ask-redweek-wyndham-ovation-exit-update

The referral program is a joke. Check out Timeshare Brokers. If you click on their 'listings' nothing comes up but a referral to ebay. I have tried to find them on ebay. I searched for Wyndham listings and found 124 Wyndham listings (as of July 2016). I clicked on every single one of them and NOTHING comes up as being sold by Timeshare Brokers. RPMI, the other 'referral' by Wyndham, has 3 listings currently on ebay, but their seller name first comes up as timeshare_resales with a different phone number than what Wyndham gives you. RPMI (Resort Property Marketing International) is formerly RPM and is run by Jeff Fudge, a very long time associate of Wyndham. I checked them out with BBB and they are accredited by BBB and have no complaints for last 12 months. I am going to try listing with them and will keep you posted on my experience. Just for the record, buying a timeshare was the dumbest financial investment I've ever made.

Your experience fits the profile for most people inquiring about Ovation. Overwhelming majority of owners just want to exit the program and are not pursuing the sales referral options (due to fact that many already tried to sell their timeshare, unsuccessfully, and/or paid money to upfront-fee listing companies that did nothing but take their money). These are folks who already feel like they've been burned and now, finally, want out. That's what Ovation seems to offer.

This applies to Wyndham but what about Worldmark? Worldmark credits are not based upon a contract for say 20 years- instead it is lifetime ownership. So "ending the contract" before the expiry date doesn't offer relief. Is the only option going to a reseller? Or privately selling/transferring credits to other?

I'm trapped and out about $72000 if that is the case

I am about to try this method of exiting my timeshare at Kona Coast, Hawaii. any advice?

I researched Ovation once I heard about in the summer of 2016. It took me a few times to get to the right parties at Wyndham however, on September 25, 2016, I finally was able to relay my week's information and "start the ball rolling". I waited 30 days, having gotten no response from Wyndham, I called the Ovation desk on October 25, asking how things were progressing. A very friendly customer service representative told me the week was in "search" mode and I should hear something in 8 or so weeks. That would have enabled a response from Wyndham around Christmas. Here is the response I've gotten so far from Wyndham on my request - ___________________. That's correct, nothing. No email, no snail mail, no phone call, not a word, just crickets. They did manage to find me to inform me that my new monthly maintenance amount would go up by five or so dollars a month but they can't seem to find me to tell me about where I'm at with the Ovation program. I'm hoping my public griping about their non-response will be seen by their "extensive web-monitoring operation" and they will get back to me. How about it Wyndham? You can email, call or text me, you've got my information.

Just wanted to see if anyone has had luck with the resale option?

I am concerned that I have been scammed by an Hilton Head resort. What can I do?

We spoke to an Ovation representative on Feb 27, 2017 to initiate the "give back" (their words) of three contracts and participated in a pleasant straight forward explanation of options. During the conversation, we repeatedly verified that no fees were required to return the contracts. The process is supposed to take anywhere from 3 to 6 months dependent on:

1) how quickly Wyndham can address the process on their end due to a high volume of return requests. 2) how quickly the three different counties where the properties are located respond to Wyndham's request for a new deed.

During the 3 - 6 month wait, all maintenance fees and any Special Assessments are ongoing. We no longer have use the the points from this day forward...no matter how long the process takes.

We opted to return all three contracts and declined to attempt selling the properties. For surrendering all three properties at the same time we were offered the use of the returned points on an annual basis with no fees, monthly maintenance, booking, housekeeping or Special Assessments for a three year period. At which time Wyndham receives the three deeds from the respective counties, a new contract and associated number will be issued which allows us continued use of the points for three years. During that time, it is required that we make reservations through their office as online access and booking will no longer be available to us.

When asked, the representative stated we will not receive progress updates, and we would not hear from them again until the new contract is sent to us for review and signature, but we are welcome to call anytime to check progress. We opted to have the new contract emailed to us and will have an attorney review content. Not our first rodeo with Wyndham. Tick-tock.

I just spoke to Ovation by Wyndham. I am totally unsatisfied with the Wyndham program. Has been a royal pain since we got in to it in 2009. Always wanting more money.... Ovation said they do not buy back anything. They never offered any help just told me that I could sign by deed back over to them. One of the "managers" at Fairfield Glade in Fairfield TN, told me why would they buy back my deed when they have millions more to get rid of..... I hate this time share.... People do not fall into this trap..

From the responses I see it looks like it does not work.

I am a former owner of a "converted" fixed week in Wyndham Club Wyndam Plus). Fortunately, I had acquired that week in the resale market for next to nothing; used it a few times and then gave it away for free a few years later, long before Wyndham's rollout of "Ovation".

I am no fan of Wyndham, least of all of their deceitful timeshare sales weasels, but still have to applaud Wyndham at the corporate level for their willingness to provide at least SOME Wyndham owners with a viable exit strategy (albeit one of future financial benefit to themselves, acquiring "free inventory" to turn around and resell later at full freight pricing). However, I think it speaks volumes that Wyndham has sold other Wyndham timeshare products to OTHER buyers for tens of thousands of dollars, but now won't take some of those products back now at all --- even for FREE!

To the latter point, I personally think that it's quite disingenuous for Wyndham to "refer" people out to third party brokers and other such sales entities, since the simple and unfortunate fact is that many Wyndham ownerships have literally ZERO resale market value or demand. It seems to me that ZERO is the exact same value whether the "product" is in the hands of a disgruntled owner who wants "out" or in the hands of a commissioned broker --- so why make any such "referrals" at all?

Anyway, sincere thanks to Jeff Weir for his capable reporting. Having read numerous of his articles in recent years, here on RedWeek and in Timesharing Today magazine, it's a pleasure to read material professionally prepared by someone who actually knows what he is talking when addressing timeshare topics AND reports the facts and the truth objectively and in clear and specific detail --- that is unfortunately an all too rare combination in the murky waters surrounding the timeshare industry.

We were platinum owners with Wyndham, having 1,000,000 points and deeded properties in Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The ovation process worked well and was quick. It was completely free to us and the maintenance fees stopped within a month of us returning all paperwork. We now have 1,000,000 points for 3 years and no costs whatsoever. We did lose our advance reservation priority because we no longer have a home resort. We have all the other benefits of platinum VIP ownership ,though and we just completed year 1 of our 3 year phase out. One of the best benefits is that we don't get hounded to attend owner "updates". I recommend this program wholeheartedly.

I cant believe this problem can not be solved in a satisfactory manner. I am ready to go with a BAD CREDIT BANNER in my car instead of paying thousand to get out of something like this. I live now in Fl not use for a timeshare in Missouri.

We have 2 Wyndom Time Shares and have already been scammed - twice! Question - what if you have paid the 2018 maintenance fees and taxes and banked the week? How does exiting work in that case?

My wife was convinced to change a Deeded property to a non-deeded in 2013. The sales team produced a document which I contended did not show the correct numbers and was told my understanding of the finances was incorrect. Failed to walk out...mistake #2 (mistake #1 was buying into the original time-share).

4+ years later we went to a presentation of the Newton Group who advertise their service as the only true time share escape program...we put ~$7000 on a credit card, but were told we would probably have to pay off the ~$6000 balance on the Wyndham loan.

Fortunately, I found this site and the Ovation program. Immediately sent the Newton Group a cancellation of their contract (which took longer than it should have). In order to participate in the Ovation program all loans have to be paid off before they will talk to you. Paid off the loan-1st hurdle passed. Maintenance fees must be paid while you await the title search, etc process. Time will tell

Be aware - all contact is owner initiated.

I heard nothing of this prior to reading this article. Thanks for all the valuable information.

I sent an online inquiry to Wyndham letting them know I can no longer afford this timeshare, plus we will rarely get to use it. I told them I want to cancel. They responded back today with the contact for Ovation. I have sent them an online inquiry and will follow up with a phone call tomorrow. I paid $3k down payment using their 6-month no interest line of credit. I paid that line of credit off within the 6 month time frame. Now I owe just over $16,000 but by the time I make all the monthly payments for 10 years, I will have paid $36,000! That's highway robbery. Not to mention, I put "N/A" for my income on the application yet somehow I still qualified for the loan. It might have been stupid on my part to go ahead with the loan knowing my financial situation but they also have an obligation not to grant anyone a loan that does not qualify.

Read fine print - Program is a total rip off. pay extra for several items and now (staring April 2019) you can not let a friend or relative us the points). Only the person on agreement can use them. That is not what the contract said but they refer to a quote on agreement that they can change the agreement at anytime they want. I did report them to BBB but they won't care.

Just completed the Ovation Title Transfer process back to Wyndham. It was very easy, besides having to get a notary on the title transfer documentation with two witnesses. They were actually very helpful. My wife and I purchased ours in FL on our honeymoon 1998, went to the location only once, tried to use our week (we had every other year, but you pay the taxes and fees every year) to switch to other properties with alot of difficulty especially after they switched from weeks to points. When we tried to use our week later on, they always tried to get us to switch to points for a only like a $15,000 conversion fee. Sheesh. So all these years we had been paying the annual tax bill, and at first it wasn't alot of money, but our last one was close to $600.00 and I would get so angry every time I saw that annual bill. We are done with it thankfully. Again the Ovation process was easy. There are many companies that make it seem as though you need to pay them thousands of dollars to get them to do the work to transfer the title back or sell it (really give it away), but with Ovation, I didn't pay a dime. Some things to note; The title transfer documentation is time sensitive - although you have probably been paying the taxes and fees for several years, they require you to get the notary and fill in and send back the information within 2-3 weeks of getting the paperwork, just be mindful of that. Also, they now have to do a check in their system to see if your Wyndham property even offers the Ovation Program, so if you are thinking about using it, call them soon! Again, Ovation made it easy, I knew I would never be able to sell our week, every other year, and I didn't pay some third party company to do it. Here is a link to some more information with the Ovation #; http://wyndhamexperts.org/index.php/2019/08/03/wyndhams-ovation-program/

What is the charge for using Ovations? Has anybody been sold more points as a solution to their concerns?