What is the optimal way to recoup a timeshare that has been downgraded

[timbuktu Member Find all posts View Profile Close timbuktu]

I recently had to cancel a timeshare at Bay Club at Waikoloa. on the Big Island of Hawaii.

I did take the insurance that RCI offered at the time which has changed since. It allowed me to recoup the exchange fee if I was ill or died etc. Fortunately none of those circumstances applied but unfortunately I could not recoup my exchange fee.
So originally I paid RCI the exchange fee of $149.00 plus $25.00 for the insurance and I gave them my week (4th of July) to use which they did.

Now they have given me my week back but have downgraded the trading power to zilch.

I think it is a very unfair way of doing business and I have been a loyal RCI member since 1979. I know that life is not fair . My question is "How do I get any value out of the returned week ??

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I would have gotten a doctors note since you had the insurance. Would you like this thread moved to the Rci forum so bootleg can answer.

[timbuktu Member Find all posts View Profile Close timbuktu]

To Big Frank.

Thank you. Yes, would you please move it so Bootleg could answer.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

To Big Frank.

Thank you. Yes, would you please move it so Bootleg could answer.

Done

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

You might also look at DAE's Cancellation Protection Scheme, which allows you to cancel for any reason and get your week back with full trading power are your full exchange fee. It is also cheaper than what RCI offers.

DAE is a more user friendly exchange company than RCI.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

From my humble experience, now is too late to be asking how to handle the reduced trading power that comes with a late-deposited week. The way to have handled it would have been to have had another exchange in mind when you called to cancel the first one.

My experience is that they would have let you use the same week you used to get the original exchange, their motivation being the fact that they were collecting another exchange fee from you, plus getting the Bay Club back where they will likely collect yet another exchange fee, or $2500 as rental.

The way you did it, just have the original week put back into the Spacebank, did not give them any incentive to cut you some slack.

I have done exactly what I have explained here, twice.

Your only option now would be to whine to Customer Service and that is not a very strong option.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

While I hate to defend RCI in any way, I can imagine what a state of confusion there would be if they allowed cancellations without any penalty. The way I look at it, there is an agreement made and then broken and there should be a penalty and the same goes for RCI when they give you an exchange.

[travelSFO Member Find all posts View Profile Close travelSFO]

Just wanted to mention that RCI's *new* vacation protection insurance is now $49 and it includes restoring the trading power of your spacebanked week.

Gotta love RCI for thinking of new ways to get more money from its members...

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

While I hate to defend RCI in any way, I can imagine what a state of confusion there would be if they allowed cancellations without any penalty. The way I look at it, there is an agreement made and then broken and there should be a penalty and the same goes for RCI when they give you an exchange.

I agree with Tony here.

Turn the situation around. Let's say that you had arranged rental of a week that you owned. You've had the rental lined up for a year or so, and the person has paid. Then two months before check-in they cancel.

Would you refund the full amount - essentially letting them cancel without penalty??

I thik that RCI's policy in this case is exactly correct. They give you back the week that you deposited, with trade power decreased to the level it had as if you had just deposited it.

The fact that you bought Cancellation Insurance is irrelevant In the context of whether or not you think you've were treated fairly by RCI. You purchased Cancellation Protection that did not cover cancellation for convenience. You got exactly what you paid for with that policy.

And I like that RCI now offers a policy that does addrsss cancellation for convenience. That should be a logical add-on. And if any person things that RCI has priced it too high, there's a simple solution - don't buy the protection!!

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

To the original question of "how do I get value out of the returned week?" the answer is, be flexible and search Search SEARCH

Accept that you can't get the really tough trade this time out and go make the best of it. Surely something you find will be acceptable to you?

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

You can always get Orange Lake in the fall or winter, during school times.

It was the only GC that was offered to me in Orlando for my usually-great-trading week. Of course, I don't particularly like OLCC, so I took a week at our home resort instead, an early season ski week for our daughter and son-in-law. They were pleased.

You can always find something within the short term window of time, six weeks out. Just be flexible.