No RCI if purchased BG resale?

[Reno1979 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Reno1979]

I already sent Boca a PM to ask, but just wanted to bring this up to the forum...

I bought a nice BG points package last year, and now have been told by BG that my club dues do not cover RCI since I didn't buy direct. I was a bit surprised, and their only answer was to get very snotty with me, and tell me "that's why you should buy from us." To which I pointed out that it would take a lot of years paying RCI direct to offset my savings buying on ebay.

Whatever... just kind of miffed. I got in before the Bonus Time feature went away for second hand buyers, I just didn't realize I would not get RCI.



***Update***

Now they say I could have the RCI membership transfered from the original owner. I do not know why BG would not just open a new one in my name???? I am going to try and contact the broker for the package I bought.... maybe they can help? LOL.. not like they took 8 MONTHS to close my deal... HA.. just kidding.. it was NINE MONTHS.

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

If you bought a points package then you are in the Vacation Club. Club dues include RCI membership. I would guess that whoever you spoke to is simply wrong.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

The rule has always been that you get a "free" RCI account with your $115 plus tax annual dues for Bluegreen. You pay that whether or not you bought it from Bluegreen, so you also get the RCI account.

I called today to verify this with owner services.

Your agents were just wrong. Hang up and call back.

[Reno1979 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Reno1979]

Wow.... I will keep trying.. I am at a loss.. I have gotten to managers twice and both tell me I am out of luck. Will update.

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

Last summer I experienced the same challenges getting an RCI account setup and received the same information that the previous owner had to transfer the RCI membership. I had just purchased Bluegreen points through resale and spoke to many different people in different departments at Bluegreen over the course of two weeks. Owner Services was the area that finally solved the problem and setup my RCI account without any involvement of the former owner. Good luck as it will take some patience.

I want to make one clarification about the right to the RCI account just by paying the club dues. All of the online information on the member Bluegreen web site state that Vacation Club dues cover, "in most cases, annual dues to your exchange company." Thus, your leverage will be in your patience and repeated attempts, not in the documentation.

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

"... in most cases..." GOOD FIND! Time will tell if there is anything to read into that.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I see the problem. There is a fee to transfer an RCI account and/or a banked week from one owner to another. That is an RCI fee. That has absolutely nothing to do with Bluegreen. That is an RCI policy for ANY of its owners independent of the resort they own.

When someone buys a resale Bluegreen points package, that person gets a "free" RCI account that is set up by Bluegreen. Call owner services to have your NEW RCI account set up. Don't call RCI until you have a week to be banked.

[Reno1979 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Reno1979]

RCI really hasn't said much.. mostly Bluegreen. I don't even want to bank a week, I was more interested in looking at their last minute deals... I am gonna try again with BG tomorrow.

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

Thanks, Boca, for catching the transfer thing. That would most certainly make a difference.

If your sale includes a week banked with RCI, then, yeah, go get your free RCI account set up by Bluegreen, THEN, deal with RCI and the original owner on the transfer. I didn't think RCI transferred accounts, just 'account assets.'

However, doesn't sound like even that's the case in this situation. Owner Services at BG should set you right up.

I am curious, however, as to who told you there was no RCI account for resales? Was that Reservations or Sales or ... ??

You CAN get this resolved, but, sadly, it could take more than one phone call.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Boardgirl,

There is no obvious way to get to BG owner services anymore. The best way to do it is to call the line you normally do and just ask for owner services.

RCI does transfer whole memberships from owner to owner. It does cost money to do it. I once bought a week that had 5 years of RCI included in it along with a banked week. I paid the $49 transfer fee (it's now $79) and I became the owner of the account.

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

yes but, was it an account originated by BG? Seems BG is totally confused about account transfer, which makes sense because it isn't Their Accounts to transfer, they're RCI accounts. Right, RCI does it all the time. I'm sure BG has done it, but, you'd have to find the person that knows about it since their 'expected outcome' would be account creation.

I thought Owner Services was still on the auto response menu? Reservations has never transferred me anywhere (might be geography, since I'm usually connected to Indy).

[Reno1979 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Reno1979]

I will keep trying. I had to let is calm down, since BG really offered up poor customer service. I just called the main number and selected the option that sounded closest to "general help".

I sent a rather upset letter, voicing my displeasure with how I was treated and the answers I was getting... This is their reply:

Thank you for contacting Bluegreen Corporation.

We apologize for any confusion regarding your RCI account. Your
Bluegreen Vacation Club Dues will continue to pay for the RCI
membership. However, the RCI membership will need to be transferred
from the previous owner's name to your name. We have attached the
necessary forms to facilitate this change.

If you have any further questions, please contact Bluegreen Owner
Relations at 800.456.CLUB (2582), option 2. Hours of operation are
Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. We look forward
to providing you with a lifetime of memorable vacation experiences.

Sincerely,

JXXXX XXXX
Owner Communications


That certainly makes it sound as if they will not creat any new accounts.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Very interesting. I have not encountered this issue before. Most of the owners I help already have Bluegreen points and RCI accounts.

If you purchase a fixed week, this is the same process you would use to transfer spacebanked weeks and the balance of an account.

I believe the MTA transfer fee is $79. If that's the case, what I would do is simply sign up for a new RCI account. That costs $89 and you don't have to have the prior owner sign anything.

I have 5 RCI accounts today. After I bought my first points package a couple of years ago, Bluegreen automatically linked to one of my RCI accounts and RCI recognized it.

It appears that that interface between Bluegreen and RCI needs some work and discussion. I'll find out more on this topic