My wife and I entered into a contract with Tahiti Village in February. Under the high pressure tactics, we crumbled even though we knew we really couldn't afford it. With the contract signed, it was agreed that we would pro-rate the down payment and start our monthly payments in May.
On April 29th, the final portion of the down payment was made over the phone with a Visa Check Card. It was agreed, during the same conversation, that a portion of the excess payment would go towards the 1st payment, which was due May 1. The transaction was completed.
Starting in the later portion of June, the collection phone calls began. Debt collectors from Consolidated Resorts stated that the verbal agreement between the company representative and us was not valid and would not be recognized. Additionally, we would need to come up with additional amounts to bring the account current.
My wife began calling customer service to resolve the matter. No resolution was attained as the representatives stated that they would have to investigate the matter. During this time the multiple daily phone calls continued.
In September, I sent a letter disputing a portion of the debt, in accordance with FTC guidelines, and requested that the debt be validated and that the phone calls cease until the dispute was resolved. Within a couple of days of receipt of the letter, phone calls, to customer service, were not returned by the customer service representatvies that we had been talking to previously.
Additionally, the debt collectors started becoming aggressive in their mannerisms. When the dispute was mentioned, the representatives stated then, as they do now, that we have a contractual obligation. This is in spite of the fact that monthly payments are made each month.
In October, I sent another dispute letter which ammended or corrected some of the figures included in the initial dispute letter. It also contained the second request to cease the phone calls until the dispute is resolved. Enclosed with both of the letters were bank statements that verified our compliance with financial obligations.
With all of the payments made we are currently $225 ahead of the amoritization, which doesn't include the money that should have taken care of May's payment.instead of our credit showing a positive track record with this company, we run the risk of having another ding in our credit score.
No written responses, regarding our disputes, have been received. FTC guidelines require that upon the dispute of a debt or a portion of the debt, the debt collector MUST validate the debt. This company has failed to do so at anytime and continues to harrass this family for payments that have already been made.
Furthermore, as a result of the dispute, which has remained unrecogized / unaddressed by the company, we have been notified that we are not able to access any of the ammenities that we were promised.
These people tend to utilize high pressure sales tactics to lure you in and then exhibit incompetence in dealing with monies delivered.instead of dealing with issues to bring some type of resolution, they shuffle these problems off to the side as if they never exsisted.
With complaints filed with the FTC and the state attorney's office we are in a state of limbo as our credit gets pounded each month. How are we to deal with these tactics? Given that this has been one of the most unpleasant experiences that I've been involved in; How do we get out of this now? What rights do we have that we have not utilized? How do we get the phone calls to end until this matter is resolved? How do we force these people to comply with the law and recognize our dispute?
I can say this without any second guessing, if given the opportunity to deal with this company, avoid them like the plague.
Thanks for your time.
Mark
Navarre, Florida
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