Exchange companies.

joanp60 wrote:

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

Just because your resort is affiliated with RCI only, does not mean you cannot deposit your week with Redweek. As owner of your week, you can deposit it with Redweek or any of the independent exchange companies, however if your resort is not affiliated with II (not in their system), then you cannpt deposit with them.

adahiscout wrote:

joanp60 wrote:

Marty, I bought a timeshare that is a specific week. When I called Powhatan Plantation, my home resort, to see if I could deposit my week with II instead of with RCI they told me that I can only deposit my week for exchange with RCI because that is who they are affliated with. The person at Powhatan told me that if I had bought a Points timeshare at Powhatan then I could do exchanges with II.

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

========= Yes, this is the same problem I ran into when I queried Fairfield/Wyndham. RedWeek may be willing to accept deposits from our resorts, but we are hearing that the resorts are not willing to make the deposits to organizations with which they have no affiliation. This may be a matter of simplicity or a way to protect owners from the "Fly by nights". (The person with whom I spoke had never heard of RedWeek and quickly cautioned me against companies who call offering to rent or sell my weeks.)

MD

Hi, I had similar problems when I discussed Redweek exchanges with Fairfield. They won't give a direct answer, they said we only deal with RCI and II, but did not say that I cannot place my Fairfield Points week with Redweek. I suspect that if you exchange through Redweek that you will need a guest certificate for the exchange visitor to the condo. If you are not a Fairfield VIP or above it will cost an additional $49.00 after January 1, 2008 and $25.00 prior to Jan. 1, 2008 to effect the exchange. I believe Redweek should have one of their lawyers talk to Fairfield or other developers who are less than helpful to their members about this matter to clear the air. Stan.

adahiscout wrote:

joanp60 wrote:

Marty, I bought a timeshare that is a specific week. When I called Powhatan Plantation, my home resort, to see if I could deposit my week with II instead of with RCI they told me that I can only deposit my week for exchange with RCI because that is who they are affliated with. The person at Powhatan told me that if I had bought a Points timeshare at Powhatan then I could do exchanges with II.

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

========= Yes, this is the same problem I ran into when I queried Fairfield/Wyndham. RedWeek may be willing to accept deposits from our resorts, but we are hearing that the resorts are not willing to make the deposits to organizations with which they have no affiliation. This may be a matter of simplicity or a way to protect owners from the "Fly by nights". (The person with whom I spoke had never heard of RedWeek and quickly cautioned me against companies who call offering to rent or sell my weeks.)

MD

barbara1246 wrote:

adahiscout wrote:

joanp60 wrote:

Marty, I bought a timeshare that is a specific week. When I called Powhatan Plantation, my home resort, to see if I could deposit my week with II instead of with RCI they told me that I can only deposit my week for exchange with RCI because that is who they are affliated with. The person at Powhatan told me that if I had bought a Points timeshare at Powhatan then I could do exchanges with II.

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

========= Yes, this is the same problem I ran into when I queried Fairfield/Wyndham. RedWeek may be willing to accept deposits from our resorts, but we are hearing that the resorts are not willing to make the deposits to organizations with which they have no affiliation. This may be a matter of simplicity or a way to protect owners from the "Fly by nights". (The person with whom I spoke had never heard of RedWeek and quickly cautioned me against companies who call offering to rent or sell my weeks.)

MD

Not sure why you can only do an exchange with II if you had points. We have a fixed week and use II. II doesnt use points to my knowledge. Maybe the person you talked to gave you incorrect info. Call II to verify.

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.

barbara1246 wrote:

adahiscout wrote:

joanp60 wrote:

Marty, I bought a timeshare that is a specific week. When I called Powhatan Plantation, my home resort, to see if I could deposit my week with II instead of with RCI they told me that I can only deposit my week for exchange with RCI because that is who they are affliated with. The person at Powhatan told me that if I had bought a Points timeshare at Powhatan then I could do exchanges with II.

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

========= Yes, this is the same problem I ran into when I queried Fairfield/Wyndham. RedWeek may be willing to accept deposits from our resorts, but we are hearing that the resorts are not willing to make the deposits to organizations with which they have no affiliation. This may be a matter of simplicity or a way to protect owners from the "Fly by nights". (The person with whom I spoke had never heard of RedWeek and quickly cautioned me against companies who call offering to rent or sell my weeks.)

MD

Not sure why you can only do an exchange with II if you had points. We have a fixed week and use II. II doesnt use points to my knowledge. Maybe the person you talked to gave you incorrect info. Call II to verify.

=== This really has nothing to do with points, unless Barbara was speaking of buying into RCI Points. Perhaps her resort has recently become part of that network. However, nearly all resorts have connections to one or more exchange companies. When you buy from the developer they tell you about how these can be used for exchanges and often throw in the initial membership fees free. (No idea how this works for owners of resale timeshares) If your contract identifies exchange company X as their affiliated exchange company, it seems that your timeshare company can refuse to deposit your time for you in any other company.

One resort we have was RCI affiliated when we bought, but is now II. They still deposit exchange weeks for us in RCI since that was our original contract. However, we are also members of II through another resort. I contacted II and asked whether we could now deposit the former RCI resort with them since the resort was now in the II book. For a reasonable fee, this was arranged. Now we can use either RCI or II when exchanging that resort. (I have not yet checked with them to learn whether they would be willing to deposit with RedWeek, but I'm dubious, since Fairfield/Wyndham will not.)

MD

stanleyf5 wrote:

barbara1246 wrote:

adahiscout wrote:

joanp60 wrote:

Marty, I bought a timeshare that is a specific week. When I called Powhatan Plantation, my home resort, to see if I could deposit my week with II instead of with RCI they told me that I can only deposit my week for exchange with RCI because that is who they are affliated with. The person at Powhatan told me that if I had bought a Points timeshare at Powhatan then I could do exchanges with II.

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

========= Yes, this is the same problem I ran into when I queried Fairfield/Wyndham. RedWeek may be willing to accept deposits from our resorts, but we are hearing that the resorts are not willing to make the deposits to organizations with which they have no affiliation. This may be a matter of simplicity or a way to protect owners from the "Fly by nights". (The person with whom I spoke had never heard of RedWeek and quickly cautioned me against companies who call offering to rent or sell my weeks.)

MD

Not sure why you can only do an exchange with II if you had points. We have a fixed week and use II. II doesnt use points to my knowledge. Maybe the person you talked to gave you incorrect info. Call II to verify.

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.

==

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

jayjay wrote:

joanp60 wrote:

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

Just because your resort is affiliated with RCI only, does not mean you cannot deposit your week with Redweek. As owner of your week, you can deposit it with Redweek or any of the independent exchange companies, however if your resort is not affiliated with II (not in their system), then you cannpt deposit with them.

=== JayJay, Why would someone with RCI be unable to deposit with II but able to deposit with some other exchange company with which their resort has no connection?

There are really two considerations here: 1. Your resort must be willing to deposit in a particular exchange company. 2. A particular exchange company must be willing to accept the deposit.

I suppose there are costs to the resort/resort group involved in being connected to an exchange company. They probably are not listed in the directories with all the pretty pictures for free. Large resort groups often have dedicated phone lines to their regular exchange company, computer interaction etc. It may not be as simple as it looks from our side of the fence. MD

adahiscout wrote:

Some of us reply at the end of the entry we are answering; some do it at the top like an e-mail. Since many don't sign their entry, this gets very confusing. How are we INTENDED to do this, Marty? I gather you are the RedWeek representative.

MD

Hi,

There's no set way to reply to forum postings. I have naturally written my reply under the original post. Not sure why I do this but that feels the most natural to me. If we set a certain way of doing this I'm afraid it won't be followed so in my opinion whatever works best for all of you.

Thanks, Marty

adahiscout wrote:

stanleyf5 wrote:

barbara1246 wrote:

adahiscout wrote:

joanp60 wrote:

Marty, I bought a timeshare that is a specific week. When I called Powhatan Plantation, my home resort, to see if I could deposit my week with II instead of with RCI they told me that I can only deposit my week for exchange with RCI because that is who they are affliated with. The person at Powhatan told me that if I had bought a Points timeshare at Powhatan then I could do exchanges with II.

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

========= Yes, this is the same problem I ran into when I queried Fairfield/Wyndham. RedWeek may be willing to accept deposits from our resorts, but we are hearing that the resorts are not willing to make the deposits to organizations with which they have no affiliation. This may be a matter of simplicity or a way to protect owners from the "Fly by nights". (The person with whom I spoke had never heard of RedWeek and quickly cautioned me against companies who call offering to rent or sell my weeks.)

MD

Not sure why you can only do an exchange with II if you had points. We have a fixed week and use II. II doesnt use points to my knowledge. Maybe the person you talked to gave you incorrect info. Call II to verify.

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.

==

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.

marty8084 wrote:

adahiscout wrote:

Some of us reply at the end of the entry we are answering; some do it at the top like an e-mail. Since many don't sign their entry, this gets very confusing. How are we INTENDED to do this, Marty? I gather you are the RedWeek representative.

MD

Hi,

There's no set way to reply to forum postings. I have naturally written my reply under the original post. Not sure why I do this but that feels the most natural to me. If we set a certain way of doing this I'm afraid it won't be followed so in my opinion whatever works best for all of you.

Thanks, Marty

barbara1246 wrote:

marty8084 wrote:

adahiscout wrote:

Some of us reply at the end of the entry we are answering; some do it at the top like an e-mail. Since many don't sign their entry, this gets very confusing. How are we INTENDED to do this, Marty? I gather you are the RedWeek representative.

MD

Hi,

There's no set way to reply to forum postings. I have naturally written my reply under the original post. Not sure why I do this but that feels the most natural to me. If we set a certain way of doing this I'm afraid it won't be followed so in my opinion whatever works best for all of you.

Thanks, Marty

My resort does not use points. I was replying to the person you made the comment to-- To state that II does not use points so I didnt think that was the issue. People should go to the source--in this case II to ask why a resort cant be deposited with them.

===== I agree 100% about going to the source to settle questions of fact and that includes what an organization will or will not do.

However, This is a prefect example of the confustion mentioned to Marty above. Some folks in the discussion that involved Barbara and myself posted at the top and some at the bottom of the previous posts. Many did not sign their post in any way. Therefore, it was hard to figure out who was answering who about what!

It may be impossible to get the word out to everyone about a consistent posting style, but I'd vote for posting at the bottom of the message being replied to just as Marty does. It would also really help if we signed our posts in some fashion in addition to the site's automated attempt to identify posts. I've been using my initials, but will switch to adahiscout for consistency.

adahiscout

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.

==

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.

adahiscout

I'm not sure whether this is really a new feature or I just noticed it, but on the RCI home page, without even logging in, I just found a link to a whole long list of resorts with good availability for fall exchanges. (These are not ALL the possibilities but others are more limited.)

It is called RCI Exchange Finder (lower right side of page). Just click on any that interest you and go to the more detailed site for that resort. I love being able to see them all in one spot! Too bad I don't want to exchange right now! RCI is also trying to start discussion groups under each individual resort (not just reviews) but so far these don't seem to have caught on.

adahiscout

Hi joanp60,

I have clarified that we CAN take deposits for Powhatan Plantation. Your resort may have only one "official" exchange affiliation with RCI, and not II. But, that exchange affiliation does not prevent you from using an independent exchange company. We have had no problems in the past taking a deposit from Powhatan Plantation, regardless of what they might tell you.

I hope this helps.

Kylie

joanp60 wrote:

Marty, I bought a timeshare that is a specific week. When I called Powhatan Plantation, my home resort, to see if I could deposit my week with II instead of with RCI they told me that I can only deposit my week for exchange with RCI because that is who they are affliated with. The person at Powhatan told me that if I had bought a Points timeshare at Powhatan then I could do exchanges with II.

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

adahiscout wrote:

joanp60 wrote:

Marty, I bought a timeshare that is a specific week. When I called Powhatan Plantation, my home resort, to see if I could deposit my week with II instead of with RCI they told me that I can only deposit my week for exchange with RCI because that is who they are affliated with. The person at Powhatan told me that if I had bought a Points timeshare at Powhatan then I could do exchanges with II.

So if I can't even use II instead of RCI, I don't see how I could ever use Redweek to deposit my week with.

========= Yes, this is the same problem I ran into when I queried Fairfield/Wyndham. RedWeek may be willing to accept deposits from our resorts, but we are hearing that the resorts are not willing to make the deposits to organizations with which they have no affiliation. This may be a matter of simplicity or a way to protect owners from the "Fly by nights". (The person with whom I spoke had never heard of RedWeek and quickly cautioned me against companies who call offering to rent or sell my weeks.)

MD

Dear JoanP60 and adahiscout:

Perhaps I fail to understand the problem here. But I don't see how any resort in which you own the right to book a week (note - not book points - I know nothing about how points resorts work), and have actually booked a specific week can fail to let you deposit wherever you like.

Because - 1. It's your week because you own the right to a week at that resort 2. It's your week because you reserved it 3. You can do what you like with it once you have a reservation for a specific week- occupy it yourself 4. Give it to the resort to try to rent 5. Rent it yourself (perhaps with some caveats) 6. Give it to someone else to use for free (maybe with having to buy or just request a guest certificate) 7. Deposit it for exchange with the exchange company your resort is affiliated with (assuming you belong to one) 8. OR - deposit your reserved week with Redweek for exchange ( but NOT if you've already deposited it for exchange with your own exchange company. And probably not if you got the week as an exchange in the first place, although I don't know definitely about that either ).

Maybe I just don't understand the issue. But it seems pretty simple to me. I own the right to reserve a week at my home resort. I reserve the week at my home resort. Therefore that week is mine to do with as I like. I am the owner.

I wonder if people are either confusing weeks they exchange for, with weeks they own at their home resort? Or are people just making a more complicated issue out of exchanging than it actually is?

Kathi

kathi32 wrote:

Maybe I just don't understand the issue. But it seems pretty simple to me. I own the right to reserve a week at my home resort. I reserve the week at my home resort. Therefore that week is mine to do with as I like. I am the owner.Kathi

Exactly, you explained it very well. If you OWN a week at a resort you can do with it what you wish (rent it, give it away, swap it with someone else or deposit it with Redweek or any of the independent exchange companies no matter which of the big two (RCI or II or both) exchange companies the resort is affiliated with.

kathi32 wrote: Perhaps I fail to understand the problem here. But I don't see how any resort in which you own the right to book a week (note - not book points - I know nothing about how points resorts work), and have actually booked a specific week can fail to let you deposit wherever you like.

Because - 1. It's your week because you own the right to a week at that resort 2. It's your week because you reserved it 3. You can do what you like with it once you have a reservation for a specific week- occupy it yourself 4. Give it to the resort to try to rent 5. Rent it yourself (perhaps with some caveats) 6. Give it to someone else to use for free (maybe with having to buy or just request a guest certificate) 7. Deposit it for exchange with the exchange company your resort is affiliated with (assuming you belong to one) 8. OR - deposit your reserved week with Redweek for exchange ( but NOT if you've already deposited it for exchange with your own exchange company. And probably not if you got the week as an exchange in the first place, although I don't know definitely about that either ).

Maybe I just don't understand the issue. But it seems pretty simple to me. I own the right to reserve a week at my home resort. I reserve the week at my home resort. Therefore that week is mine to do with as I like. I am the owner.

I wonder if people are either confusing weeks they exchange for, with weeks they own at their home resort? Or are people just making a more complicated issue out of exchanging than it actually is? --------------------------------------

Kathi-

I'm clear on the week I own and that I can do exhanges. What I didn't realize until recently was that my home resort limits me to depositing my week for exchange only with RCI.

I own week 24 at Powhatan Plantation. I can either go to Powhatan every year on week 24, I can rent out my week 24 if it has not been deposited for exchange, or I can deposit my week with an exchange company and then try to exchange it for another week. So far, we have never gone to Powhatan on week 24 but have instead deposited our week with RCI and exchanged it instead.

I have memberships with two companies; Powhatan Plantation and RCI. I have to pay maintenance fees to Powhatan and membership fees to RCI. If my maintenance fee is not paid with Powhatan I can't deposit my week with RCI. According to Powhatan, as a "weeks" member, they only authorize me to deposit my week with RCI to do exchanges. (They said if I was a points member I could do II).

Since I always deposit my week for exchange, instead of not depositing my week and going on week 24, I was interested in if I could deposit my week with any other exchange company besides RCI. I was told by Powhatan Plantation that I must use RCI and not II. I didn't ask about depositing to Redweek.

Kylie is saying that he/she? thinks I can deposit my week with Redweek instead of RCI. I haven't checked that out yet.

Joan

Please read what redweek's staff member Kylie had to say about Powhatan Plantation above in her post:

Hi joanp60,

I have clarified that we CAN take deposits for Powhatan Plantation. Your resort may have only one "official" exchange affiliation with RCI, and not II. But, that exchange affiliation does not prevent you from using an independent exchange company. We have had no problems in the past taking a deposit from Powhatan Plantation, regardless of what they might tell you.

I hope this helps.

Kylie

jayjay wrote:

Please read what redweek's staff member Kylie had to say about Powhatan Plantation above in her post:

Hi joanp60,

I have clarified that we CAN take deposits for Powhatan Plantation. Your resort may have only one "official" exchange affiliation with RCI, and not II. But, that exchange affiliation does not prevent you from using an independent exchange company. We have had no problems in the past taking a deposit from Powhatan Plantation, regardless of what they might tell you.

I hope this helps.

Kylie

==========

Kylie,

We understand that RedWeek has no objection to taking a deposit but how do we get our resorts to make the deposit if they say they can't or won't?

Do you handle it like a travel agent who might rent out a week I own or have reserved and then have me request a guest confirmation for the renter? I suppose that would work (if I'm in town), but it is not quite what we usually mean when we speak of a "deposit with an exchange company." (Also know as "banking a week".)

Please share your solution to this problem. adahiscout

adahiscout wrote:

jayjay wrote:

Please read what redweek's staff member Kylie had to say about Powhatan Plantation above in her post:

Hi joanp60,

I have clarified that we CAN take deposits for Powhatan Plantation. Your resort may have only one "official" exchange affiliation with RCI, and not II. But, that exchange affiliation does not prevent you from using an independent exchange company. We have had no problems in the past taking a deposit from Powhatan Plantation, regardless of what they might tell you.

I hope this helps.

Kylie

==========

Kylie,

We understand that RedWeek has no objection to taking a deposit but how do we get our resorts to make the deposit if they say they can't or won't?

Do you handle it like a travel agent who might rent out a week I own or have reserved and then have me request a guest confirmation for the renter? I suppose that would work (if I'm in town), but it is not quite what we usually mean when we speak of a "deposit with an exchange company." (Also know as "banking a week".)

Please share your solution to this problem. adahiscout

Hi, sorry for the delay in responding. This is all a learning curve for many of us.

We take a letter to the resort that says you gave us permission to take over your week. In most cases, the resort will just hand that week over, and the owner won't need to do any more. In rare cases, the resort may require the owner to treat us like a "guest" and handle the guest certificate.

Thank you, Marty