RCI weeks member with points questions

jennifery76 wrote:

This is such a good forum. The topic solves most of my questions. We own a fixed week in VV of Weston as well. (bought in year 2004 in a very good deal while the resort was under pre-construction). Over the years, RCI kept asking if we want to change to points. (We recently got an email again, about two months ago, hinted us to "call asap to learn important changes". I doubted it was point issue and didn't even bother to call.) My husband and I both felt there is no reason to pay that amount of $$ to "upgrade". I am so glad to read this topic and know there are people think the same as us.

If you are satisfied with your week and you've gotten the exchanges that you've wanted then there's no need to buy RCI points.

I was thinking the same thing. We bought this product and then they go and change the rules on us.

This is most likely NOT RCI calling. There's a HUGE scam going on around the country. My elderly parents fell for it. The "salesmen" imply that they are from RCI trying to convince timeshare owners to convert from weeks to points, but they aren't really from RCI. RCI currently is suing them for trademark infringement for making their caller ID show RCI, etc. The scammers told my parents they had to purchase a timeshare condo at Sunset Harbor Resorts in Willis, TX which was a points unit in order to be able to convert their current week to points, which is a LIE. So many more lies to convince my parents that they could do this for $1080, then get credit card statements that the scammers charged $9500 on their card. Search Redweek's discussion forum for Point Rental Liquidators to read 78 pages of comments. Call RCI and ask them!!!!! Don't become another victim!

jennifery76 wrote:

This is such a good forum. The topic solves most of my questions. We own a fixed week in VV of Weston as well. (bought in year 2004 in a very good deal while the resort was under pre-construction). Over the years, RCI kept asking if we want to change to points. (We recently got an email again, about two months ago, hinted us to "call asap to learn important changes". I doubted it was point issue and didn't even bother to call.) My husband and I both felt there is no reason to pay that amount of $$ to "upgrade". I am so glad to read this topic and know there are people think the same as us.

How many RCI points you would actually need for a week at a resort?I am thinking about buying points

(copy and paste url):

http://www.redweek.com/timeshare-companies/rci

angelal34 wrote:

How many RCI points you would actually need for a week at a resort?I am thinking about buying points

There are a number of factors that affect the number of points needed:

1) The size of the unit.

2) The location.

3) The time of the year or season (high demand vs. low demand, etc.).

4) Sometimes even how far in advance you want to book. You might be able to get some last minute "specials".

If you buy points, make sure to check the maintenance fee-to-point ratio. Some units you buy (on the resale market, of course) may get you the same amount of points as another unit but would have higher maintenance fees.

I've also noticed that a lot of RCI resorts charge points users a housekeeping fee, which is NOT normally charged to weeks users.

Housekeeping charges are only charged if a points member books more or less than the original deeded week. Normally for 7 days with a check in during a traditional check in date- no housekeeping charge would be required.

tracey75 wrote:

Housekeeping charges are only charged if a points member books more or less than the original deeded week. Normally for 7 days with a check in during a traditional check in date- no housekeeping charge would be required.

That's not the info that's showing up on RCI's booking page. It often shows a note under "important information" saying points users will owe housekeeping fees. Just trying to warn people thinking of converting to be sure to get all the facts to be able to really compare the costs.

tinak117 wrote:

That's not the info that's showing up on RCI's booking page. It often shows a note under "important information" saying points users will owe housekeeping fees. Just trying to warn people thinking of converting to be sure to get all the facts to be able to really compare the costs.

It never says they will be charged without any qualifier. It either says Points owners MAY be charged" with no qualifier or "Housekeeping fees will be charged for points less then seven night stays." When in doubt it is always best to call a resort to verify but the purpose of the charge is not so a resort can double charge for housekeeping if you are using points instead of weeks. It is to recoup some money when more than one housekeeping is required for the same week because presumably the MF covered one and only one housekeeping for the week.

YEAH your right no reason to pay more they should just give you both. I tried to change my week from 18 to any in November and they said they have no week in inventory other then week 10 March. For V. V. Mizner place. I was mislead about Floating week. They didn't tell me I had to pay 139.00 extra to RCI. I live in Rhode Island why would I buy a May week. If I was told it didn't matter what week you purchase. I would never go to Florida in May. Lying conniving Bas@#^#.

Don't it's limited most popular resort you need to book a week like Europe. Why go through the points hassle. I know with weeks its 199.00 for a week whether I go for one day, few or a week. My affiliated resorts I pay 139.00 a week. If you had to book my resort online today it was cost you 168.00 a day for a one bedroom unit.

We are currently in the same situation. We are confused, what direction did your inquiries take you we would greatly appreciate your input jim & michele our email is jhd3mmd at gmail dot com

I'm not sure about this one, but there are some scammers out there insinuating that they are with RCI and they're NOT. They are trying to get people to purchase another timeshare. They tricked my parents into purchasing another timeshare that was in "points" which they told my parents was necessary to convert their existing "weeks" timeshare to points. The problem was that they told my parents it would only cost $1080 to do this, but they opened 2 new credit card accounts in their names and charged $9489 on them. BEWARE! These scammers were from Sunset Harbor Resorts in Willis, TX and Point Rental Liquidators. PRL is shut down now, but they've just opened shop under another name. You can read 80 pages of comments if you search Redweek's general discussion forums for "point rental liquidators"... beware of VSI which is another name that comes up often.. there are others that I can't remember right now. RCI actually wasn't involved in the scam. They are suing the scammers for trademark infringement for making the telephone caller ID say RCI and implying that they were affiliated with RCI.

What does the phrase "RightTo Use" (RTU): meanand is it a legitimate means to acquire points?

RTU (Right to use) means that the deed is not being changed into your name. You are purchasing a right to use a timeshare and any points that are associated with it for a specific number of years. There are some resorts that offer as few as 3 years and others who may have 100+ RTU's.

It is a legitimate way to acquire points but you need to confirm everything with the resort. Since there is no deed your rights should be outlined in a contract of some sort. Any given contract could be legitimate or not that is where you may need to do additional due diligence to figure it out.

My wife and I recently bought into Vacation Village Grandview in Las Vegas. We were deeded week 10, which just happens to be race week in Vegas. It is biennial, one bedroom, and we were approached about the whole points business. They offered to pay the conversion fee as long as we upgraded to an annual, but we lose our deeded week 10 and it changes to week 9. It seems to me that they really want my week 10 due to the high demand. I truly don't understand the whole system yet, but would love some input from some of you veteran timeshare owners. We have the papers to convert, but I have a bad feeling about giving up my deeded week. Not to mention they have already cashed the down payment without any of the papers being signed. Does this sound fishy??? Thanks everyone!!!

Don't do it If they actually want you to change the one week it tells me they are going to screw you and get big money for your week. Do not do not change to points you will go nowhere popular. You will have the availabilities to go to any other places nobody wants. Plus if you didn't buy there are a million grandview on the secondary market for 1.00 the fact that you wrote on here. Didn't you check the resale on this site I am sure they have some Grand view selling here if not T.U.G you can buy a second week for Free and just pay maintenance. If you want the point system you can also buy that on the secondary market. Just don't do anything with them.

do you know where we can safely sell our RCI points ?? Not the timeshare, just our point allotment. What is fair value ?

This was my answer to a similar question asked a week ago:

Quote:

RCI will rent points to members who need extra for $0.02 per point. Generally market value is considered $.01 per point, less if they are going to expire soon. RCI lets you transfer points to another member one time per calender year with no fee. For the second and subsequent times they charge a fee which I believe may be $100. RCI has rules against selling points -you are only permitted to "gift" to others. So with that in mind there really isn't a place to advertise you are looking to "sell" points.