Again . . . DRI shows distain for their members

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

I went into DRI to look for a specific time and resort. I found what I wanted and clicked to reserve it.

I was unable to reserve because they state that I still owe $35.00 in MF's.
I have spent 1 hour and 9 minutes being "accidentally" disconnected twice and, since the website became inoperable AGAIN, had to restate all my personal information on three separate occasions.

Finally, they found out that my "delinquency" was my decision to not contribute to ARTA. They said that they would remove this from my account
in the next few months. If I wanted to book something, I would have to pay the $35.00.

As usual, I asked for a supervisor - waited on hold another 12 minutes to find out that the supervisor, who was too busy to come to the phone, would make sure this $35.00 would be removed within 3 weeks.

Now, I will call Jeff Shelton again at 702.804.9501. Thanks again, DRI - you have made my day AGAIN.

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

I had problems with ARDA contribution as well. Once someone on the phone promised me the $5.00 overdue fee would be credited to my account. It never was. The next year, it was simply added into the amount due, along with another $5.00 fee for the new year. I deducted the amount and sent the check. My account continued to show a $10.00 overdue amount. I have e-mails from DRI assuring me that I was not obligated to pay the $5.00 ARDA contribution and they would credit my account. I had to pay the "past due" fees to make my reservation. I didn't realize other people were having this problem. I think the attorney general needs to be contacted - this sounds like fraud to me. No one can insist on payment for a "VOLUNTARY" contribution. Perhaps the IRS needs to investigate ARDA - I'm sure this would affect any tax-empt status they might have.

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

i have been a polo towers owner for over 13 yrs and a marriott owner for about two yrs. the ONLY time the voluntary ARDA was paid was when i purchased a resale unit and when the escrow company sent in some monies, a portion did pay for ARDA. When i noticed this a few months later, they actually did credit my acct and now 6 months later as i paid my 2009 MF's, i see the credit applied to my MF's. All other years when I called Polo Towers to pay my MF, I always declined to pay the ARDA fee and it was never received any grief for it.
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[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

i have been a polo towers owner for over 13 yrs and a marriott owner for about two yrs. the ONLY time the voluntary ARDA was paid was when i purchased a resale unit and when the escrow company sent in some monies, a portion did pay for ARDA. When i noticed this a few months later, they actually did credit my acct and now 6 months later as i paid my 2009 MF's, i see the credit applied to my MF's. All other years when I called Polo Towers to pay my MF, I always declined to pay the ARDA fee and it was never received any grief for it.
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But DRI is now a different animal and the system seems to complex for them to manage removing a simple voluntary contribution fee. Their system shows an amount due including the "voluntary" ARDA fee and that's all the sytem recognizes.

I have not paid the ARDA fee in years as a PT's owner. This year I was not given a choice so, ARDA recieved a "voluntary" contribution from me that was anything buy voluntary. I'm to tired of fighting with DRI over larger things than to deal with this smaller contribution to a group that's in the back pocket of developers.

I find it amusing the DRI, a leader in the industry, can't handle the removal of a simple $5 voluntary fee. Marriott, Hilton and South Wind Management (Spinniker) don't have an issue with this. I've never been denied the use of my week or the ability to exchange my week based upon my refusal to contribute to ARDA. I've always been clearly offered those voluntary contributions as a voluntary portion of my MF's that was easily (simply maybe should be the word?) removed.

So, is everyone here simply relaxing with DRI or are we more or less simply frustrated with DRI?

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

i think the latter, Doug. These little flea-like issues, though nagging are not the end of the world. i think ppl either don't care, aren't aware it's voluntary, or are tired of them and want to move on with life.
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[opkansas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close opkansas]

i think the latter, Doug. These little flea-like issues, though nagging are not the end of the world. i think ppl either don't care, aren't aware it's voluntary, or are tired of them and want to move on with life.
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. . . and none of the congressmen /women or bank presidents or corporate robbers have been indicted and, with this attitude, never will be. I think the first responder was correct - it is time the IRS and attorney general be notified and pressed. The who gives a s _ _ _ attitude in this country is resulting in the death of the US.

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

I sent an e-mail to the ARDA this afternoon to complain about DRI's strong-handed tactic to collect "voluntary contributions." It will be interesting to see if I hear from them.

Perhaps everyone who reads this and has problems with DRI's abuse should complain to ARDA as well. And if anyone says - it's only $5.00, I aks them to send me a check for that amount every year. After all - it's "only $5.00" they have to part with. I'll use that to cover next year's ARDA contribution.

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

I sent an e-mail to the ARDA this afternoon to complain about DRI's strong-handed tactic to collect "voluntary contributions." It will be interesting to see if I hear from them.

Perhaps everyone who reads this and has problems with DRI's abuse should complain to ARDA as well. And if anyone says - it's only $5.00, I aks them to send me a check for that amount every year. After all - it's "only $5.00" they have to part with. I'll use that to cover next year's ARDA contribution.

GREAT IDEA!
Link to ARDA: ARDA | Contact Us

Email your complaints to:
hnusbaum, smadson, lburney, rcraft, sdepoy, lgamel - - - - - - @ARDA.org

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

I sent an e-mail to the ARDA this afternoon to complain about DRI's strong-handed tactic to collect "voluntary contributions." It will be interesting to see if I hear from them.
Perhaps everyone who reads this and has problems with DRI's abuse should complain to ARDA as well. And if anyone says - it's only $5.00, I aks them to send me a check for that amount every year. After all - it's "only $5.00" they have to part with. I'll use that to cover next year's ARDA contribution.

If you hear from them, please post. Likewise, I will post.

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

If you hear from them, please post. Likewise, I will post.

As of Monday, no answer from ARDA. Somehow, I doubt they will respond. It's not really their problem. However, if we can get enough people to complain to them, maybe they will realize it is a big issue.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

As of Monday, no answer from ARDA. Somehow, I doubt they will respond. It's not really their problem. However, if we can get enough people to complain to them, maybe they will realize it is a big issue.

I think we probably will need to get enough people to complain either to DRI or the appropriate agency that would police such matters. My problem is, with all the issues I've had this past year or two with DRI, $10 to ARDA is the least of my worries. On the hot plate will be if DRI screws something else up when I attempt to book a flexchange exchange in another couple of month for our Spring Branson trip, either internally or through I.I.

I believe the easiest way will be so begin a thread on the DRI forums, which I will do tonight if no one else posts that it's been done. While DRI has made enough mistakes to fill a bushel basket since buying Sunterra, to their credit they have generally responded in a positive way to posts either questioning or complaining about something that has happened when posted on their forums. As much as I've complained this past year, I believe all but one or two of my posts on their forum have been addressed one way or another.

My issues with DRI is not necessarily how they handle their complaints, they generally do a decent job, but that there have to be so many complaints in order for them to do the job that should have been done without a complaint.

[itchn2go Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close itchn2go]

forgive me but what is ARDA?

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

forgive me but what is ARDA?

It's a lobby group that is suppose to protect the rights and interest of timeshare owners on capital hill. Unfortunately, it doesn't protect the owners unless the owners interests just happen to coincide with that of the developers. I suspect because the contributions they receive appears to come from developers. ARDA either does not realize or does not recognize that a large chunk of those contributions given them by developers are actually donated by the actual owners at $3 to $10 per week when MF's are paid.

I quit contributing when I realized the ARDA is more interested in the developers intersts than they were interested in mine. It is suppose to be voluntary and not a mandatory part of your maintenance fee's. Unfortunately, DRI's system for collecting MF's appears to have left out that voluntary part. Online I did not see an option to opt in or opt out of the ARDA contribution. I only saw a total bill, which included that ARDA contribution. It appears that those who either paid by phone or paid by mail and elected not to contribute are showing MF's as past due in that ARDA voluntary contribution amount and that DRI has not quick or easy method to correcting this problem. Thus, owner/members who's accounts show a past due amount, even if it's just $5, are being denied the ability to reserve or exchange their week.

[Schooner Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schooner]

ARDA is a Developers Association ... see ARDA | Home

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

ARDA is a Developers Association ... see ARDA | Home

Yea, but the developers salesmen, when they talk about it, tell you what a GREAT job ARDA does of protecting your rights. OK, so the salesmens lips are moving when they say that.