Westgate-Getting them to talk to me

[Xanthe Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Xanthe]

Boy do I need some help. Hopefully someone can give me some good advice. I am so upset!!!

Here is the situation:
*My husband and his sister inherited 2 contracts, each of 4-1 bedroom weeks of Westgate, Orlando from their father when he died. They split them so that his sister has 1 contract of 4 weeks and we have 1 contract of 4 weeks.
*My sister-in-law is severely handicapped with cerebral palsy and does not hear or speak well and uses a walker. My husband has had some severe health problems over the last 5 years and is now in a locked mental facility with little hope of recovery. He can't even have a phone.
*I have started to help my sister in law (in lieu of my husband) make her reservations and also this year got one of my sons to use the timeshare. Without me doing this none of them will be used as my husband cannot do it and my sister in law has a hard time communicating with people over the phone.
*Every time I call Westgate they make a huge issue of talking to me. As requested, I sent them a Power of Attorney. THEN, as requested, I sent them a signed letter from my husband and sister in law saying they could talk to me. I STILL have a hard time with them. It is infuriating. We also have an inherited timeshare in Hawaii from SHELL and it only takes them 5 seconds to look at the computer to see the power of attorney and letter and and then talk to me.
*I just talked to customer service at Westgate after accelerating my complaint up the chain of command this guy told me that even to ask a question or make a reservation I need to get a lawyer and change the deed to include my name. This would also mean I need to be on my sister-in-laws deed.
What the heck!!!!! Is this reasonable? If so I am dumping these timeshares. They sure are not questioning who is paying the maintenance fees. What is this country coming to anyway? How can I justify spending another x thousands of dollars on these vacation weeks?

Xanthe

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Back in the day, in the beginning, I was fortunate to have struck up a friendship with Mr. Sleaze's exec. assistant. Knowing her was the only way I ever found to get anything done. Anyone lesser just stonewalled me or passed me off to someone trying to get more money out of us.

One call to her and the next call to me would be from exactly the person I needed to get done whatever needed to get done.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

If you stop paying the fees, they will talk to you.

[catwgirl Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close catwgirl]

They don't know who is calling. I would just identify myself as your SIL. Have a male call and make arrangements for your husband.

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Another sad example of the lack of even basic customer service that seems to permeate this company. There has always been a self-centered arrogance that infects Westgate employees, and I've never really understood why..

Westgate has employed great trainers over the years, but the focus has always been on sales technique and client manipulation- never on customer service issues.

It seems so simple an idea to me to divert a few of those training sessions to the call center employees and onsite staff who deal with owners on a daily basis to help develop just basic customer service skills.

If Westgate employees could even pretend to give a damn, the company might start to turn around again. They have great properties.. It's a shame the upper management doesn't realize it takes more than that!

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Please don't read this as defending the staff of Westgate, but I have had the opposite response whenever I have called.

My son and his wife are estranged. He faxed a letter to customer service to have the account noted that I, his mother (giving my name and date of birth for verification), could speak to them in regard to the account. I call and give the account number, state who I am and that there is a letter on file authorizing me to speak to them regarding the account. I have never had an issue since the letter was made part of the record.

Now, maybe I have had good luck getting a good, knowledgeable customer service representative every time I have called, that could well be the case.

May I suggest that when you call and are asked for the account number, give the number and let the rep know there is a letter on file. It certainly works for me.

Joy

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Another sad example of the lack of even basic customer service that seems to permeate this company. There has always been a self-centered arrogance that infects Westgate employees, and I've never really understood why..

$#!+ rolls downhill.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Back in the day, in the beginning, I was fortunate to have struck up a friendship with Mr. Sleaze's exec. assistant. Knowing her was the only way I ever found to get anything done. Anyone lesser just stonewalled me or passed me off to someone trying to get more money out of us.

One call to her and the next call to me would be from exactly the person I needed to get done whatever needed to get done.

I can't remember yesterday, but after more than 20 years, I still remember her name.

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

I'd love to see more people post positive comments about this brand.. Being based out of Orlando, I always receive a high number of inquiries from people wanting to sell or rent these and I've gotten to the point were I decline almost all of them.

I've had a recent renter complain to me about salespeople knocking on the door first thing in the morning several times during the week to solicit a tour, even after he'd already said no.

I've had sellers who were held hostage during the right of first refusal process and forced to pay an additional year's maintenance fee just to have Westgate complete the transfer back to the developer. It's just a ridiculous situation and I'd love to say these are just isolated incidents but I can't..

I have a transaction right now where contracts were signed in March of 2011. Westgate exercised their right of first refusal and the seller is still being told the deeding has not yet been completed.

I warned her back in March that if they exercised it was possible the "closing" to Westgate would run into delays and then inexplicably she would be told she'd have to pay 2012 fees to complete the transfer, but I don't think she really believed me..

Right now I'm waiting for the call from her telling me that I was right, and I truly wish very much that for once Westgate would surprise me and prove me wrong.. It's such a shame! I keep hoping that the entire company will be sold to another developer who will come in and change the culture and clean house with much of the upper management. So far, the Planet Hollywood owners appear to be the only lucky ones fortunate enough to escape.

[Xanthe Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Xanthe]

Thanks for your comments.

I DO have all the information on the accounts at hand, down to the social security numbers. I DID FAX a letter from my husband and sister in law, outlining the account numbers and addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses linked to each account, telling them that they can talk to me. I have an Issue Number that refers back to this letter.

I have made reservations and I have called with problems, however each time they are reluctant to talk to me, and always have a hard time finding my name in the computer. Each time they give me a hard time and I wait and wait while they look for my name and/or have to ask a supervisor. This last time they told me that durable Powers of Attorney are only good for 6 months!

What are the ramifications for not paying your maintenance fees?

Thanks again,
Xanthe

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

What are the ramifications for not paying your maintenance fees?

The nasty folks get nastier.

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

Thanks for your comments.

I DO have all the information on the accounts at hand, down to the social security numbers. I DID FAX a letter from my husband and sister in law, outlining the account numbers and addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses linked to each account, telling them that they can talk to me. I have an Issue Number that refers back to this letter.

I have made reservations and I have called with problems, however each time they are reluctant to talk to me, and always have a hard time finding my name in the computer. Each time they give me a hard time and I wait and wait while they look for my name and/or have to ask a supervisor. This last time they told me that durable Powers of Attorney are only good for 6 months!

What are the ramifications for not paying your maintenance fees?

Thanks again,
Xanthe

They can go after the legal owners (which be thankful it sounds like you are NOT!) and hurt their credit or worse.

If there is no money to get or credit to ruin let them try! If this were my situation I'd stop paying fees immediately & let THEM try to reach/get money from the owners. I wouldn't deal with them again if they paid ME! After nearly 20 years of ownership there I was never happier than when I was able to free myself from that totally negative experience in my otherwise great timeshare life. They are the ONLY ones I;d never own with again at any price.

Run away & ignore them as they don't want to speak to you anyway. Take the hint. It's not your responsibility as you are not the owner.