Unlimited Vacation Club

My elderly parents love to travel. They are fun, social, friendly, and generous to a fault. They were invited on a recent vacation to attend a presentation for UVC. Newly settled into retirement they felt like they might want to join one of these programs, to potentially make it easier to plan their trips- do paperwork and payment now, and then travel when you want. My Dad had concerns committing to a 30-year program, as he is already 75. The salesman promised him that this was no problem. Many members had similar situations and needed to spend their “points” in less time due to age. He informed my parents that they could transfer their last 15 years of pre-paid points, to the first 15 years and spend them at a faster rate by upgrading their accommodations. The terms they were quoted were a $25, 000 lump sum, and then a $700/year maintenance for each year until your purchased points are used up. My parents clarified- DOES THE MAINTENANCE FEE END WHEN THE POINTS ARE USED UP? The answer was “Absolutely!”

My parents aren’t dumb or gullible. But they are from a time when gentlemen’s agreements are made, you negotiate deals, and your word means something. They don’t have the same consumer skepticism that most of us more digitally savvy folks do. In hindsight, their big mistake was not trudging through the detailed and complex contract to look for all the promises that had been made (by salesman Lance Vaughan [protected]@hotmail.com). If they had, then what they would have realized is that they signed up to pay $25, 000 and $700/year for THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. Obviously my father doesn't expect to be using this program aged 105! Even when my parents asked about that specific aspect, UVC confirmed that transferring the points forward wouldn't cost them, and that it was noted in the contract. In reality, it was nowhere in the contract.

Almost immediately my parents tried to book their first trip and ran into inconsistencies between what the salesmen promised, and what the vacation coordinators were saying. My father has tried to talk to supervisors and management for help (Robert Lieffers – Director of Sales [protected]@msn.com), but no one seems to care now that the money has exchanged hands and a contract has been signed. I called on their behalf, with the intention of explaining more clearly the terms to which they’d agreed. The customer service gal was defensive, insulting, flippant, and ended our exchange by shouting “You better get your facts straight, ma’am”. My parents have pleaded with them, stating that they simply won’t be able to use this program later in life and they will be unable to make the payments. UVC’s response was that it would be turned over to collections.

To say that my parents are devastated is an understatement. There have been tears, arguments, incredible stress and fear about factoring this into their future fixed income. We’ve all tried to contact this company to discuss options or work out some sort of agreement, but UVC just tells us to “Review the Contract”. We weren't even looking to escape the contract altogether, we were looking to have it honor what was represented! We could use the prepaid points by upgrading in the first 15 years and then be done with it! But no one at UVC will even consider any remedy to this situation- or speak to us for that matter. I've never heard of a company not attempting to reconcile or agree to talk through a misunderstanding.

My family loves the concept of timeshare and vacation programs. They would’ve been happy customers for life, and been UVC’s (and the industry’s) greatest evangelists. But I find myself now focused on making sure no one else falls for this same misrepresentation of facts and coercion especially the more senior customer segment. Additionally, our community of UVC members should be fully aware of these practices.

Looks I am one of many that got talked into something that was not what it was touted to be. I do wish to be notified by the individual that was getting a class action against this 'club' as I will join in. Paying for something that you can't use is the pits, a great way to make money off people for selling nothing. if all went well when we tried to book a date or make changes online it would be fine but you can't for changes you have to talk to their office Fl., and they charge for any and all changes some have double fees! I really like the Dreams resorts too bad they partnered with these rip off artists.

I recently went on a trip to Mexico and was taken in by a Secrets vacation club in which the talk was fast, the smiles unlimited, the promises undocumented and the small incidential's not even mentioned. After returning home and reviewing and researching this club we found many cons and some pros regarding this club. Items mentioned very briefly at the presentation were glanced over, other items in the contracts were not even mentioned. Upon calling UVC about our wanting to cancel this contract due to breach, they keep calling and emailing me for a response...I sent them my original letter stating why I was cancelling (PS not cancellation clause in contract) and they responded back with a counteroffer (extra add on's to what the original purchase was). I had to leave for a business trip and have not been able to respond to their counteroffer as of yet but will shortly. Since I cancelled the credit/debit card I used so they cannot withdraw any funds, and I filed a complaint with my banking institution and received a provisional credit until we get this worked out.

I swear the sales reps took Jordan Belfort's Straight Line of Persuasion course! I will never again attend another one of these type presentations! Old saying buyer beware is one to live by!

Hoping to get this resolved shortly!