DRI double billing?

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

I purchased 4000 Diamond Resorts points from a friend at a very reasonable price. I wasn't really interested in another timeshare but since my friend had already paid the maintenance fees for 2009 (more than $800!) I decided to give it a try. I have had nothing but bad experiences with DRI in the 3 months I have been an owner. The worst event occurred a few days ago when I received a bill for the 2009 (again) maintenance fees. Numerous communications with their "customer service" staff about this "double billing" have resulted in their telling me that since I bought this "property" in 2009, I have to pay the MFs for 2009. I have told them I will not do that. Any advice? I have already reported this to ARDA and they have said they will look into the matter. I don't really expect them to do much.

[DRIvaDiva Banned Find all posts View Profile Close DRIvaDiva]

I purchased 4000 Diamond Resorts points from a friend at a very reasonable price. I wasn't really interested in another timeshare but since my friend had already paid the maintenance fees for 2009 (more than $800!) I decided to give it a try. I have had nothing but bad experiences with DRI in the 3 months I have been an owner. The worst event occurred a few days ago when I received a bill for the 2009 (again) maintenance fees. Numerous communications with their "customer service" staff about this "double billing" have resulted in their telling me that since I bought this "property" in 2009, I have to pay the MFs for 2009. I have told them I will not do that. Any advice? I have already reported this to ARDA and they have said they will look into the matter. I don't really expect them to do much.

WOW! Sounds criminal to me, get your friend to give you all his prior documentation. I've been reading a lot on these forums and it seems that the recommendation to clear up obvious problems is to write to Patrick Duffy (Patrick.Duffy@diamondresorts.com) Chief Experience Officer, he posts on the Yahoo Group, and Jeff Shelton (jeff.shelton@diamondresorts.com) Executive Resolutions.

Get it in writing that current years Maintenance Fess do not transfer, this will be a first for the developers although I've read that the post card companies do this all the time.

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

WOW! Sounds criminal to me, get your friend to give you all his prior documentation. I've been reading a lot on these forums and it seems that the recommendation to clear up obvious problems is to write to Patrick Duffy (Patrick.Duffy@diamondresorts.com) Chief Experience Officer, he posts on the Yahoo Group, and Jeff Shelton (jeff.shelton@diamondresorts.com) Executive Resolutions.

Get it in writing that current years Maintenance Fess do not transfer, this will be a first for the developers although I've read that the post card companies do this all the time.

I have bought "paid-up" transferred points twice and not been asked for a second lot of MFs and if I had been they would be told in no uncertain terms where to put the request !!
I agree with the suggestion that you contact senior management direct, go straight to SC himself.

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

Can Be Easily Handled

I purchased 4000 Diamond Resorts points from a friend at a very reasonable price. I wasn't really interested in another timeshare but since my friend had already paid the maintenance fees for 2009 (more than $800!) I decided to give it a try. I have had nothing but bad experiences with DRI in the 3 months I have been an owner. The worst event occurred a few days ago when I received a bill for the 2009 (again) maintenance fees. Numerous communications with their "customer service" staff about this "double billing" have resulted in their telling me that since I bought this "property" in 2009, I have to pay the MFs for 2009. I have told them I will not do that. Any advice? I have already reported this to ARDA and they have said they will look into the matter. I don't really expect them to do much.

Hi,

I understand your frustration but this should be easily resolved with documentation. Simply have your friend provide documentation that the mainitenance fees for 2009 were paid. You can email the two mentioned in the earlier response to you. I have contacted them with a couple of problems in the past and it took less than a week to have the problems rectified. I know that sometimes we wonder why these things happen, but they do. I have had few problems with this vacation club in the 8 years I have owned it. I have only had one problem since DRI took over a couple of years ago. Be patient and go through the process. It should work out. I would be very surprised if it did not.

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

Thanks

Thanks to all three of you (DRIva Diva, Bulldog, and Carlos). You suggestions were encouraging and very helpful for someone who wasn't sure where to turn. I will be following up as you suggest very soon. govblanc

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

Thanks again--DRI has cancelled the 2009 MFs!

Thanks again DRIva Diva, Bulldog, and Carlos. Based on your suggestions, esp. DRIva Diva's, I e-mailed DRI execs Patrick Duffy and Jeff Shelton yesterday afternoon. I told them that I had been advised by other DRI owners to contact them directly to resolve a MF issue, the "double billing" of 2009 fees. I also told them that other DRI owners had told me that they have bought "paid-up" transferred points more than once and have not been asked for a second payment of maintenence fees.

In less than an hour, I received a response from Jeff Shelton, telling me that my issue had been assigned to a member of his staff, and that she would be in touch very soon. By the time I got home yesterday afternoon, there was a message to call this staff member at her "direct number." When I reached her, she told me after researching my situation and discovering that the previous owner had paid the 2009 maintenance fees, she was cancelling my bill for them. How great is that! I thought Carlos was being optimistic when he suggested that this could be cleared up in a week or less. It took less than SIX HOURS! Thanks again. You can be sure I will be a regular reader and poster from now on. govblanc

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

That's great!

Thanks again DRIva Diva, Bulldog, and Carlos. Based on your suggestions, esp. DRIva Diva's, I e-mailed DRI execs Patrick Duffy and Jeff Shelton yesterday afternoon. I told them that I had been advised by other DRI owners to contact them directly to resolve a MF issue, the "double billing" of 2009 fees. I also told them that other DRI owners had told me that they have bought "paid-up" transferred points more than once and have not been asked for a second payment of maintenence fees.

In less than an hour, I received a response from Jeff Shelton, telling me that my issue had been assigned to a member of his staff, and that she would be in touch very soon. By the time I got home yesterday afternoon, there was a message to call this staff member at her "direct number." When I reached her, she told me after researching my situation and discovering that the previous owner had paid the 2009 maintenance fees, she was cancelling my bill for them. How great is that! I thought Carlos was being optimistic when he suggested that this could be cleared up in a week or less. It took less than SIX HOURS! Thanks again. You can be sure I will be a regular reader and poster from now on. govblanc

I am happy to see that everything worked out. That's a great feeling isn't it. I honestly believe that DRI wants to do the right thing. I believe that they are trying to listen, but there are many things that are perhaps in conflict for them particularly with the economy being so unstable. I will say that I have read posts and suggestions from owners and have seen them implemented. In fact, I sent a long list of suggestions to them including slowing down the maintenance fees express. They responded to me and seemed to appreciate my suggestions. I have seen them come to life with the more frequent communication to owners and improving the properties. They had already been improving the properties. However, more than anything I would love to see them follow my biggie suggestion which was to stop increasing maintenance fees a couple of years and they would see more happy owners and hear a lot less complaints.

[DRIvaDiva Banned Find all posts View Profile Close DRIvaDiva]

Thanks to all three of you (DRIva Diva, Bulldog, and Carlos). You suggestions were encouraging and very helpful for someone who wasn't sure where to turn. I will be following up as you suggest very soon. govblanc

Cool, you're welcome, have fun with your new found riches.