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hi everyone, i posted this on a yahoo group recently and thought it would go well here also...i dont know how often i'll be back but if youd like to write me with your thoughts, you are welcome to send them to me at rwf4444@yahoo.com
Approximately 7-8 years ago, my mother purchased a unit at Bluebeard’s Castle. Well intending, but without my knowing, she signed my name on the deed, making me a co-owner with her. Some many years later, between my mother’s health deteriorating, her not being able to work, and the exorbitant rise in the maintenance fees, she became unable to make the payments. She has tried to sell/give away the unit but has not found any takers.
I found out I was an “owner” about six months ago by receiving a notice from a debt collection agency, Meridian, informing me I owed Bluebeard’s (and them) two years worth of maintenance fees. I asked my mother about it and that was when she told me when she bought the place, she had signed my name.
I called Meridian and told them the debt was not mine. My mother called them and told them what had occurred; they wouldn’t budge. Both of us also wrote Bluebeard’s board of directors and told them what had happened. With the exception of John Enrietto, we were met with incredibly little sympathy. I have never used the timeshare, never paid into it, didn’t sign my name, and didn’t know it was mine. The board (Ira Frank, Dick Cornell, and Ken Drew) wouldn’t budge either. They suggested, among other things, that I pay the debt and, if you can believe it, to sue my mother. I suggested that their zealousness to collect money had clouded their judgment.
Ira eventually put me in contact with Paul Goodrich, who was supposed to “investigate” the matter. The days turned into weeks turned into months and were full of unreturned phone calls, unreturned emails, and unanswered questions. One question I was fond of asking was, “would you pay the debt if my mother had put your name on the deed, or President Bush’s?” The fact that I am related to and know my mother is inconsequential. That question never got answered. I also sent a copy of the document with my mother’s fake signature of my name and a number of documents with my real signature—apparently to no avail.
In the interim I had applied for a home loan and I’m not able to close on it while I have this “bad credit”. If you look at the message boards, the board of directors considers this as evidence that their debt collection practices are being effective. It might be that for some people, but for me, I take it rather as evidence that the board of directors lack discernment and is hiding behind what apparently is legal with little or no regard for what is moral.
Three months later, I finally contacted upper management, Bill Young, Greg Shepherd, Peter Gianini and George Selensky, telling them the same thing I’ve written here and asked them please to take my name off the debt at Meridian. Here was their response: “Since your name is on the deed you are jointly liable for the fees with your mother.” Does anyone else find it incredibly appalling that people can be held liable for a debt that they themselves did not create—and that no one had to witness the signatures wherein property changes hands?
Suppose I got a hold of Dick Cornell’s credit card numbers and ran up a debt, purchasing things without his assent or knowledge? Would he be culpable for the debt? No—and the bank would readily accept the explanation, and absolve Dick from the debt. In fact, this was John Enrietto’s partial solution—which the board rejected.
To make matters worse, adding insult to injury---as I mentioned earlier, my mother can’t get rid of the timeshare. Following SPM’s suggestion, as well as our own wisdom, we wanted to take my name off the deed so that debt wouldn’t continue to accumulate in my name---and then SPM had the idiotic gall to write “Note that you have admitted ownership to some degree by signing a deed (for something you claim you do not own) to transfer ownership (which you claim you do not have) back to your mom.” That is the very definition of damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
I see from looking around here a little that many of you are having problems (By the way, I tried to join under my own name and email address and was denied. I can only surmise that Ken Drew recognized my name and refused to let me in.) Hopefully many of you can empathize with the situation---one I didn’t create and one in which the board and the management company have the power to fix, but refuse---and which by far is the most unethical decision I’ve ever been involved with.
If there is something you can do to help, I’d love that and I’m absolutely all ears…
Approximately 7-8 years ago, my mother purchased a unit at Bluebeard’s Castle. Well intending, but without my knowing, she signed my name on the deed, making me a co-owner with her. Some many years later, between my mother’s health deteriorating, her not being able to work, and the exorbitant rise in the maintenance fees, she became unable to make the payments. She has tried to sell/give away the unit but has not found any takers.
I found out I was an “owner” about six months ago by receiving a notice from a debt collection agency, Meridian, informing me I owed Bluebeard’s (and them) two years worth of maintenance fees. I asked my mother about it and that was when she told me when she bought the place, she had signed my name.
I called Meridian and told them the debt was not mine. My mother called them and told them what had occurred; they wouldn’t budge. Both of us also wrote Bluebeard’s board of directors and told them what had happened. With the exception of John Enrietto, we were met with incredibly little sympathy. I have never used the timeshare, never paid into it, didn’t sign my name, and didn’t know it was mine. The board (Ira Frank, Dick Cornell, and Ken Drew) wouldn’t budge either. They suggested, among other things, that I pay the debt and, if you can believe it, to sue my mother. I suggested that their zealousness to collect money had clouded their judgment.
Ira eventually put me in contact with Paul Goodrich, who was supposed to “investigate” the matter. The days turned into weeks turned into months and were full of unreturned phone calls, unreturned emails, and unanswered questions. One question I was fond of asking was, “would you pay the debt if my mother had put your name on the deed, or President Bush’s?” The fact that I am related to and know my mother is inconsequential. That question never got answered. I also sent a copy of the document with my mother’s fake signature of my name and a number of documents with my real signature—apparently to no avail.
In the interim I had applied for a home loan and I’m not able to close on it while I have this “bad credit”. If you look at the message boards, the board of directors considers this as evidence that their debt collection practices are being effective. It might be that for some people, but for me, I take it rather as evidence that the board of directors lack discernment and is hiding behind what apparently is legal with little or no regard for what is moral.
Three months later, I finally contacted upper management, Bill Young, Greg Shepherd, Peter Gianini and George Selensky, telling them the same thing I’ve written here and asked them please to take my name off the debt at Meridian. Here was their response: “Since your name is on the deed you are jointly liable for the fees with your mother.” Does anyone else find it incredibly appalling that people can be held liable for a debt that they themselves did not create—and that no one had to witness the signatures wherein property changes hands?
Suppose I got a hold of Dick Cornell’s credit card numbers and ran up a debt, purchasing things without his assent or knowledge? Would he be culpable for the debt? No—and the bank would readily accept the explanation, and absolve Dick from the debt. In fact, this was John Enrietto’s partial solution—which the board rejected.
To make matters worse, adding insult to injury---as I mentioned earlier, my mother can’t get rid of the timeshare. Following SPM’s suggestion, as well as our own wisdom, we wanted to take my name off the deed so that debt wouldn’t continue to accumulate in my name---and then SPM had the idiotic gall to write “Note that you have admitted ownership to some degree by signing a deed (for something you claim you do not own) to transfer ownership (which you claim you do not have) back to your mom.” That is the very definition of damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
I see from looking around here a little that many of you are having problems (By the way, I tried to join under my own name and email address and was denied. I can only surmise that Ken Drew recognized my name and refused to let me in.) Hopefully many of you can empathize with the situation---one I didn’t create and one in which the board and the management company have the power to fix, but refuse---and which by far is the most unethical decision I’ve ever been involved with.
If there is something you can do to help, I’d love that and I’m absolutely all ears…
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