Diamond Resorts review: foreclosure without notification! 137

I recently put down a deposit and signed all the documents ...have yet to pay either the balance owing
nor any maintenance fees...know that i have a better knowledge of this company I would like to back out
and sacrifice the deposit ...any advice? will DR chase me? is this a good move?
Richard in Vancouver BC ...bondhouses@shaw.ca

I completely agree with what everyone says here. Sunterra (now Diamond) is impossible to deal with. We too have been hit with fees for everything, Fees if we do use the points, fees if we don't use the points, and to boot our maintenance fees have gone up. In the past two years our fees have gone up 118%, completely destroying any value of having a vacation investment. Stay away from Diamond!

I have had disaserous luck with Diamond Resorts.I have been trying to sell my Timeshare weeks at Ka'naplai Beach Club ever since they took over. I cannot afford the maintanence fees, and cannot even rent the week out for half of what I have to pay. Facing forclosure soon. What are my options?

Dear Shaggydog,
Thank you for emailing me...at my office. As a fixed owner, I don't understand "disasterous luck" as a descripter?
I look forward to assist you off this no-win blog forum.
Patrick Duffy

We had owned at Powhatan Plantation in Williamsburg Va. Second week in July--up and down units with a hot tub--lovely and paid off. Sunterra (now Diamond) talked us into giving up our unit in favor of the point system ("everyone will be points very soon-- and you can take weekend trips with your points not tied down to only one week in the summer--and your maintenance fee will only go up $350 and never go up!) In 5 years my maintanance fee has gone up $1460. We can never get a week that we want when we want and forget those weekend get aways. Today I paid my maint. fee $2210 and wanted to use the points to pay the fee. Surprise! 16000 points @.05 cents per point is $800. I would still have to pay $1410 NOT to use our points this year! If we simply don't pay the fee our good credit rating will be ruined. We are stuck. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. UsSharkeys

How have you used your points in the past? If so, how?
Have you taken the advantage of short stays? With respect, have you used the WEBsite to its full advantage?
We (DRI) are here to help personally...No one else on this site can help you...Guaranteed.

Please email me at;

patrick.duffy@diamondresorts.com

Cordially,
Patrick C Duffy
Chief Experience Officer

I am in need of assistance. We are in the process of being back in our payments for a few months now. We have no way of paying any further. ie: Insurance payments going up $400 per month, foreclosing on our current home, wife medical bills. We are now down to one vehicle. I have a feeling we are going to be foreclosed on soon with Diamond Resorts Timeshare as well. We do not have any intentions on using the timeshare anymore but am in no way able to continue with the payments on what we owe and the MFs and obviously any legal fees that may come out of this. We have no home phone any longer and my wifes cell phone is no longer and my work cell has been replaced. I have tried to call a couple of times but have gotten no one, maybe I am trying the wrong number. I am pretty sure that they have tried to contact us to no avail. Patrick, if you are really here to help then help our situation. thanks FCTB

Dear FTCB,

Please reach me via my email at patrick.duffy@diamondresorts.com
or my office number [protected]
Thank you,
Patrick

Diamond Resorts apparently sold my membership to Raintree Vacation Club without my permission. Raintree is now raising my maintenance fees, raising the number of points needed to reserve a place at Cabo, charging fees for changing vacation plans 3 months in advance, losing some of my points, and raintree of course cannot supply a contract they say I have with them. I have paid 40, 000 and always paid my maintenance fees on time. Any body else have this happen? I know there will be a class action suit against Raintree. We should all sue Diamond Resorts for our lost money. Count me in if anyone is doing this.

Victoria Burnett, MA MFT
victoria.mft@gmail.com

Ms. Burnett,
It would be advisable to always write with accuracy...Have your facts correct, and then be ready to write with correct points.
If you have questions regarding your membership/ownership I can better answer them for you.
Please email me at;

patrick.duffy@diamondresorts.com

Yours cordially,
Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer
Diamond Resorts International

How can Diamond Resorts, specifically their Board of Directors, justify charging a 25% collection fee. I received a bill for my maintenance fees on Feb 22nd with 5% late charge added since it was due on Feb 1. This was the first bill that I received in the mail but they had apparently mailed out the first bill back in November 2009. I can't blame DR for me not receiving the first bill so I immediately paid the 1220.80 balance online through their website and swallowed the late fee. On the website however my balance showed I owed $1526 not $1220.80. Thinking this must be an error I just paid the 1220.80. When I called DR Finance Service this morning, I got the most shocking news that I had been assessed a 25% collection fee for not paying the maintenance before Feb 15th. I calmly explained that this was the first billing notice that I received so perhaps they can reverse or reduce the fees since I paid immediately upon receiving this second notice. No go with the agent named Teresa nor the supervisor Dan. The timing of the statement mailing clearly offers no other purpose than to let the customer know that you are now screwed. The statement has a due date of Feb 1 and a statement date of Feb 17- two days after the mandatory 25% collection fee! So they conveniently send it out when they know there is no way for you the avoid the collection fee that is written somewhere in their policy sheet that the average owner does not read thoroughly. So I ask Why not send the 2nd notice before the unjustified collection fee kicks in! And Patrick Duffy- Chief Experience Officer of DR, how the hell does your DR board of directors justify a 25% fee for being 2 weeks late from the Feb 1 due date ! I don't even think mortgage companies charge $305 for being 2 weeks late on a 500K loan for a house you live in every day of the year! Why does your company deliberately create such policies that alienate owners. Is this the Board's way of ensuring that they have a large enough pot to fund the hefty bonus they soooo richly deserve. I hope there is a class action suit that looks into the practices of DR. Count me in Hafter Law firm of Las Vegas. I would be happy to sign on that document. Patrick Duffy, if you are really concern about the horribly negative image that your company is gaining, I would expect to get a response from you at ppaz98@yahoo.com. If not then your silence will say it all.

I was having issued with the Diamond Resorts customer service. Understanding they can only do SO much as customer service reps I looked around for an executive I could reach. Low and behold I found this site. I see ALOT of complaints on here, what I don't get is it seems like alot of people just calling customer service. Patrick Duffy has posted his name, email and PHONE. I don't see why people aren't reaching out to him prior to complaining. If you did I am amazed if he did not correct or handle your situation. I emailed him and called him. Two days later I rec'd a CALL back, one day later (today) my issue was resolved. Before Patrick called me back he made sure he had all the facts straight, so don't try to bull ### him. The craziest part is that it was just an exception, something that wasn't even their problem, something Diamond/Patrick didn't even have to fix. And they did without hesitation! I urge you instead of being SO quick to complain go higher up the chain! This would be like your kid going to their sibling and asking if they can have candy and your kid crying about it to everyone telling them what a terrible family they have, when they should have just come to you as the parent. Also why would Patrick be reaching out to everyone with a problem, you as a troubled client should reach out to him. He can't help you if your not willing to give him a try. Save your frustration till after him.
For those of you with bad experiences I am trully sorry and I know our situations are different but give Patrick a try. If Patrick can't/doesn't resolve it then post your experience. However I do thank those h
Patrick and his team thank you so very much for your help. It is so appreciated and I trully look forward to my vacation in two weeks with Diamond!
Rebecca in Elk Grove, California...future stay NAPA:) My appreciation is more than words can say.

We originally bought from Epic, got into the points system through Sunterra then Diamond purchased Sunterra. The maintenance fee's have gone sky high and our points were reduced by one of the companies. I can't remember which. With a $2000 maintenance fee for 13500 points I have to admit it our timeshare is becoming more expensive than taking vacations the old fashion way. I have to fault myself though partially and I bet almost everyone here is in the same boat. I have never attended a yearly owners meeting that votes on the maintenance fee increases. I bet 95% of other owners do not either. Hence if we are getting the shaft via maintenance fee increases we could have done something about it by participating in the process. However on a positive note we have stayed in many awesome places and have learned to milk the system for all we can get out of it. It is allot of work booking resorts and I noticed it seems to be getting harder. I wonder if their is some funny business going on in the renting of units that should be available for timeshare owners. I sometimes ponder selling but we manage to pay for it and get allot of vacation time with our six kids. I hope you all don’t ruin our timeshare with your lawsuit. It seems to me the proper route to take was voting in the owners meetings. Even that can be fraught with danger though. I have read how owners revolted and voted in populist politician types to run the show and they destroyed the resort. Just like the democrats are doing to our nation.

PS
The done been scammed user name has nothing to do with diamond resorts or this posting. That was a name I picked for and internet scam my wife fell for and I was complaining about it. No smart aleck remarks anyone. Although I wish my maintenance fee's were about $1500 per year instead of the whooping $2000 bill I got this year. We love our Timeshare. The exchange we made for a week in a 3 million dollar condo in Telluride for 8ooo points was awesome. Of course we had been trying to get an exchange in Telluride for many years prior. Even prayed about it. Wow was it cool. 3 bedrooms all marble and leather. Ski in to the bottom floor sauna room. To much, maybe once in a lifetime. Although I notice that condo on interval once or twice since then.

DearDBS,
You sound like you understand how to work within the system. I am glad you have enjoyed your usage.
As to Maintenance Fees, we (DRI) are managing the resort properties on behalf of the various HOA's. All the while keeping each property financially solvent as well as independent in financial structure.

As I have reached out to several, please keep my information on hand should I be of assistance.

patrick.duffy@diamondresorts.com

Yours cordially,
Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer

Dear ppaz98,

Responded to your email ay Yahoo.com...Look forward to assisting you.

Best,
Patrick

9 days ago by ppaz98 0 Votes

It's only fair that I follow up my complaint with what DRI, specifically Patrick Duffy, has done.
Briefly summarizing, I submitted my complaint Tuesday night here.
The very next day around lunch time, Patrick Duffy emails me to acknowledge he has read my complaint.
That same night I check my account on the DRI webpage and see a zero balance, meaning the $305 collection fee had been waived. I also received a voice mail from Mr. Duffy himself this morning confirming the removal of the collection fees.

I have to give credit where credit is due. If Mr. Duffy is representative of the customer service provided by DRI then I must admit that it is without doubt one of best performing, most responsive customer service dept I've encountered. These days when we have to tolerate shoddy customer care from the likes of ATT, Citibank, etc., it is comforting to know that there are still companies that actually have customer service.

I am not saying I am completely sold on the business practices of DRI. There is still the issue of mailing out late notices 2 days after the large collection fee has kicked in, giving the member no opportunity to correct the problem, whether it's due to oversight or in my case, a delivery problem. And I am certain only a very small percent of owners are aware of this 25% collection fee kicking in 14 days after the maintenance fees are officially late. There is also the issue of transparency regarding the >30% increase in maintenance fees. These maintenance fees have completely erased the incentive for buying and keeping timeshares. If I am to continue paying a maintenance fee that can be used to pay for a similar size unit, then I need to be convinced that my initial 12K investment for lifetime vacations with DRI actually has some long termvalue. I know many feel the same way.

I was just checking in and remembered a complaint from someone aobut never being able to reserve time in a particular Sedona Resort. I was just looking at the Sedona Resorts. They all have available time the whole year. In fact Sedona is our default location to go to if we cannot find something else.If you want to complain about not being able to book resorts try booking the So Cal coast when you have six kids (when it is warm enough to visit.) Have not succeeded yet but we will keep trying. The year before last we booked a 3 bedroom and a two bedroom at a Sedona resort. We had about 6 teenagers with us besides our kids, was great fun.

Let me know about any class action suits. We bought from Sunterra in 2006 and have never used it. The places we want to go are never available and I don't have enough points to matter. I just want to sell it and get our money back. We pay fees every year just like everybody else and have nothing to show for it.

Sometimes even a small amount of points can be used with great benefit...Let me show you, please.

Email me at ; patrick.duffy@diamondresorts.com

Regards,
Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer
Diamond Resorts International

I have today sent to Diamond resorts by registered post from Malta (where I now live) a Solicitors letter claiming that their maintenance demands are contrary to EU Legislation and threatening a class action against the company. I am starting a Sunterra Action Group and would welcome genuine complainants to join me in this action. I am not using my real name for fear of reprisals. This class action if mounted would cost money (not yet costed) so participants should be aware that we may lose the claim but will have to fund it ourselves unless the EU Fair trading lobby with whom I have also lodged a complaint for unfair business practices against the company will assist us. I need active help in this regard and can be contacted by email at sagr@melita .com.

All genuine responses will be acknowledged and as far as I am able will be screened for genuine complaints (I have become slightly paranoid about Sunterra spies)

Old man murgy

Dear Kpaul,
Thank you for your comments...
Deeded owners and Points owners are all equally important to DRI. Maintenance fees were brought inline to make certain that every reosrt was financially self sufficient. A fact that many do not wish to acknowledge.

I speak to many deeded owners who enjoy their membership and know how to maximize it use. I'm sorry you have not met with the same enjoyment.

I do offer assistance to many and enjoy the opportunity. If you require further assistance then you can email me at;

patrick.duffy@diamondresort.com

Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer
Diamond Resorts International

I've given you this chance and now I have 4 simple worded paragraphs that you should be able to answer in "detail".

DRI has completely ruined the "deeded weeks ownership" program that was in place when many of us purchased timeshares. DRI has increased the dues to amounts that no longer make it affordable to keep. Who benefits when we own these units outright? DRI does because these owners are forced to "give away" or get foreclosed on due to the simple fact the DRI escalated the management fees on these resorts from the years prior that Sunterra who was able to manage at reasonable costs. I am also a developer so I do know the importance of better management but the increase is ridiculous. I own 4 units, all deeded and they were worth $80, 000 easily on the resale market when Diamond took ownership. Now that the fees are ridiculous, the value of these units are declining tremendously. My timeshares have dropped in value to $28, 000 in the short time DRI took over. WHY?

As a general comment, maintenance fee increases were primarily due to the rising cost of owning and maintaining property in Hawaii. As you know, the cost of living in Hawaii is extremely high—the highest in the country—taxes, utilities and insurance are very expensive. Price increases for goods and services are driven by supply and demand in addition to inflation. Another reason costs are so high is because nearly everything used on the island must be shipped to the island. Freight charges are included in the price of items such as food, linens, furniture, vehicles, cleaning supplies, pens and paper. You should also know that Ka’anapali has been heavily subsidized in over the years by Sunterra and by DRI—$2.5 million in 2007, more than $500, 000 in 2008, $1.7 million in 2009 and $1.1 million in 2010.

As a developer, you are undoubtedly aware of the erosion of property values since the real estate bubble burst in 2007. As real property, timeshare resale value is subject to many of the same economic factors as residential and commercial properties. Resale value is based on how much another person is willing to pay for the property and today, that’s below resale values three years ago for almost every single timeshare worldwide. The fact that your timeshare has dropped in value since 2007 (when DRI acquired Sunterra) has less to do with any actions taken by DRI than with the economic climate and the basic premise of value.

Weeks owners do have the availability of booking last minute vacations at a discount, and many of them rent these unit far below market value. This has a major affect on the weeks owners. Some of the units have been reserved of inventory for points owners and made not available to deeded owners until a later date. WHY?

The presence of Diamond Resorts Hawaii Collection (points owners) does not impact the ability of traditional deeded owners to secure a reservation at Ka’anapali. Inventory is divided into “buckets.” Traditional owners like you have their own bucket, Hawaii Collection members have their own bucket and Diamond itself has a bucket of inventory it owns that is uses for rentals, marketing tours, etc. As a traditional owner, you will always have the rights to your bucket of inventory until it is exhausted. The same is true for the Hawaii Collection—its members cannot reach into your inventory bucket and use those weeks.

Did some things get better? Yes, our dues were raised $500 over two years x 50 weeks equals $25, 000 per unit. For that we get a flat screen, an ipod hook-up and other upgrades that don't total up to $10, 000 combined. The $25, 000 annual increase is a joke.
There is no way you can put $10K in improvements in each one of the units every year.
If you really believe that, itemize what you have done to these units the past 3 years and what we will get for $25, 000 this year. There is a common misperception among timeshare owners in general regarding where the maintenance fees go.

There are not $10, oo0 in additional funds collected annually for any one unit. The funds are used to cover the resort’s day-to-day operating expenses for the all of the units, grounds and all common areas and the staffing and other expenses necessary to deliver services to the owners, maintain the property inside and out, and provide for reserves to build up cash to cover planned and unexpected replacements and repairs. Regarding improvements over the past couple of years, in additional to the items you have listed above, funds were used to replace the elevators, refurbish the pool and purchase new pool furniture, and outfit the rooms with new mattresses, linens and small appliances, to name a few items. New A/C chillers and phone system are also planned.

Please provide the "total" management fees paid the prior two years before DRI took over and provide the "total" management fees for the past three years since DRI has been in control. Yes we do have these numbers but they are more readily accessible by you.

The management fees are: 2006 - $868, 500; 2007 - $886, 900; 2008 - $964, 800; 2009 - $2, 336, 700; and 2010 - $2, 833, 900. The management fee had been static for many years and was significantly below the industry standard rate. The VOA had been paying a flat $36 per interval fee and the AOAO a flat fee of $40 per unit per month. The management agreement was renegotiated with the board of directors to a more common percentage of maintenance fees basis. In the 2009 billing, increased management fees started being phased in and they will top out in 2011. To help with the increase in fees, Diamond contributed $1.7 million in the 2009 billing and $1.1 million in the 2010 billing. Also, don’t forget the subsidies mentioned above: $2.5 million in 2007, more than $500, 000 in 2008, $1.7 million in 2009 and $1.1 million in 2010. So, in essence, very little in total management fees have been paid to DRI over the last three years.

Last but not least, you told Bugz2 that DRI did not purchase "any" resorts. Is this true? Yes.
Does DRI own KBC?

No. Whomever possesses a deed owns a part of the resort. KBC is owned by a combination of traditional owners (like you, Kpaul5257), DRI (which holds deeds), and the Hawaii Collection (which holds deeds). If Kpaul5257 wants more information, the ownership breakdown at KBC is approximately 64% traditional owners, 28% Hawaii Collection and 8% DRI

Hope this is of assistance to you Kpaul5257

Patrick Duffy

Our situation is very similar to everyone else's. we have owned our Orlando time share since 2005 and have used it only a few times. Through all the fee increases and the booking challenges we have stayed hopelessly optimistic thinking that we were one of the few with these challenges.
With the research we have done while trying for years to book various resort stays Diamond uses its ownership to stabilize its own Real Estate holdings for Rentals.
When the Rental resort industry is slow they have us to slap higher fees on. We have not been able to book a vacation 3 months in advance for three years now for particular dates, however when checking the same dates and location as a rental found a great amount of availability for a large daily rate. RENT vs OWNERSHIP... We like many thought OWNERSHIP meant something more then RENTING and have found out it actually means much much less...

The example I gave the Diamond rep was "if you have a 100 units monthly how many of those units are reserved for OWNERS?" 10%? 20%? 1%? Seems its the later of the options.. So we have all these owners trying to book in the summer vacation months for the 1% rather then say the 60% that should be available to us... Where do we turn as owners to make this obvious greed and lack of owner relationship turn and go the other way or can we? Is there an answer. I would take my initial investment of 15K and put it into a piece of (real) Real Estate and be done with this BS... Instead it seems like that money will be a complete loss. Vermont guy.

Be very careful on the streets of Sedona, Arizona. The Diamond International "gang" are on both sides of the street. They will promise you anything to trap you into the 90 minute presentation. It really takes 5 hours. At the resort, Steve S. put on the most surreal presentation you have ever seen. He will not answer the tough questions about membership. Instead he shows you a family scrapbook. At least he says it's his family. I also asked for his business card. I swear Steve said, "The Arizona Department of Real Estate will not allow me to give you my business card". I asked why? He wouldn't answer the question. Run for your life! This resort scam is total [censor]. Don't waste your $ on invisible points.

Catalina K

Dear Catalina K,

Thank you for this candid perspective regarding your presentation. I apologize if it did not answer the questions you had, but please feel free to reach-out to myself and staff at a time that is convenient to you at:

patrick.duffy@diamondresort.com

Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer
Diamond Resorts International

After reading these complaints I am very hesitant about purchasing more points from diamond. i just bought 6500 points on resale and was considering joining the CLUB and transfer those points over, but I am very hesitant. May be I should try it out and see if I like it first. Not sure about the availability of the resorts after I join either. Also, I would hate to have to deal with customer service regarding payments of fees etc. I cannot believe how many of you have trouble of paying your fees/notices etc.

CCLun,

This is a very few to the 500, 000 owners and members that enjoy their memberships annually. If we/I can help or assist you, please feel free to reach me at;

patrick.duffy@diamondresort.com

Thank you,

Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer
Diamond Resorts International

I purchased my time share in Palm Springs, CA and have run into the same problems that a lot of people posted. Buyer Beware – DO NOT PURCHASE A TIME SHARE. You will be scammed the sales pitches are fraudulent and you will be duped like the rest of the people who posted issues. When I purchased the time share (10, 000 points which was reduced to 8, 500 when Diamond Resorts came onboard), I explained that I vacation locally and spare of the moment I was assured how easy it was to get a reservation at my home resort. It is in possible to get a reservation. When I was able to get a reservation the room was horrible; yet the fees continue to go up. Just recently I called the resort to discuss my final loan. I wanted to confirm the final payment amount. When I found out the final payment was $32.27 I asked to pay the amount in full. I explained that my loan payments are due on the 10th (final payment paid on the 8th) and wanted to make sure the regular payment amount didn't go through. On the 10th Diamond Resorts took the full payment of $243.17. I immediately called the resort and was told that it was a timing issue that the $32.27 posted on the 10th and so their system took the payment (which was not the case – they payment deducted from my account the next day). I requested that my account be reimbursed in full immediately. I escalated the call to a supervisor who basically told me it was my fault that I need to put something in writing at least 30 days in advance. I explained that the agent who took the final payment never altered me to the fact that I had to put anything in writing or there was a chance that the payment would be taken due to the short span of time. The supervisor said he would give me a call back and to date have not received a return call. I called the resort the next business day and was told by the agent he that some of what I was being told was the truth. Apparently their was a timing issue but I didn't have to put anything in writing it takes about 5 days to stop auto pay and assured me that I would receive a credit. Here we are Sept. 18 and no credit. I could go on with more detail but why waste your time; I’m sure you can see how this played out. If I am late on a payment I get socked with a late fee. Do you think I'm going to get any compensation for them holding on to my money when I couldn't even get a return call? To date this is still unresolved.

Dear DBATS,

I guarantee you, no one can help you on this forum...Except me! My email is right above your message.

Maybe if you get to see your message in print, you'll see.

What resort...We manage a resort in Palm Springs? But we do not sell any timeshares at that resort?

Who and where did you call? If this is of real importance to you, it would be best to email or call me at;

patrick.duffy@diamondresorts.com or [protected]

Thank you,

Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer
Diamond Resorts International

In my recission period. Purchasing in Maui that has 3 others in the collection, .Noone ever gave me even upon request, in writing how the fees have incrreased over the past 5 years.. what else should I look out for? If it really that difficult as I am reading to obtain your choices of properties and weeks even if it is your Home property?

We, (my husband and I) also own DRI. Our home base is in Hawaii. We are also concerned about the rise in maintenance fee's especially the bill we received due in Jan. 2011. We own 8500 points and our fees due Jan. 1, 2011 are $1533.68. Our bill due jan. 1, 2010 were well under $1300 (I don't have the bill in front of me).

What concerns us is how high the fees are going to get in the following years. Our unit at Ka'anapali Beach Club this past Aug. 2010 had a great view but lots of roaches ( over 13 killed the night of our arrival) and broken items as well. So, we ask what were our fees paying for? If we are going to keep having to pay higher and higher fees, then the resorts should be near perfect. As for booking, we have a very flexible job that allows us to book vacations anywhere from 18 months to 1 month in advance, and even we have a HARD TIME finding a unit at my own home resort.

So the question for US owner's should be, how are we going to find a way to keep DRI from hiking up our fees more and not experiencing the whys, when we go on vacation? We bet most owners are upset about our 2011 bill. After our unit this past summer, ( and no we should not have to call down to switch rooms, that room should have been near perfect for the fees we DO pay)we can't buy the stories of up keeping, staff, REPAIRS, ect. we have been told.

SOON we fear we will be paying more for our units/rooms than someone who does not own and can book on Travelocity, Orbitz, ect... We don't want to sell but we feel that in the coming years the maintenance fees will be so high that we won't be able to financially justify the timeshare anymore. So we are consider listing ours now and hope to have it sold to some one who has the funds to keep paying the no-end-in-sight rising high fees. We bet the majority of US owners are not doing as well financially as we were when we bought our timeshares and looks like it's going to get worse not better.

If anyone is reading this and considering buying ANY timeshare, please know that the maintenance fees will keeping going up to the point where you might end up in our shoes. We have learned this past year that lots of financially fit people would have never bought a time share. Wish we had listened to their advice before we bought.

Dear HTNeves,

Thank you for your post. We listen, and are certainly prepared to talk with you as far as your written points above.

Kindly reach out to me at our convenience either via my email, or phone if you wish.

patrick.duffy@diamondresorts.com or [protected]

Cordially,

Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer
Diamond Resorts International

“The management fee had been static for many years and was significantly below the industry standard rate.”

What is this mumbo jumbo speak for DRI can manage that resort much worse than it is being done as Sunterra (2008 less than 1M) for much more money Under DRI management (2009 2.3M) and of course some of those additional management costs will include the damage control management because everybody will start complaining.

Well guess what buddy, were complaining!

I’m guessing you have moved up the DRI/Timeshare food chain from the bottom perhaps as some successful sales [censored] in some resort town preying on willing travelers to where you are now Chief “Experience” Officer. Your mother is probably very proud. You are quite eloquent and proper in your responses almost as though the responses are being “composed by committee” or “council” (just an observation).

You are good at telling the truth, but the devil is in the details most of which are missing from your almost canned like responses.

As a KBC weeks owner (original purchased Embassy Suite Vac Club 2000) it was part of a collection of TS ownerships my wife and I have had over the years. We watched this happen over a period of 10 years. We never updated with the Sunterra or DRI point BS. We are ban from the DRI network we only own our allotted share at our home resort. I am ok with that we bought in Hawaii to visit again, but I can book a room at KBC through Expedia ™ for cheaper than my annual Maintenance / management fee and I don’t have to do the DRI points dance.

Since your so good at the truth and being all upfront, please enlighten us concerned KBC owners (64% of the power if you break it down by ownership) So we can all “experience” it together instead of just 1-on-1 like you so often invite us to do. I say no, put it out where everybody can see!

What part of the 8% of DRI ownership in KBC was obtained by default of maintenance fees or imposed late charges for late mailings. On the same subject How many properties so foreclosed (not necessarily now or ever owned by DRI) have been resold at the resort providing a hearty income stream to some DRI marketing department, if you dare to be so transparent.

Of the huge costs of operating such a resort as KBC how much of the “Management” costs are in the way of gross executive salaries, specifically the DRI “Management” of KBC. I’m not looking for specifics but you threw a bunch of summary numbers out there and hope we are just going to read the words and then just go away.

You say KBC was being managed at below industry standard cost “what industry are you specifically speaking” TS management industry with it’s fat executive salaries or Hawaiian Resort Management. I would be willing to bet we KBC owners are funding some very extravagant lifestyles of DRI executive and CEO’s not you Patrick I meant real CEO’s in the self proclaim TS Management Industry Owned and Operated by a bunch of has been TS hacks now looking to retire on all those TS they sold to us oh so many years ago. Let’s see how open their books on that subject.

Concerned Embassy Suites Vacation Owner
dri.wtf@gmail

Dear dri.wtf,

Your rudeness, and lack of decent manner render me incapable of answering your convoluted writing. Sorry, I cannot assist YOU!

Patrick Duffy
Chief Experience Officer
Diamond Resorts International

Wow, and on a saturday night, must be good pay to have to stay up late on a saturday night answering questions from concerned vacation owners. Oh excuse me or not answering because you felt that I was a bit harsh. Hope DRI has your back when it all starts to cave in, I don't think your high enough up the food chain to float this one out... Hope you put some of it away somewhere good you know for your retirement.

Concerned Vacation Owner

On another note your answers reminds me of some artificial inteligence autoanswer email system I worked on back in the late 90's during the dot com boom. "Your rudeness, and lack of decent manner" who says that?

lol Vacation Owner

I agree with many of the complaints and would fully support a class action suite against Diamond. I was lied to during my purchase both about the availability of the resorts and the increase in maintenance fees which has doubles in three years. It has been the absolute worst purchase of my life and above all will advertise and recommend to thousands of people in my network to stay away from Diamond. I will gladly let my ownership foreclose than try to sell it to some other poor chap to prevent Diamond from getting another cent. I was also told I would be billed every other year for maintenance fees since I bought the bi-annual membership...This again was a lie. Sincerely, kevin_janisse@comcast.net

Kevin,

That is exactly what Diamond wants you to do, they do not give a cr@p about your Credit rating, your deeded vacation that many have put in to an irrevocable trust. They will gladly take it off your hands for free. They will forclose and resell it to some other traveler and before they let you completely off the hook they will hit you with a closing fee or tell you your maint. fees must be paid in order for the foreclosure to close (I read it on one of the other posts). Oh and there will be late fees, you will go through collections hell and they will continue to ruin your life for as long as they legally can harass you. After you finally get cr@pped out the other end of that pooper they still win, they got your money and the other travelers money, your deed the original maint fees which you protested, oh and the late fees at upwards of 30% yup you showed them! As DRI laughs all the way to the bank.

What has our country really become, the rich corporations have the freedom to steal and cheat the consumer as long as they do so "within the boundries of the law" it is all fair game.

How many yachts and mansions are needed for one to be truely happy?

Henry Ford said it best "A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business."

Concerned Vacation Owner

No TS

Go peddle your TS after wares on google not here.

Here is a question:

We all know that DRI points are less than worthless ( I have a fully worked up argument to demonstrate this if anyone is interested). If DRI are therefore continuing to offer these for sale, are they therefore guilty of fraud? I mean actually, legally guilty. Not simply morally guilty as they are over their treatment of owners generally.