathing that week but we didn't mind because this was the first time we had ever had the oportunity to use it after owning it for three years.
She then called in her supervisor and I told him my story. His suggestion to our delima was buy more points. Now get this.
He was going to raise my points from 8000 to 16,000 plus my monthly payment would not increase nor would the original price of the timeshare increase.
How can you do that I asked? He says I can do it. The price of your maintenance fee will go up from $389.00 per year to $1,000.00 per year but if you sign today you will get it for $689.00 per year.
Double points, no increase in payments, no increase in the price of the time share nor the terms of the contract only the maintence fee increase. Then he says you will be happy because you will have priority over other people in getting reservations.
Rip me of one time, then same on you. Rip me off twice, then shame on me. NO DEAL i said. Then the wheels started turning. Their not selling timeshares to make money on the sales of timeshares. They are selling timeshares to make money on maintenance fees and club dues.
Think about it. My maintenance fees are $389.00 per year plus $225.00 dollars in club dues per year. Thats $614.00 per year for the rest of our lives until we are both dead.
Oh! But if you want to sell it we will sell it for you they said. That is a lie. They do not sell timeshares. They turn you over to a timeshare resale company that says they will sell your timeshare for you. Yes they will list it for you at the price you ask. But we were told by Pinnicle Timeshare Reale Co. That if I really wanted to sell it I would have to take. 15 cent on the dollar.
You can't sell timeshares. You have to give them away to get rid of them. So I decided I would stop paying on the timeshare the maintence fees and club dues and ride out the bad credit rating I would recieve. I consulted with a lawyer and he informed me I was stuck with it.
He further informed me that not only would they give me a bad credit rating, but they would come after me in court and sue me for all the back fees plus the future fees and could sue for their legal fees as well. He advised me of my three options.
1. Try to sell it. 2. Donate it to an organization that would agree to continue to pay the fees. Or 3. Keep it and try to use it.
So I did just that. On July 22 I was going to try to get a reservation for my daughter and son-in-law at a resort either in Alabama, Florida, or South Carolina.
The half truth is that if you can't get a reservation with Bluegreen you can bank your points with RCI and get one with them for a small adminastration fee.
The whole truth is that the fee is not small and you end up in some cases getting a Bluegreen resort that Bluegreen says is not available.
I was told, as usual, that there was nothing available at those sites for the dates I requested. I was reminded that I could bank my points with RCI and use one of their resorts.
RCI secured me a reservation at Hilton Head beach in South Carolina which is a Bluegreen resort where Bluegreen said there was no availablity.
It cost me $149.00 to transfer my points to RCI to get a reservation at a Bluegreen resort plus an additional $49.00 to get the reservation in my son-in-laws name.
Here is what is happening to inocent couples in every Bluegreen sales office to get them to fall into the "Timeshare Trap". I will try to explain it this way.
When I was in Vietnam I was stationed north of Danang near Marble Mountain. Our compound bordered the South China Sea on one side. Beside us was an Army Helliport and beyond that was the Special Forces camp. Next was Marble Mountain with the Marines.
One Night we began to reveive incoming mortar rounds and small arms fire from the inland villiages and rice patties. We focused our attention on the attack.
While our attention was diverted the Vietcong made an infibuous landing on the beach of the South China Sea. They went through the Special Forces camp up Marble Mountain and captured Marble Mountain from the Marines.
This is what is happening in the Bluegreen sales offices by their sales staff. They show you a beautiful resort. They paint you a picture of all the fun and relaxation you are going to enjoy over the period of your life.
The sales staff fills you mind with promises that are only half true. (by the way, at the end of the contract it states and I qoute, "Nothing the sales person tells you is binding, only what is written in this contract").
They lead you to believe how easy and simple it is to get a reservation while all the time they are diverting you attention away from the club dues and maintenance fees.
Oh yes, they mention them but they don't stress them nor do they want you to realize that you are going to pay these fees for the rest of your entire life.
If by chance you die before your spouce, then your spouse has to pay the fees for the rest of his or her life.
Do you understand why they require you both to be at the presentation and both have to sign the contract.
I doubt this complaint will go anywhere or get any attention from those who could and should do something about this matter.
However I am going to keep on complaining and speaking out to warn everyone I come in contact with that Bluegreen and probably other timeshare companys as well, are not just selling timeshares, they are selling club dues and maintenance fees as well.
In fact the fees are their bread and butter.
Hoping this saves someone from falling into the "Timeshare Trap".
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