Sounds unfair, what am I missing?

[cathyb Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyb]

Mark/SFX: Over a year ago you received our Whaler/Maui oceanfront unit, July 5-12. I believe this is dark red, high season in your books. In return I asked over one year out for a February Aruba week - also dark red; but comparable trades.

When it came time to do Frequent Flier reservations this past week, we had not gotten a confirmation from you (and just found a private exchange for same timeframe), we cancelled our SFX Request.

Now for the unfairness part: When I tried to request another time/location I see we are now fenced in to something before July 5, 2008. SFX had over a year to fill my request but now I have an outward fence that prohibits my requesting places beyond 7/08. It wasn't our fault that SFX didn't come thru and I feel more leniency should be allocated to those who gave you lots of time but the original request could not be matched.

It leaves me very resistant to give my Whaler 2008 week which I cannot use to SFX for fear of the same thing happening again. Your response please.

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

Was it a 2006 week you deposited? Deposits are good for 2 years from date of the timeshare week, so that would be July 2008. I think that's pretty standard throughout the timeshare industry.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Was it a 2006 week you deposited? Deposits are good for 2 years from date of the timeshare week, so that would be July 2008. I think that's pretty standard throughout the timeshare industry.

I agree this is the standard and if you deposit it early you can search more than 2 years total. I am not sure if this is something you may want to do but, when I am looking 2 years out I try to pick a few places to go to not just one area. You might also try to deposit it Early and search 2 years out and open your searches for other areas.

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark/SFX: Over a year ago you received our Whaler/Maui oceanfront unit, July 5-12. I believe this is dark red, high season in your books. In return I asked over one year out for a February Aruba week - also dark red; but comparable trades.

When it came time to do Frequent Flier reservations this past week, we had not gotten a confirmation from you (and just found a private exchange for same timeframe), we cancelled our SFX Request.

Now for the unfairness part: When I tried to request another time/location I see we are now fenced in to something before July 5, 2008. SFX had over a year to fill my request but now I have an outward fence that prohibits my requesting places beyond 7/08. It wasn't our fault that SFX didn't come thru and I feel more leniency should be allocated to those who gave you lots of time but the original request could not be matched.

It leaves me very resistant to give my Whaler 2008 week which I cannot use to SFX for fear of the same thing happening again. Your response please.

Cathy - Thank you for your post.

.......It wasn't our fault that SFX didn't come thru and I feel more leniency should be allocated to those who gave you lots of time but the original request could not be matched........

Before I give a complete response to your post, let me ask you.... Are you implying it's an exchange companies fault if the space you were requesting was not available ?

I look forward to your reply, then I can fully respond.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I have to add that this happens with every exchange company. There is no guarantee that you will get your exchange. For the most part you will get a like exchange if you are open.

I need to add this because as of late people feel that by posting here they will get special attention if they are dissatisfied. If you have issues with your account please email or PM Mark do not post saying that you did not get it in this forum.

This forum is set up to ask question on exchanging. We ask that if you are having personal issues with your account that they be address right with the company and that you do not use this forum to discuss your dissatisfaction with the exchange company. If you wish to discuss trading issues you can use other forums.

[cathyb Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyb]

bigfrank: I think I was quite open. When I gave SFX the Request, it was to piggyback on an already confirmed St. Maarten Feb. 2008 week. I didn't request any specific Aruba resorts -- but was commited to either the week before or the week after my St. Maarten. I also gave about four other Caribbean islands as another option. I realize this is High Season, but so was the week they got.

I am a seasoned timesharer (since 1985), but I now realize the timeshare owner is in a no-win position once you 'let go' that week. Very sad.

BTW, I DID email SFX/Mark and also Mel Grant a week ago and got no responses so that is why I used this venue. I will refrain from this in the future altho looking at other earlier posts it appears others have done similar comments.

[cathyb Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyb]

Mark: I strongly feel there should be some 'bend' in the expiration of a given exchange when SFX wasn't able to come thru after a year. You get a good week, get the exchange fees and we sit and wait and then get penalized when something doesn't come thru. I guess I have learned my lesson.

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark: I strongly feel there should be some 'bend' in the expiration of a given exchange when SFX wasn't able to come thru after a year. You get a good week, get the exchange fees and we sit and wait and then get penalized when something doesn't come thru. I guess I have learned my lesson.

Cathy - I will try asking again....

Before I give a complete response to your post, let me ask you.... Are you implying it's an exchange companies fault if the space you were requesting was not available ?

I look forward to your reply, then I can fully respond.

[cathyb Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyb]

Mark: YES! SFX fell down in communication. In that whole year no one called to suggest more options or that the exchange looked impossible to match. In fact you yourself on this Board said chances of a match were good.

[cathyb Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyb]

ChemTeach: Yes July 5-12, 2006 at The Whaler in Maui.

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark: YES! SFX fell down in communication. In that whole year no one called to suggest more options or that the exchange looked impossible to match. In fact you yourself on this Board said chances of a match were good.

Cathy - here is a partial response. The rest will be forthcoming.

Again a situation where a poster has not given full or accurate information.

On 5/9/2006 you placed a request for Aruba with a severe restriction for just one specific week with no reasonable flexibility. Flexibility is a prerequisite with all exchange companies. The dates were for 2/9 to 2/16/2008.

As most people know, most timeshare space does not become more than one year in advance. There are a very small percentage of resorts do open up their space up to 2 years in advance, but that is a tiny percentage.

This means, space for Feb. 2008 basically doesn't become available until FEBRUARY 2007 ! and this means your search has only been active for about "FOUR WEEKS" and not one year as you stated. 11 months ago is when the request was placed and that has nothing to do with "search time" which is essentially a one year window. This is standard 101 timeshare stuff.

This is the reason no one has contacted you, because the search has only been in place for 4 weeks, and that usually is not enough "Reasonable" time to allow for a premium demanded week with a restriction for one specific date.

Had you shown reasonable consideration and patience, as we clearly stated there would a very good shot at this exchange. But 4 weeks of active searching is not reasonable.

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

bigfrank: I think I was quite open. When I gave SFX the Request, it was to piggyback on an already confirmed St. Maarten Feb. 2008 week. I didn't request any specific Aruba resorts -- but was commited to either the week before or the week after my St. Maarten. I also gave about four other Caribbean islands as another option. I realize this is High Season, but so was the week they got.

I am a seasoned timesharer (since 1985), but I now realize the timeshare owner is in a no-win position once you 'let go' that week. Very sad.

BTW, I DID email SFX/Mark and also Mel Grant a week ago and got no responses so that is why I used this venue. I will refrain from this in the future altho looking at other earlier posts it appears others have done similar comments.

I did double check on this; apparently you addressed to Mr. Grant (President of SFX) and not myself. Mr. Grant has been away on business for the last week and will be back next week. It appears you were looking for "special advice". Had you contacted customer service staff or communicated with me directly, you would have had a response.

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark/SFX: Over a year ago you received our Whaler/Maui oceanfront unit, July 5-12. I believe this is dark red, high season in your books. In return I asked over one year out for a February Aruba week - also dark red; but comparable trades.

When it came time to do Frequent Flier reservations this past week, we had not gotten a confirmation from you (and just found a private exchange for same timeframe), we cancelled our SFX Request.

Now for the unfairness part: When I tried to request another time/location I see we are now fenced in to something before July 5, 2008. SFX had over a year to fill my request but now I have an outward fence that prohibits my requesting places beyond 7/08. It wasn't our fault that SFX didn't come thru and I feel more leniency should be allocated to those who gave you lots of time but the original request could not be matched.

It leaves me very resistant to give my Whaler 2008 week which I cannot use to SFX for fear of the same thing happening again. Your response please.

With "all exchange companies"... every year, there are thousands of timeshare owners who get the exchange they requested, and there are thousands that do not get what they wanted...simply because the space wasn't available for a number of reasons, which may include... the resorts were completely booked, maybe the members requests were unreasonable... eg. no Flexibility on locations or dates and some other factors.

In your specific case, as explained earlier... although you placed your request about 11 months ago, it has only been an active request for about 1 month. Unfortunately you were not patient in waiting a reasonable time for results.

As with other companies we have similiar rules for example there is no guarantee of results, all space is subject to availability, and if not redeemed within 2 years after the start date of your deposit, you unforunately lose the week. You agreed to those terms.

You also agreed to the fact we only contact you when there are results. In this instance 1 month has not been enough time for results. It is also not the fault of an exchange company if the space you require is not available. Exchange companies do not create space... they manage it. We are confident you wouldn't blame a travel agent if the hotel or airline was full...right?

It seems the item that's unfair, is complaining there have been no results for a year, when in fact the request has only been active for one month, and complaining about one exchange company that has the same basic protocols as the others. Hope this helps...

[cathyb Member Find all posts View Profile Close cathyb]

May I correct some of your statements:

1. I gave SFX four islands not just Aruba. I did not limit it to one resort but any in Aruba -- this is not considered a strict restriction.
2. I sent both Mel and SFX separate emails on the same day, not just Mel. I can send you a copy of the second if you like.
3. I believe most fixed week resorts one can give their week two years in advance. Example: Carlsbad Inn, fixed week: I can give it to RCI two years out. So that is MORE than a small percentage as you stated. With that information, SFX had more than 4 wks to work on this!
4. As far a special advice from Mel Grant, yes. We have been on first name basis since SFX was brand new and he has even called me at home a few times so naturally I went to him to see if there was anything he could do.

Have a good day, Mark.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

4. As far a special advice from Mel Grant, yes. We have been on first name basis since SFX was brand new and he has even called me at home a few times so naturally I went to him to see if there was anything he could do.

Have a good day, Mark.

I don't get it. If you are friends with Mel and you have spoken to him by phone. Then why not call him direct rather than posting here? You always should give people time to respond. Keep in mind that these are travel boards and Mel is entitled to travel like the rest of us. He was away and will return in a week. IMO I think this thread should be locked and that you call Mel next week. The longer this thread goes on the more heartache everyone will have and like I have seen in the past, People regret what was posted.

Cathy if you want me to move this thread out or delete Please request it. I think it might be best to deal with Mel.
IMO I would have gone to MEL if I were friends with him.