Complaint / Review
Timber Lodge RV Resort, Inc
Unable to cancel "Lifetime" Membership, Company threatening collection

It has been an interesting read on usacomplaints.com regarding the resort at New Waverly, TX.interesting, but not very encouraging, because we, too, fell for the sales pitch given to us by a very professional-sounding Jim Jerde several years ago. But now that we want to cancel the "Lifetime" membership, there has been no response to either our letter of cancellation sent in July, nor a phone call made and e-mail sent. We did, however, today receive a collection letter from Monterey Collections, Oceanside, CA 92052.
We, like many others, paid $495 for the membership, and have faithfully paid $99 per year... Without ever using the membership. And when the contract says that failure to pay annual dues could result in termination of membership (which is what we want, because we can no longer use it)... We learn that, instead of termination of the membership, the collection agency has changed a $119.00 "balance due" into a $229.11 balance due. And we learn from the collection agency (because nobody answers the phone at Timber Lodge RV Resort, Inc., 952-431-1382) that this amount will only grow because we have to pay dues for the rest of our lives! What a scam! I don't believe that Mr. Jerde ever mentioned the "inability to cancel" policy to us or anybody else in the initial conversation.
Mr. Jerde states in his rebuttals on usacomplaints.com, "Like most obligations if you do not pay there are consequences ie. Phone bill, mortage, rent etc." Since my credit score is excellent, I have no first-hand experience with those types of nonpayment, but I would think that those would result in disconnection of the phone, or loss of one's home. So, in this case, a request for cancellation and subsequent non-payment of dues, should result in the loss of the membership, right? So why is this policy of Timber Lodge RV Resort so abnormal???
Has anyone out there been able to resolve the dissolution of memberships without involving an attorney... Which is where it now appears that we stand??? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.