Ask Redweek / February 2020
We just learned that Holiday Inn Club Vacations agreed to take back 1,300 intervals from owners. How did this come about and what does it mean for other timeshare owners?
It is true. In a remarkable resolution of the company’s lawsuit against a major exit company, Holiday Inn Club Vacations agreed in January to take back an estimated 1,300 intervals from Orange Lake Country Club owners who had hired Timeshare Exit Team to help them get out of timeshare contracts. Timeshare Exit Team, meanwhile, agreed to stop taking new HICV customers and pay some unspecified damages or court costs. The ramifications of this unprecedented legal settlement should reverberate throughout the timeshare world, because it marks the first time that a major developer has agreed to take back intervals rather than risk pursuing a lawsuit in federal court.
About Orange Lake Resorts
Orange Lake Resorts encompasses 26 resorts and 7,400 villas in the U.S., with more than 340,000 timeshare owners and 5,000+ employees.
Orange Lake Resorts, a leader within the vacation ownership industry with more than three decades of proven success, operates Holiday Inn Club®. The Holiday Inn Club Vacations® brand was created in 2008 through a strategic alliance with IHG® , one of the worlds leading hotel companies. The Holiday Inn Club Vacations flagship property in Orlando, Fla., located next to the Walt Disney World® Resort, was established in 1982 by Holiday Inn® founder Kemmons Wilson. The timeshare brand includes 26 resorts across 13 states. For more information on Holiday Inn Club Vacations or to book reservations, visit holidayinnclubvacations.com. Find us on Facebook at or Twitter at .
How To Cancel Holiday Inn Club Vacation Timeshare On Your Own
Are you stuck with a Holiday Inn Club Vacation timeshare agreement? Well, there are a few ways that you can legally cancel the contract and regain your freedom. However, the process might not be easy, as you might have to part with some dollars to be free again.
Like any other company timeshare contract, you can achieve Holiday Inn Club Vacations timeshare cancellation by following the ways below:
DoNotPay is your favorite partner in this situation we are here to help you solve the issue with ease. Worry no more.
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Holiday Inn Cancellation Policy
If you have recently purchased a timeshare with Holiday Inn Club Vacations, we strongly encourage you to look into state rescission laws you purchased your timeshare in. An average rescission period can range from 1-2 weeks. It depends on the rescission laws of the state you made your purchase. Determining that rescission period will help our team narrow down the best option for you during your Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express cancellation. Some companies in the timeshare industry require you to submit a signed hard copy of your request.
If you are in a similar situation our team would like to recommend purchasing overnight mail. We have read numerous verified consumer reviews stating how the company did not wish to honor their request due to them receiving the documents after the rescission period. And we do not want you to fall for the same trap. We also suggest reading through your contract to search for Holiday Inns reservation cancellation policy.
Many resorts have what is called a non-refundable advance purchase. As soon as customers make a reservation, they are charged for the reservation immediately through their credit cards regardless they use it or not. And if you have subscribed to their rewards program, this does not necessarily give you any special treatment either. Additionally, they refuse to refund payments in the form of reward points or discounts, based on their 1-day prior cancellation policy.
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Weeks To Points: Orange Lake And Ihg Win Either Way
In 2006 Orange Lakes timeshare branch followed industry trends, and changed their weeks-based system to points, and their Silverleaf owners paid a large price for it. We often hear that salespeople explain at update meetings that the merger would make Silverleaf timeshares useless. An upgrade was the only way they could keep using the ownership. Afraid of losing the money paid into their contracts, customers would crack under the pressure and agree to buy even more.
This is very predatory, as the weeks-based vacation interest is much more owner-friendly than the points-based model. The week system guarantees you a week of vacation because you own one of only 52 units of time that Orange Lake can sell in your unit. But the points system allows the company to sell as much of its made-up reservation currency as it wants, at any price. Orange Lake can easily sell more points than it will ever have rooms for. Its a bidding war that can never accommodate everyone theyve sold points to. Owner by owner, it seems Orange Lake is fooling people into going into debt to take luxury vacations that will likely never come. Not sure how to get out of Holiday Inn Timeshare? Give Linx Legal a call today.
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Both Firms Vow To Keep Fighting To Protect Their Customers
On Jan. 15, Timeshare Exit Team sent a press release to all major wire services that declared: “Orange Lake Takes Back Nearly 1,300 Timeshares from Frustrated Owners in Landmark Settlement with Timeshare Exit Team.” The subhead added: “Timeshare Owners will not have to Represent Hardships or Answer Questions in New Settlement on Expedited Exit Process.”
Five days later, Jan. 20, HICV responded with its own victory statement: “Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated Secures Major Win and Exposes Timeshare Exit Team for its False, Misleading and Deceptive Practices.” The subhead reads: “Successful legal action removes Timeshare Exit Team’s harmful tactics with owners and allows Holiday Inn Club Vacations to continue offering no-fee timeshare relief options to owners.”
Timeshare Exit Team & Chutzpah
After cheating tens of thousands of consumers out of tens of millions of dollars, Timeshare Exit Team will claim to be the victim.
Chutzpah is a Yiddish word that means brazen impudence or shameless audacity.
In The Joys of Yiddish, Leo Rosten gave a definition that is still often used today: Chutzpah, Rosten wrote, is the quality of a man who kills his father and mother, and who then begs the Court for mercy because he is an orphan.
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Holiday Inn Club Vacations Cancellation Policy
If you recently a timeshare with HolidayInn Club Vacations, take advantage of your rescission period while it still lasts! The rescission period is possibly the single most sought-after timeshare contract loophole. However, its also the most frequently missed opportunity due to its limited time-frame.
A rescission period allows you to cancel your timeshare contract, where you can still receive a full refund. Every state has different rescission laws when it comes to canceling your timeshare. Typically your rescission period is at the beginning of the end of your contract. A standard rescission period can last 3-14 days immediately after purchasing.
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Orange Lake Resort Lawsuit Takes Action
The top timeshare companies today are taking a stance against fraudulent tactics against their owners. Brands like Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Diamond Resorts or Westgate Resorts recognize their owners pain points. Sometimes a change in lifestyle or financial struggle makes it difficult to hold onto a timeshare. Owners need a safe way out.
With the growing problem of exit or cancellation companies soliciting struggling timeshare owners, there have been many cases of fraud and irresponsible guidance. With so many Orange Lake owners falling victim to Phillips and Castle Law Group, Holiday Inn Club Vacations had to take a stance.
We take an aggressive approach when it comes to protecting our owners from companies and lawyers that prey on consumers, was the response of Tom Nelson, President and CEO of Orange Lake Resorts.
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Timeshare Exit Attorney Poses A Threat To Owners
After 93 consumer fraud complaints and the Orange Lake Resort lawsuit, timeshare exit attorney Judson Wheeler Phillips was disbarred. The Supreme Court of Tennessee ruled that Phillips poses a threat of substantial harm to the public, and can no longer practice law. This is a huge deal, especially considering that Phillips has his own practice .
Attorneys that promote their services as relief or exit from timeshare ownership are usually promising an unrealistic outcome. In almost every case from Castle Law Group clients, owners were subject to crazy fees for a service that was never delivered.
Timeshare exit attorneys advise their clients to stop paying their maintenance fees and cut off contact from their resort. This is especially harmful because it affects the timeshare owners credit and their standing with the resort. In cases like Judson Phillips with Castle Law Group, owners are promised a full refund if their ownership is not successfully canceled. However, most owners never received one.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Timeshare Cancellation
You dont think your timeshare is worth a dollar? Neither do the many owners who currently have their timeshares listed for $1. So why settle for eBay and Craigslist? Or paying thousands in unnecessary resale services? When you can hire an elite staff of timeshare experts and attorneys that can get rid of your Holiday Inn Club Vacations timeshare, forever.
Hiring an experienced timeshare exit company who will work vigorously on your Holiday Inn Club Vacations timeshare cancellation can be a real lifesaver. However, the ugly truth is that there are just as many exit scams as timeshare resale scams. You will see numerous exit companies that will try and offer you a 100% Money Back Guarantee, only to disappear a few months later with all your money. Thats why we recommend avoiding any high-pressure sales tactics or up-front fees before your timeshare has been canceled.
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Latest Cases Where Silverleaf Resorts Inc Is A Litigant
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How To Get Rid Of An Unwanted Holiday Inn Club Timeshare Ownership
You will find the internet, radio and TV flooded with companies claiming to provide you a way to get you out of your Holiday Inn Club Timeshare, you quite literally cannot throw a rock without hitting at least a half-dozen of these outfits they have become so popular. The dirty little secret is that all of these companies charge hundreds if not thousands of dollars to help you do something you can do yourself for free as a Holiday Inn Club Timeshare owner! You might ask how these companies can do business like this? The answer is simple:Owners dont find Timeshare Users Group first to get the truth!
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Frequently Asked Questions About Timeshare Cancellation
How can I detect fraudulent activity when attempting to sell or cancel my timeshare?
There are many fraudulent timeshare exit companies in the marketplace who constantly solicit timeshare owners with false information. Here are a few red flags that reflect techniques they typically use:
- Attempting to discredit your timeshare product
- Requests to complete fill-in-the-blank questionnaires that presume negative allegations against your resort
- Invitations to off-property meetings
- Scare tactics about legal claims against your resort
- Warnings of forced payment of maintenance fees through inheritance
Be aware that third-party companies promising to get you out of your obligations rarely, if ever, have any legal basis to do so. Rather, they write baseless complaints on behalf of owners in an effort to put pressure on developers. In the end, the developers foreclose on those owners, who then end up with damaged credit.Despite the harm to owners, many third-party scammers count such foreclosures as successful exits from timeshare. And they craft owner agreements that allow them to retain their upfront fees despite the foreclosure results.Horizons can accomplish the same results promised by the exit company scammers, and without the danger to your credit.
What promises should I be aware of when I look for companies to get me out of my timeshare?
What guarantees should I be cautious about when Im confronted by another company promising to cancel my timeshare?
Can I sell my timeshare?
Why This Settlement Is Important For Timeshare Owners
At a minimum, the settlement serves as an open invitation for HICV owners to apply for the company’s Horizons exit program. It also prompts other developers to offer similar exit options. However, not all owners will qualify. Typically, owners must be in good standing, paid up on all fees, and have no mortgages. Those with mortgages may still have to hire outside help to figure out how to move forward.
On the other hand, the settlement gives Timeshare Exit Team a green light to continue signing up new customers from other companies without any stigma from the HICV lawsuit. According to court records, the company still faces lawsuits, alleging similar contract-interference claims from Diamond Resorts, Wyndham Destinations, and Westgate Resorts, three of the largest timeshare chains in the world.
What do you think about this case? Do you think the settlement was a fair solution for both sides?
About the author
This answer was provided by RedWeek contributor, Jeff Weir. Jeff is a California-based journalist who has covered California, Congress, and the White House. He also has roots in Silicon Valley, where he directed public relations and marketing programs for high-tech companies. He is also a timeshare owner and member of RedWeek.com.
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Privately Owned Harder To Work With
No family trying to enjoy some well-deserved time away wants to spend their vacation stressing over an injury or near-disaster. Companies have a responsibility to avoid creating hazards such as these, and to address them when they do arise. Part of what enables Orange Lake to ignore this and many other concerns is that it remains privately owned. This status frees the company from many of the moral standards its publicly traded competitors have to meet. Because its records, operations, company policies, and decisions are not in the public eye, Orange Lake will also face less backlash for cutting corners.
This can also explain why Holiday Inn timeshares can be even more difficult to get rid of than other companies. Orange Lake has a lot of wiggle room to make it very hard for owners to cancel Holiday Inn timeshare contracts, even if fraud was involved. It may simply be that their investors interests dont align with addressing customer complaints. Either way, Orange Lake doesnt have to tell you. Get rid of Orange Lakes timeshare today.
How To Cancel Holiday Inn Club Vacation Timeshare Contracts Successfully
Do you regret purchasing a timeshare that has turned out to be a financial burden? Has the staggering truth about your Holiday Inn club vacations shocked you? Well, the timeshare vacations salespeople offer are the most luring, and you could be a victim of their unethical sales tactics.
Nevertheless, exiting a vacation timeshare can be a nightmare if you’re not cautious. Most of the contracts are crazily entangling therefore, before starting the process of finding your way out, you should take the time to determine the easiest way to do so.
Now, how do I cancel my Holiday Inn Club Vacation timeshare? Luckily, DoNotPay is here to take care of the burden.
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Zimmerman Law Group Update On The Manhattan Club Complications Continue
Complications surrounding The Manhattan Club continue as the Court requests that counsel for both parties work to resolve issues over access to the owners list. An update from Zimmerman Law Group A hearing was held in a suit we filed, Tucker v. TMC, on December 12, 2018. Because of a procedural issue, the Court was
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What Is Holiday Inn Club Horizons And How Do I Give My Timeshare Back
This program provides a free service to allow existing Holiday Inn Club owners to exit their ownership and surrender it back to Holiday Inn directly! This program can be found here Horizons homepage and includes both an online form, and direct phone number to contact Holiday Inn Club directly and begin the process of ending your ownership.
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