RCIFairfield Resorts ripoff, points scam, thieves take your points, deliver to RCI you never see them again Orlando Florida
I became a Fairfield "owner" in January of 2006. When my family got ready to take a vacation in July of that year, we found that the hoops you are made to jump through in order to even find out if there is availability are asanine and child-like. They tell you there is no availability, even though there are "many" rooms free if you call the resort directly. They tell you that, even though this particular week is not available, surely you can up and change every aspect of your vacation and go 4 months later, "shall we reserve that for ya?"
They tell you that, in order to check availability at RCI, you must deposit an unknown amount of points into RCI, let them check availability. If there is no availability, you must "call back within 48 hours and have those points sent back over to FF or you will lose them to RCI" I have YET to understand this one. If RCI indeed has no vacancy, why must I hang up, then call back and sit on hold for another hour just to tell them to put the points back to Fairfield?
This happened to me, I missed their deadline and they flat refuse to do anything at all about it. I am now not able to use any points for anything and the entire "ownership package" that costs $240/mo is completely useless to me and my family. My alternative is going to be a lawsuit and/or bankruptcy. Does not matter to me one way or the other. They will not get another penny from me.
They are scam artists and theives. DO NOT buy!!
Scott
Long Beach, Mississippi
U.S.A.
10 Updates & Rebuttals
Nikki
Coconut Creek,Florida,
U.S.A.
Don't forget, it's a trade.
#11Consumer Comment
Thu, March 27, 2008
The only way RCI will have availability is if someone who owns where you want to go deposited their week. Then you get their week. It is not based on availability of the resort. It is based on whether another RCI member has deposited their week. If so, you can have it. If not, RCI doesn't have it available.
This is why RCI doesn't have it available, but the resort has availibility.
It also depends on where you own. If you own in Podunk, and you want to go to Hawaii, forget it. RCI will not give you Hawaii and take your Podunk. For example, say someone who owns in Lake Tahoe, during the winter, wants to to to Hawaii. RCI knows they can get rid of that ski week, so they give them the Hawaii week. You get what you trade.
Nikki
Coconut Creek,Florida,
U.S.A.
Don't forget, it's a trade.
#11Consumer Comment
Thu, March 27, 2008
The only way RCI will have availability is if someone who owns where you want to go deposited their week. Then you get their week. It is not based on availability of the resort. It is based on whether another RCI member has deposited their week. If so, you can have it. If not, RCI doesn't have it available.
This is why RCI doesn't have it available, but the resort has availibility.
It also depends on where you own. If you own in Podunk, and you want to go to Hawaii, forget it. RCI will not give you Hawaii and take your Podunk. For example, say someone who owns in Lake Tahoe, during the winter, wants to to to Hawaii. RCI knows they can get rid of that ski week, so they give them the Hawaii week. You get what you trade.
Nikki
Coconut Creek,Florida,
U.S.A.
Don't forget, it's a trade.
#11Consumer Comment
Thu, March 27, 2008
The only way RCI will have availability is if someone who owns where you want to go deposited their week. Then you get their week. It is not based on availability of the resort. It is based on whether another RCI member has deposited their week. If so, you can have it. If not, RCI doesn't have it available.
This is why RCI doesn't have it available, but the resort has availibility.
It also depends on where you own. If you own in Podunk, and you want to go to Hawaii, forget it. RCI will not give you Hawaii and take your Podunk. For example, say someone who owns in Lake Tahoe, during the winter, wants to to to Hawaii. RCI knows they can get rid of that ski week, so they give them the Hawaii week. You get what you trade.
Nikki
Coconut Creek,Florida,
U.S.A.
Don't forget, it's a trade.
#11Consumer Comment
Thu, March 27, 2008
The only way RCI will have availability is if someone who owns where you want to go deposited their week. Then you get their week. It is not based on availability of the resort. It is based on whether another RCI member has deposited their week. If so, you can have it. If not, RCI doesn't have it available.
This is why RCI doesn't have it available, but the resort has availibility.
It also depends on where you own. If you own in Podunk, and you want to go to Hawaii, forget it. RCI will not give you Hawaii and take your Podunk. For example, say someone who owns in Lake Tahoe, during the winter, wants to to to Hawaii. RCI knows they can get rid of that ski week, so they give them the Hawaii week. You get what you trade.
Bill
Lansdale,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
It really is not the difficult
#11Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 27, 2008
Scott - I am really sorry to hear about your problems with Wyndham. I have been an owner since about 1999 and have had little to no difficulty securing a reservation. One thing you do have to keep in mind is that trying to get a reservation in the summer months is somewhat hard, but with proper planning well in advance does help. When I first purchased I did have similar problems and ended up in places that I really did not want to go to. I quickly learned that timing is everything when it comes to the summer months. I am always ready to book my summer at the 10th month to the day. Since doing this I have yet to fail. Your home resort can be booked 13 months in advance. It really comes down to planning ahead. Outside of the summer months is much easier. I book Williamsburg within 60 days of checkin, paid 50% for a 2 bedroom unit and was immediately upgraded to 3 bedrooms for this April. So it can be done - just not so much in the summer.
As far as RCI is concerned you do need to read the manual. It is clearly explained in that book. Actually most everything you need to know is in the manual. If you don't have one - call and order one. It is very helpful. It is also online at the Wyndham website. I doubt you lost those points. They should still be deposited to RCI and you have 2 years to use them. Again check online - it will show you what you have deposited. Do keep in mind that when you do go to book the RCI points it will cost you. I think it is around $164.00. I was just checking last week via a phone call on how RCI works. There are week exchanges and then there are nightly stays. The nightly stays work different and do not require a deposit of point.
Between the manual and phone calls you can learn everything you need to know to make this a really pleasant experience. I have called and talked to people for quite a while. That is what they are there for. If the person I am talking to does not seem knowledgeable I will hang up and call back. I have had situations where I knew I was getting incorrect info. I simply thanked the person, got their name and called again with the same questions. While on that call I would also mention my previous call and report that incorrect information was given and by who.
I do wish you the best, because I think if you educate yourself on how this all works you will also get to the point where you can use those points and go where you want. I have had many wonderful experiences since taking the time to learn the system.
Bill
Lansdale,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
It really is not the difficult
#11Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 27, 2008
Scott - I am really sorry to hear about your problems with Wyndham. I have been an owner since about 1999 and have had little to no difficulty securing a reservation. One thing you do have to keep in mind is that trying to get a reservation in the summer months is somewhat hard, but with proper planning well in advance does help. When I first purchased I did have similar problems and ended up in places that I really did not want to go to. I quickly learned that timing is everything when it comes to the summer months. I am always ready to book my summer at the 10th month to the day. Since doing this I have yet to fail. Your home resort can be booked 13 months in advance. It really comes down to planning ahead. Outside of the summer months is much easier. I book Williamsburg within 60 days of checkin, paid 50% for a 2 bedroom unit and was immediately upgraded to 3 bedrooms for this April. So it can be done - just not so much in the summer.
As far as RCI is concerned you do need to read the manual. It is clearly explained in that book. Actually most everything you need to know is in the manual. If you don't have one - call and order one. It is very helpful. It is also online at the Wyndham website. I doubt you lost those points. They should still be deposited to RCI and you have 2 years to use them. Again check online - it will show you what you have deposited. Do keep in mind that when you do go to book the RCI points it will cost you. I think it is around $164.00. I was just checking last week via a phone call on how RCI works. There are week exchanges and then there are nightly stays. The nightly stays work different and do not require a deposit of point.
Between the manual and phone calls you can learn everything you need to know to make this a really pleasant experience. I have called and talked to people for quite a while. That is what they are there for. If the person I am talking to does not seem knowledgeable I will hang up and call back. I have had situations where I knew I was getting incorrect info. I simply thanked the person, got their name and called again with the same questions. While on that call I would also mention my previous call and report that incorrect information was given and by who.
I do wish you the best, because I think if you educate yourself on how this all works you will also get to the point where you can use those points and go where you want. I have had many wonderful experiences since taking the time to learn the system.
Bill
Lansdale,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
It really is not the difficult
#11Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 27, 2008
Scott - I am really sorry to hear about your problems with Wyndham. I have been an owner since about 1999 and have had little to no difficulty securing a reservation. One thing you do have to keep in mind is that trying to get a reservation in the summer months is somewhat hard, but with proper planning well in advance does help. When I first purchased I did have similar problems and ended up in places that I really did not want to go to. I quickly learned that timing is everything when it comes to the summer months. I am always ready to book my summer at the 10th month to the day. Since doing this I have yet to fail. Your home resort can be booked 13 months in advance. It really comes down to planning ahead. Outside of the summer months is much easier. I book Williamsburg within 60 days of checkin, paid 50% for a 2 bedroom unit and was immediately upgraded to 3 bedrooms for this April. So it can be done - just not so much in the summer.
As far as RCI is concerned you do need to read the manual. It is clearly explained in that book. Actually most everything you need to know is in the manual. If you don't have one - call and order one. It is very helpful. It is also online at the Wyndham website. I doubt you lost those points. They should still be deposited to RCI and you have 2 years to use them. Again check online - it will show you what you have deposited. Do keep in mind that when you do go to book the RCI points it will cost you. I think it is around $164.00. I was just checking last week via a phone call on how RCI works. There are week exchanges and then there are nightly stays. The nightly stays work different and do not require a deposit of point.
Between the manual and phone calls you can learn everything you need to know to make this a really pleasant experience. I have called and talked to people for quite a while. That is what they are there for. If the person I am talking to does not seem knowledgeable I will hang up and call back. I have had situations where I knew I was getting incorrect info. I simply thanked the person, got their name and called again with the same questions. While on that call I would also mention my previous call and report that incorrect information was given and by who.
I do wish you the best, because I think if you educate yourself on how this all works you will also get to the point where you can use those points and go where you want. I have had many wonderful experiences since taking the time to learn the system.
Bill
Lansdale,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
It really is not the difficult
#11Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 27, 2008
Scott - I am really sorry to hear about your problems with Wyndham. I have been an owner since about 1999 and have had little to no difficulty securing a reservation. One thing you do have to keep in mind is that trying to get a reservation in the summer months is somewhat hard, but with proper planning well in advance does help. When I first purchased I did have similar problems and ended up in places that I really did not want to go to. I quickly learned that timing is everything when it comes to the summer months. I am always ready to book my summer at the 10th month to the day. Since doing this I have yet to fail. Your home resort can be booked 13 months in advance. It really comes down to planning ahead. Outside of the summer months is much easier. I book Williamsburg within 60 days of checkin, paid 50% for a 2 bedroom unit and was immediately upgraded to 3 bedrooms for this April. So it can be done - just not so much in the summer.
As far as RCI is concerned you do need to read the manual. It is clearly explained in that book. Actually most everything you need to know is in the manual. If you don't have one - call and order one. It is very helpful. It is also online at the Wyndham website. I doubt you lost those points. They should still be deposited to RCI and you have 2 years to use them. Again check online - it will show you what you have deposited. Do keep in mind that when you do go to book the RCI points it will cost you. I think it is around $164.00. I was just checking last week via a phone call on how RCI works. There are week exchanges and then there are nightly stays. The nightly stays work different and do not require a deposit of point.
Between the manual and phone calls you can learn everything you need to know to make this a really pleasant experience. I have called and talked to people for quite a while. That is what they are there for. If the person I am talking to does not seem knowledgeable I will hang up and call back. I have had situations where I knew I was getting incorrect info. I simply thanked the person, got their name and called again with the same questions. While on that call I would also mention my previous call and report that incorrect information was given and by who.
I do wish you the best, because I think if you educate yourself on how this all works you will also get to the point where you can use those points and go where you want. I have had many wonderful experiences since taking the time to learn the system.
Joe
Beech Grove,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
The truth
#11UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, December 01, 2006
There are several reasons this program doesn't work for you scott, most likely by no fault of your own. I used to work for Fairfield and RCI both. As far as not getting reservations that seem available. The resorts and Fairfield itself are entirly different entities. Fairfield only has acces to time in rooms that are owned and have been deposted by other members. Untill the week in a unit has been sold It is used for promotional and or rental use. This is also most likely why the resort will book you. They have the ability to clear these rooms for you. They also want you to buy more time from the resorts.
R.C.I. also operates as a seperate entity even though in Isome areas such as Indianapolis, IN They are even in the same building. If an R.C.I. agent were to get monitored sharing availability without a deposit in your R.C.I. account, the agent could get in serious trouble or even fired. So I would say If an agent will help as one did with joe BE CAREFUL. They do work on commission they may not actually be helping you. You could have prolems later!
The best advice is book very far in advance, and triple check anything you agree to or sign.
Joe
Orlando,Florida,
U.S.A.
Doesn't sound right to me
#11Consumer Comment
Wed, October 18, 2006
I'm surpirsed to hear the problems you're having with Fairfield. I purchased the first time in 2000 when I visited Daytona Beach and purchased again in 2004. I've never had the problems you've had and have talked to lots of owners while sitting in the hot tubs by the pool. Most of my reservations I make myself on my home computer but I have called before to check for a few nights with RCI. They did not have to have a deposit just to check inventory. Not sure why my vacations have gone so smoothly but glad they did. We mostly go two days at a time which is a Friday and Saturday. At least once per year we do a week long vacation in either Daytona or Myrtle Beach.