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Re: Update on Lawsuit against RCI (by KC):

dcc8 wrote:

...Does anyone have any ideas how we can help ensure we get this behavior of RCI and other exchange companies changed?

I have followed this case (Murillo vs. RCI) VERY closely since March, 2006 when the suit was first filed. I personally despise RCI and most everything about them, but I report on the case progress now and then, here and elsewhere, as accurately and objectively as I can (while openly admitting my own personal bias against and dislike for RCI). With due respect, there are already some very competent, experienced timeshare owners (some of them very articulate attorneys, I might add), speaking up knowledgeably and eloquently at the Fedral Court proceedings in NJ, on behalf of other owners at RCI affiliated facilities (...presumably including you). These are people who are NOT the plaintiff attorneys, I must make very clear here, but who are instead voluntarily present to address the court --- at their own expense and with NO prospect of ANY form of reimbursement for their time, effort, or travel expenses. You (and all other owners at RCI affiliated facilities) could hardly be any better represented there than you are already.

That said, in truth there really is no "magic bullet" available here. The case is being appropriately processed through our legal system but frankly, RCI has a clear and distinct advantage in this matter, since (...like it or not...) the openly written RCI membership terms and conditions make it very clear that RCI CAN DO WHATEVER IT WANTS WITH DEPOSITED WEEKS. In recent years, as a conscious business decision, RCI is increasingly and very obviously doing just exactly that by choosing to rent out the best deposits themselves for profit, instead of making those deposits available to RCI members for "exchange" purposes. The undeniable fact that RCI *CAN* do this, as is clearly stated in their written terms and conditions of membership, will likely (and unfortunately) prevail over all else in the end, when all the smoke clears. With the above in mind, there is really only ONE answer regarding "changing RCI behavior". That answer is: DON'T GIVE RCI ANY OF YOUR WEEKS TO BEGIN WITH! Vote with your wallet! There are numerous other exchange company options out there. None are as big as RCI, but most are (in my opinion), much better AND less expensive than RCI. If you nonetheless voluntarily choose to give your weeks to RCI, just always remember that RCI CAN DO WHATEVER IT WANTS WITH DEPOSITED WEEKS. It has always been so and it will likely always continue to be so, any current and / or future lawsuits notwithstanding. If you want to "change" RCI behavior, then you must simply refuse to give RCI good weeks to then just rent out directly themselves. You can choose to NOT belong to RCI and you can choose NOT to deposit with RCI. THAT is the one and only choice which has any prospect of success for actually "changing RCI behavior". Otherwise, what RCI is doing right now is clearly working VERY well for them, thank you, because people just keep on blindly depositing their weeks with RCI, thereby being willing, voluntary participants in an increasingly futile "deposit --- then hope" approach, voluntarily continuing to give RCI good inventory for RCI to then just rent out directly for their own profit (...for about ten times the amount of an exchange fee). This is great for RCI, but not so great for RCI members futilely seeking good quality weeks in exchange for their deposits, against all odds.

I wish there was a better answer. As openly stated, I personally have nothing but disdain and contempt for RCI and its' self-serving practices, but the plain, simple and unvarnished fact of the matter is that RCI CAN (AND RCI DOES, AND RCI WILL CONTINUE TO) DO WHATEVER RCI PLEASES WITH WEEKS VOLUNTARILY DEPOSITED WITH RCI...