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Re: Exchange companies. (by Mary D.):

Hi. I own timeshares that are associated with II, but are in the Fairfield system. Because the first Fairfield property I bought had RCI as the exchange, II won't let me join even if after I said I would pay the membership fee. They and Fairfield seem to work together to control only one exchange for Fairfield properties. Not worth hiring a lawyer, but I believe that violates the laws against monopolistic practices. I even contacted II corporate offices and got nowhere. They first said their software couln't handle such a case, then later said they just would not do it. I guess I am going to have to buy a small property with II as the exchange company or break off one of my small Fairfield contracts into a separate ownership to get into II. That would be cheaper than a legal battle. Stan.

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As you said above, your first Fairfield contract determines your exchange company for all future Fairfield contracts, so "breaking off" a small FF contract into II will get you nowhere. If you must have II as an option, you will need to have an II related purchase outside the FF/Wyndham group.

Have you dealt with the RCI Nightly Stay program? (Look in the FF/W Directory.) It pretty much gives you all the options open to RCI POINTS owners without the down side of automatic deposits. Exchange fees are much lower than RCI WEEKS exchanges. MD --------------- Hi. I disagree. If I sell one of my small contracts to a trust or corporation that I set up, then I can let the trust or corporation join II and then I can transfer points from my larger account into my smaller account and exchange in II. It is still cheaper than a legal battle with Fairfield and/or II. Stan.

---- If you "sell" one of your RCI connected FF/W contracts to a trust, why wouldn't it still be RCI connected? Nothing has really changed.

You could buy a contract with Bluegreen or another points system company that has a program similar to PIC but is II connected.. (I think Bluegreen calls it AIM). Then you could "reverse-PIC" points from FF/W into the II connected company to deposit with II. Frankly, is it worth the cost and trouble?

Of course Bluegreen's network of resorts is a plus in itself. We own with them as well and FF/W. (No internal exchange fee; no guest confirmation fee). Our original purchase with them was Falls Village in Branson which connects with both RCI and II. I don't know whether all their resorts have double affiliation or not. If you tried to do this through the resale market, it would certainly pay to check on this before buying.

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