Fairfield Reservation Rules Change on July 15

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

Note:
Fairfield’s Reservation Rules Change on July 15 and will eliminate most Guest Discounts.

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

I've got a real problem with their proposed change (they claim it's really just an enforcement of an existing rule).

While I don't have a problem with non-VIP's being excluded from receiving VIP benefits (USA Today, early checkin, etc.), I don't believe the discounted reservations are a benefit of the guest. It is I, the VIP member, that benefits from a discounted reservation. I'm the one paying maintenance fees and receiving more value for my ownership. I'm the one that now has more points left to make more reservations, not my guest.

Furthermore, how many of us were sold on the concept of sharing vacations with our friends and families? I think it's just plain wrong that I can't give a discounted/upgraded stay to my children. The Fairfield response to that issue is to place the child's name on the deeds (at $100 per child if not done within 30 days of purchase!). Another option is to place all your interests in a trust - a desireable but also expensive option. I'm also quite skeptical of Fairfield's ability to manage such qualifications with their antiquated computer systems.

Sure, I understand thier stated motivation for this change (the mega renters gobbling up inventory). I don't fully believe that's the only reason . This knee-jerk solution to a problem of thier making really bugs me. A reasonable situation to address, but an extremely poorly thought out implementation.

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

Yeah,

The Fairfield VIP program is now useless. There is no way to recoup your lost investment when buying from the developer. The maintenance fees are too high for the product you get and now, they took away the one and only way to earn back some of that lost investment.

[SOS8260456 Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close SOS8260456]

Jim,
I couldn't agree more. It is also my understanding that the sales departments are still using the same sales spiels even though most of them know that the rules are changing...oops, I mean the enforcement of existing rules.

Lisa

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

It looks like several big developers are taking value away from their product. Besides Cendant, (RCI and now Fairfield) I have read about the Westin too with their survey of a 25% devaluation of starpoints and lately about the Marriott too with the change in their rental policy. It never seems to stop and most timesharers are not even aware of it.

They all make the system look attractive just long enough to get us hooked and then they pull the rug from under us.

How will they be able to keep competing with the re-sale market if they do no longer give the extra perks? Of course, the re-sale market needs the public buying from the developers otherwise it will dry up too.

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

Yeah,

The Fairfield VIP program is now useless. There is no way to recoup your lost investment when buying from the developer. The maintenance fees are too high for the product you get and now, they took away the one and only way to earn back some of that lost investment.

Even when VIP was available by using inexpensive resale points I couldn't justify the extra purchase and annual expense to reach that level of FF ownership. Now with the dual negatives of ever increasing "levels" of VIP and the erosion of the benefits I'm more convinced than ever it just isn't worth the effort or the cost to be VIP.

[jlfernandez5 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlfernandez5]

The way Fairfield looks at is that yea sure we upset some of the owners that know how it used to be, but for the new owner coming in or not on the boards they look at it as a great idea and a nice added feature(meaning the VIP Perks).
Kind of like buying a new car thinking you got the best deal then finding out your neighbor bought last month and paid thousands less.
Most people don't know what goes on let alone how to use their timeshares to the max but look at it as an easy way to getaway everyyear.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

The change may be pushed back

a Yahoo member reported yesterday that VIP discount rules changes maybe delayed or no longer apply. VIP can still get discount for the guest.

So these are the changes for this year that still apply

1. No ARP deposit to FF pre-paid external exchange company (RCI or II)
2. on-line visible deposit will be requested go through VC (who probably does not have trained properly), and if there is none available, an invisible deposit will be given. I guess instead of calling to request a deposit, it should be a calling to check if there is a week avail. first before asking deposit. (Bad for gold less member)
3. VIP upgrade is restrict to one upgrade on the same trip and limit to the lowest avail unit
4. fixed the bug that cancel limit points go back to cancel point
5. if mutilple units been reserved on the same trip, GC will be required for other units (bad for non-VIP)
6. Limit on number of rooms that can be reserved at one time
7. allow borrowing HK from next use year (good for non-VIP).

5&6 I only see one post, so don't know if it is true.

Jya-Ning

Don't know if this postpond is true or is because a lot of VIP complain or the sale depart push back

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

I heard the same thing that Jya-Ning reported on from a different source.
That the worst of the changes will not take place, that of not allowing points reduction VIP discounts to be used for guest. Many of us contacted Fairfield when we heard of this and I am sure that none were complementing them on the change. Don't know if this means they listen sometimes or if they were just floating a balloon out and saw the reaction or what but hope that it is is true.

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

Contact by Fairfield

A member of the Yahoo Fairfield group was contacted by a FF corporate member about the VIP benefits today. I have requested permission from him to quote his post. When and if I get it, I will post it here.

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

While this will impact a few VIPs who use for there own use it appears this would affect people who consistantly rent accom. reserved with there FF points. It would increase cost to high volume renters and wouldn't this be a ben. to the average Joe?

Short

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

That the worst of the changes will not take place, that of not allowing points reduction VIP discounts to be used for guest.

I believe that is for VIP that uses the points for guest. Personally, I think the worse part is the changes evolve around external exchanges although I never use ARP deposit to RCI.

Jya-Ning

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

While this will impact a few VIPs who use for there own use it appears this would affect people who consistantly rent accom. reserved with there FF points. It would increase cost to high volume renters and wouldn't this be a ben. to the average Joe?

Short

Not VIP, but I have the following thoughts
1. If by letting some VC leak the change info to selective owners can be call good commuication, I have very bad feeling toward it.
2. If by making the change without throughly get the reason and fact together, and figure the change is the best way, I have very bad feeling toward it. And I really think they overkill, although I don't know what they want to fix exactly.
3. If by deciding to make this change while your sale force still try to sell this part to the future owners as selling points, I think it increase unnecessary risk to them, and will damage all the owners more.

Now, come back to this benefit, not a VIP, so if I say something wrong, I know there are a few VIP in this board, please correct me. I believe the discount happens when there is an inventory in the system at 60 days, and you can get it, then the discount applies.

The only potential misuse I can think is someone reserve a lot of rooms long before that period, then cancel them at sometimes in 60 days and immediately reserve them back. And to fix that, IMHO does not need that change. One way I can think is they just say if you cancel a room, you can not get the same size at the same period for x number of days unless it is for unit upgrade and the room that you upgrade to can not be cancelled by you. Otherwise, IMHO, if someone has to wait till 60 days to get discount to rent them, the potential rent income probably can not cover MF if it is reserved by the full point (or they ask too many points on that period). It do need work to get and rent an unit in that time slot. If regular small Joe like me does not want to take that before 60 days, don't quite sure about the benefit parts.

Of course, since I don't have all the info, and does not know anyone inside, there may have some other ways to misuse this benefit. If you happen to know it let me know, I will be really interested to know what they try to fix.

Consider FF can get any available inventory at 60 days without using any of the points when they see fit, it does not look favorable among a lot of owners can be expected.

Jya-Ning

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

The only potential misuse I can think is someone reserve a lot of rooms long before that period, then cancel them at sometimes in 60 days and immediately reserve them back.

Risky practice, to say the least, although I have been guilty of reserving extra units in advance in hopes of doing just that. If I get lucky, great! If the unit is gone the next day then someone else got lucky.

And to fix that, IMHO does not need that change. One way I can think is they just say if you cancel a room, you can not get the same size at the same period for x number of days unless it is for unit upgrade and the room that you upgrade to can not be cancelled by you.

Sounds like a reasonable thing to do but I have ZERO faith in the ability of the Fairfield computer system to handle and IT department to implement such a change.

Consider FF can get any available inventory at 60 days without using any of the points when they see fit, it does not look favorable among a lot of owners can be expected.

That's the part that bothers me too. I think much of this is about the competition they are getting from these mega-renters.