Complaint Review: RealtyTrade - Orlando Florida

I am so angry at this company. My only comfort is that I see I am not the only one duped by these criminals.

Last June 2008 I signed up with them for $895 to sell my timeshare in Hawaii. Spoke with Hal, the southern salesman, who reassured me (for days, because i was leery and didn't sign up right away) that I would get every last penny back, if I didn't get a reasonable and acceptable offer within the 6 months of the contract. He guaranteed it was a win-win situation.

Well, just like all the other stories on here, during those 6 months, I got nothing. In November, I did receive this cryptic email: Realtytrade said in the subject line of the email: You've received an OFFER!

That's not true. I received an name and email address. That's it. No money offering, no price. Just a name. I contacted some "Victor Patel" (by the way, were there any other clients out there who got the same name?) Despite repeated attempts, I never heard back from him.

At the end of my 6 months, I told them I would like my refund, and they refused, saying I did not submitting my request in writing after 10 days of the expiration. Then they offered to re-list it for 6 months, no charge. I asked if I would be then eligible to have a refund, if there was no offer, and Mike Holland said "yes." I wrote the day the contract expired on my calendar, so I could be sure to get that "written request" in. And Mike said, "I personally will handle your account, and give it the attention it deserves. I'm sorry that Mr. Patel never contacted you back."

I contacted Mike several times during the 6 months. Never heard from him. I also did not receive one offer. Not even a fake name and email.

So when the contract expired on July 22, I called to get all the details I needed to insure I was doing this refund request exactly as it needed to be done. A sales girl named Mariza answered the phone. She could hardly be bothered. She told me to hang on, and 5 minutes later she came back to tell me that I was ineligible for a refund. I asked her to explain. She could not. I asked if I could speak with Mike Holland. No, he's not there. (Hmmm...Mysteriously, he seems to have been out of the office for a while.. never did back to me, regardless of how many voice mails I left.) I asked if there was anyone else in charge I could speak with, she said no.

I called again, today July 27, and spoke with a person named Linus. "Is there anything I can help you with? Mike Holland is in a staff meeting." I asked him about my refund, and he very condescendingly spoke to me, stating "You are not eligible for a refund, per the details of the contract. You received an offer, so we have fulfilled our end." I said "WHAT? I did not receive an offer." Then he proceded to treat me like I was on the witness stand: "Did you, or did you NOT receive a notification that you had an offer?" I said, NO I only got an email with a name. That's not an offer.

Then he said "Well, we can't help it if you party lost interest. But you did receive an offer." I said, "No, I did not receive an OFFER. I received a NAME."

Then he kept saying "Ma'am. Do NOT interrupt me." (I could tell I was going to get nowhere with this conversation.) I asked if there was anyone else I could speak to. He said, "No. I am the customer service."

So this is what you will get if you sign on with RealtyTrade. I just want my listing fee back, AS PROMISED, and I never want to hear from them again. They are a very illegal outfit, and I hope with all my heart that they get shut down.

I have written to the Florida BBB as well as the Florida Attorney State General, and I would be very interested in a class action lawsuit. This outfit needs to be put out of business.

You get the distinct feeling when talking with the "front liners"-- the people who screen the calls--- that they are abrasive, rude and unprofessional. It is interesting how extremely defensive they get when you start bringing up the "R" word. (REFUND.)

If anyone wants to join forces to see how we can get our money back, please contact me. Perhaps we need to try Skeeter's approach. Apparently when "his guys" paid the Orlando office a little visit, he scared them enough that they gave him his money back.

Melissa

Aliso Viejo, California

U.S.A.