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Manhattan Club Lawsuit
Hello Brian, I am a timeshare owner and redweek subscriber.
I am also a reporter doing a story on the issues at the Manhattan Club.
If you are willing to talk to me about your experiences, it would benefit me and MANY other timeshare owners.
Please call at your convenience.
Jeff Weir 323-302-4459
Jeffrey W.
Hello Jack,
I am a timeshare owner and also a reporter doing research on the Manhattan Club reservation problem. Can you tell me your story? What happened? What did TMC say?
Thanks in advance if you can help. I don't have to use your name. I just want to know what happened.
Jeff Weir 323-302-4459
Jeffrey W.
.........the manhattan club is on west 56 st, nyc
jeffw355 wrote:Hello Alex:I am a timeshare owner and reporter doing research on Manhattan club situation, which appears to be a nightmare on 57th street. Can you fill me in on what you have been doing since the 2011 posting?
Thanks very much
Jeff Weir 323-302-4459
Chris V.
I called TMC last week on March 12 to make a "reservation." I said to the Representative, "anytime in the next 9 months." She told me, I'm sorry nothing is available. you'll have to call back tomorrow for December 13 and forward, but probably nothing will be available since that is a busy month." I told her this was unacceptable and asked to speak with a supervisor. The supervisor told me that although my due date for maintenance fees is January 3, If I actually wanted to reserve anything less than a full week, I would then be reserving out to October. I said then I lose the first 9 months of the year. He said March 19 was open but if I took it I would then have to try to use the other 6 days in the coming year and get on their waiting list. I'd have to pick 6 dates and if they have a cancellation they would call people on the list. Owners can cancel up to 72 hours before, so pack your bag and be ready to drop everything if you are lucky enough to get a date. He advised me that I should be receiving my bill for 2015 in April of this year. If I wanted to reserve something earlier than October of 2015 I would need to pay in full my maintenance fees for 2015 in April. I paid my 2014 bill on time but I lost 9 months of 2014 since they are reserving out 9 months in advance and can't get any days to use in 2014. $2500.00 down the drain. I said it is very frustrating to pay $2500.00 so that people who go through Expedia or trip advisor can get a room and I can't. He replied that the maintenance has been increased because they replaced to elevators and have refurbished the rooms. I answered, so that people who are getting a discount on the room can stay their and I, who paid 28,000.00 and thousands of dollars in maintenance fees can not get a room in a reasonable amount of time! This is a SCAM!!!! In thier recorded message the recoding says owners of the TMC have the highest satisfaction! What a baldfaced lie! And I'm told if I stop paying the maintenance fees, a lien will be placed against my home. What can we do??? Anybody have any ideas? Does anyone know someone who works for 60 minutes to do an exposee on timeshares, particularly featuring TMC? How about the NYT? There has got to be someone who can help us navigate this swamp. No one should have to go through this.
Rosemary G.
I am working with Redweek.com on news stories that would be beneficial to owners/renters/sellers of timeshares and travelers who might use timeshares. My focus is practical. I don't write reviews of resorts, because there are many places to get reviews. I report on what's happening in the industry as it affects individual timeshare owners. I am not affiliated with development companies. Simple to check me out on the web, facebook, linkedin, etc.
Jeffrey W.
I agree with Rosemary. I did not pay my maintenance fees for this year. I am done with paying maintenance fees now up over $2,000 to be told to turn into RCI points, if I was not happy with availability of my nights at TMC. That is what I was told when I tried to give back my timeshare after many years of battling to get a room for an overnight stay. I have traded my timeshare for the last four years or more because I did not want to deal with TMC and disappointment in not getting to use it. I also tried to talk to MC representative about the buy back/give back. I feel that at this time there is no way out but to not pay maintenance fees. If everyone of the "unhappy" owners decided to NOT pay the fees we would have the managements attention. This I feel is the only way for us at this point. The Developer would get the message that he can no longer "scam" owners.
rosemaryg62 wrote:Is there any way to expand the class action law suit to all members? It is a travesty that owners who are spending 2500 dollars a year in maintenance fees cannot get a night to use in a nine month time frame while non-owners can rent a manhattan club room at the last minute through trip advisor or hotels.com! There are NO Manhattan club owners who are "happy". If we could use it, maybe we'd be happy! I was told by a Manhattan club "representative" who came to my house that I should trade my club membership for RCI points and then I may be able to get into the club. I didn't spend $28,000 and yearly maintenance fees up to $2500 now to use RCI points! This is literally a crime and these guys should be sent to jail! Isn't it an interstate crime to be marketing sales to people from other states with the knowledge that the product you are selling is a scam?
Vanessa S.
I just received a letter from a Chris Anzuoni, member of the Board of Directors (non-sponsor) offering me deeding my property to the Association in lieu of being subjected to a foreclosure lawsuit. If I sign this paper it will erase all my financial obligations and I will receive a check for $100!!! My credit was already damaged by a no pay of maintenance fees.... Anybody else received a letter like this? Not sure what to make of it? Anne Young
johnd2026 wrote:You can access this case and the fascinating exhibits on the NY Courts public access system at: http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/iscroll/SQLData.jsp?IndexNo=652662-2013 This case is filed in the Supreme Court of NY, County of NY so the class they are looking for is just those NY residents. Document #88 shows the total 18,480 owners as of 11/30/2012. 3,826 from NY. Any changes forced on the Eicher controlled Association and URBAN will benefit us all and return value to our units if they can actually be reserved. When discovery starts this will be really interesting.
Anne Y.
I am not an attorney. You can interpret the info below for yourself at the website: https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=SWtRnve6XjlLy3RObuqN8Q==&system=prod On 3/14/2014 MC argued again to dismiss this case against them that is "seeking damages and injunctive relief in connection with allegations of deceptive practices in the sale of interests in and the making of reservations at the Timeshare, and asserting causes of action for violations of New York General Business Law § 349, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and injunctive relief." The MC management claim, "the Complaint alleges deception in the sale of timeshare interests because of the supposed failure to disclose the Timeshare’s practice of renting rooms to the general public, but the Timeshare’s offering plan received by each buyer of timeshare interests prior to the purchase expressly disclosed (a) the Timeshare rents rooms to the general public, (b) reservations are made on a “first come, first served basis,” (c) reservations are subject to the availability of rooms and (d) there is no guaranty that an owner will be able to obtain any particular reservation requested" A group of NY state owners, since this is a New York State court, claim that by renting over 90% of the available units to the public their time shares are virtually worthless which would breech the good faith covenant. If the result of this lawsuit is an injunction forcing the MC Timeshare Association board to have a majority of owners (not Eichner associates) who could then fire Urban Management because of these public booking practices, we could then actually use the timeshares. Otherwise, the Eichner's give us no choice but to withhold maintenance fees for services not rendered.
John D.
John2026, That is exactly why we did not pay for maintenance fees for this year 2014. We could not be guaranteed a buy back or take back even after paying the 2014 maintenance fees in advance. This is the first time EVER that we didn't pay our fees since ownership ten years now. For the reason that we have NEVER been able to use the seven nights purchased through our FLEX plan of The Manhattan Club timeshare. We lost nights due to lack of availability of space, had to cancel due to illness, or other work related travel. Lost 3-4 nights for three to four years each year. We have been forced to pay the exorbitant fees and then trade into RCI now for points. RCI points benefit the timeshare business because they can sell more space. That may also be a problem with the ownership variable of availability. Now, in the past two to three years the Manhattan Club has an RCI office set up off the lobby! Why do you think that is? The benefit of the "happy" timeshare owners or to try and hook unsuspecting victims of potential "new" owners. Courts should make Eichner give option to let all Timeshare owners option of giving back free and clear their timeshares, if willing, and sell the rooms like he does in his "newly renovated" Park Central Hotel! It seems more attention has gone into the maintenance of the Park Central than The Manhattan Club! Shame, Shame. This situation has got to change.
Vanessa S.
vanessa175 wrote:John2026, That is exactly why we did not pay for maintenance fees for this year 2014. We could not be guaranteed a buy back or take back even after paying the 2014 maintenance fees in advance. This is the first time EVER that we didn't pay our fees since ownership ten years now. For the reason that we have NEVER been able to use the seven nights purchased through our FLEX plan of The Manhattan Club timeshare. We lost nights due to lack of availability of space, had to cancel due to illness, or other work related travel. Lost 3-4 nights for three to four years each year. We have been forced to pay the exorbitant fees and then trade into RCI now for points. RCI points benefit the timeshare business because they can sell more space. That may also be a problem with the ownership variable of availability. Now, in the past two to three years the Manhattan Club has an RCI office set up off the lobby! Why do you think that is? The benefit of the "happy" timeshare owners or to try and hook unsuspecting victims of potential "new" owners. Courts should make Eichner give option to let all Timeshare owners option of giving back free and clear their timeshares, if willing, and sell the rooms like he does in his "newly renovated" Park Central Hotel! It seems more attention has gone into the maintenance of the Park Central than The Manhattan Club! Shame, Shame. This situation has got to change.
THIS SITUATION HAS A CHANCE CHANGING FOR THE BETTER ONLY IF AND WHEN ALL MANHATTAN CLUB TIMESHARE OWNERS WRITE TO THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL.....DIRECTLY AND BY NAME....STATING OUR MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AGAINST EICHNER AND HIS, WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE, POSSIBLY FRAUDULENT SALES AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AT THE MANHATTAN CLUB. WE MUST MAKE THE AG'S DESK OVERFLOW WITH OUR COMPLAINTS UNTIL HE CAN NO LONGER IGNORE OR PUT OFF OUR REQUESTS FOR ACTION ON OUR BEHALF.
Chris V.
ayoung1626 I just received a letter from a Chris Anzuoni, member of the Board of Directors (non-sponsor) offering me deeding my property to the Association in lieu of being subjected to a foreclosure lawsuit. If I sign this paper it will erase all my financial obligations and I will receive a check for $100!!! My credit was already damaged by a no pay of maintenance fees.... Anybody else received a letter like this? Not sure what to make of it? Anne Young
Anne, This is really interesting to all of us that are considering taking the same action. How long ago did you stop paying? Chris Anzuoni isn't listed as an Association Board Member in the 2013 minutes: http://www.tmcny.com/TSB.htm#The
Stuart Eichner Scott L. Lager Joshua A. Wirshba Salvatore Reale Patricia Soltys James Dunphy Neil Gilberg
However he/she is on LinkedIn as a sales associate at Davis R Chant Real Estate and was previously in Financial Services at the Manhattan Club. Be careful.
John D.
The letter is dated February 10, 2014. Actually signed by James T. Dunphy Neil Gilberg Patricia Soltys Phone # Chris Anzuoni (212)453-8128 is thus their representative? If you need a copy I can post it here. Anne Young
johnd2026
ayoung1626 wrote:I just received a letter from a Chris Anzuoni, member of the Board of Directors (non-sponsor) offering me deeding my property to the Association in lieu of being subjected to a foreclosure lawsuit. If I sign this paper it will erase all my financial obligations and I will receive a check for $100!!! My credit was already damaged by a no pay of maintenance fees.... Anybody else received a letter like this? Not sure what to make of it? Anne YoungAnne, This is really interesting to all of us that are considering taking the same action. How long ago did you stop paying? Chris Anzuoni isn't listed as an Association Board Member in the 2013 minutes: http://www.tmcny.com/TSB.htm#The
Stuart Eichner Scott L. Lager Joshua A. Wirshba Salvatore Reale Patricia Soltys James Dunphy Neil Gilberg
However he/she is on LinkedIn as a sales associate at Davis R Chant Real Estate and was previously in Financial Services at the Manhattan Club. Be careful.
Anne Y.