Business Profile
Timeshare Companies
Central Florida Investments, Inc.Headquarters
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Reviews
This profile includes reviews for Central Florida Investments, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Review Ratings
1.05/5 stars
Average of 339 Customer Reviews
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Review fromShunvonda G
Date: 05/12/2023
1 starShunvonda G
Date: 05/12/2023
This Westgate Resorts company have been scaming ppl for years . How are they still in business?
I didn't purchase the time share but I did purchase a prepaid vacation that would allow me 2 years to use and book, and before that time was up they were sending me to collections. How? How is this possible because I gave them my money and they just get to keep it and bill me for the remaining balance of a trip I haven't taken yet??? This company is the epitome of a legal scam. And consumers should be aware !!!Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 05/22/2023
May 22, 2023
RE: Shunvonda ******
Review ID # ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear Ms. ******,
We
appreciate your patience while we reviewed your correspondence. Please find our
response below.
Ms. ******, please be advised
that you are required to make monthly payments per the terms of your purchase
of the Vacation Occupancy Agreement. A review of your account indicates payment
delinquency, and Westgate is well within its rights to send your account to
collections accordingly. Please also be advised that you remain responsible for
the financial and contractual obligations associated with the agreement
regardless of whether it is utilized.
We encourage you to contact
our Vacation Traveler Team at 1-800-811-8760for further assistance with your account. They will explore options
that may be available to assist you with bringing your account current with
your financial difficulties in mind. If any questions or concerns should
remain, we may also be contacted at the email address provided below. We
appreciate the opportunity to be of service.
Respectfully,
Connor M., Executive Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Cm/amReview fromanna s
Date: 04/28/2023
1 staranna s
Date: 04/28/2023
Westgate Resorts = No accountability, no honor, intentional deception, manipulation, and greedy salespeople. I fell for the scam but realized it quickly. 7 days post-purchase I called to cancel the contract, knowing full well the State of Tennessee provides a 10-day cancellation period. Instead of honoring my legal right, they refused any cancellation assistance and immediately went into sales-mode. Little did I know at the time, this was a stall tactic to get me past the 10-day period.
While my story sounds pretty close to everyone else’s on this site, I’ll tell it anyway.
The 45-minute meeting lasted 5 HOURS. This time was mostly spent being spoon-fed information that was tactically given to manipulate a sale. It’s not just the salespeople, the supervisor, manager, and quality assurance people are all in on the scam too. I was told that what I was buying is a deeded property yet there is no guarantee that I can even use it! During the paperwork portion, everything was so rushed and the most important information in the documents was glossed over, like the rescission period. I also wasn’t given an opportunity to review the financial aspects and found out later that once interest is factored in, I am paying about double what I agreed to.
This is what you can expect from Westgate!Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 05/24/2023
May 24, 2023
RE: Anna ****
****** ** * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear Ms. ****,
We
appreciate your patience while we reviewed your correspondence. For your
convenience, we will be sending a separate letter to you directly including
additional copies of any documents mentioned herein. Please find our response
below.
It is our most sincere regret
to once again read that you no longer wish to be an owner with Westgate. With
regard to your claim about the alleged call you made after purchasing the
timeshare, as well as your concerns regarding the presentation length and
closing, as well as your purchase of deeded property, have been addressed in
our previous response which we have attached to an email that we will be
sending to you directly.
With respect to your concern
about not being given enough time to review the financial aspects of the
purchase, please be advised that as a consumer, you are able to do what you
feel is best for your purchasing decision. If at any point you were unable to
do as you chose, you would have been well within your rights to refrain from
purchasing altogether.
Regarding your claim that
there is no guarantee that you can use the timeshare, Keep in mind that you
purchased under the floating use plan for reservations, wherein you do
not own the use of a specific unit, but a certain unit type, based on
availability. Therefore, you have the right to occupy your villa at your home
resort during your current year and season of ownership without being charged
additional fees. As for your concern about the amount you are paying for
interest, please review the Closing Disclosure document which discloses
the costs associated with the purchase.
As for your concern about any negative
reviews for Westgate you may have found online, please be advised that
duplicate complaints initiated by timeshare exit companies that prey on owners
with false promises have become common on the internet. Understand, the
frequency of these repetitive complaints does not lend them any credibility or
merit.
Please understand that
Westgate does hold its employees responsible for the things they say. If you
are able to provide supporting documents for your claims, we will review and
respond accordingly. However, in the absence of such documents, no form of
verbal communication can or will supersede the contract agreement made between
you and the Developer.
As you may know, a rescission
period for contract cancellation was provided on your Contract for Purchase
and Sale document. This rescission time is mandated by the state to
allow new owners the opportunity to review their signed contract documents as
well as their purchase decision, and if they changed their mind, they could
cancel the contract. Westgate did not receive a written request for contract
cancellation within the time provided; therefore, your request to cancel your
contract has respectfully been denied.
We encourage you to contact
our Owner Benefits Team at 1-800-372-0216 for further assistance
with your account. While they do not provide contract cancellation services,
they are committed to helping you. They will explore options that may be
available to you to assist you with bringing your account current with your
financial difficulties in mind. We appreciate the opportunity to be of service.
Respectfully,
Connor M., Executive Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Cm/amReview fromLinda G
Date: 04/28/2023
1 starLinda G
Date: 04/28/2023
Westgate is the most fraudulent company I’ve ever encountered!! They kept us cooped up in the Sales room all day when it was supposed to be just a 1-hour meeting. I was over 60 at the time of presentation and feel like Westgate used that to manipulate me into signing. They use anything and everything against you and force your hand to sign. This “Investment” has cost me so much money, and for nothing. I can’t use it when I want, can’t go where I want. I’m better off going to one of those travel sites, like Priceline.com or something. Now I’m in a Contract that’s such a hassle, and burden!! DO NOT GET SUCKERED into this elder abuse scheme!Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 05/24/2023
May 24, 2023
RE: Linda *****
********* ** * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear Ms. *****,
We
appreciate your patience while we reviewed your correspondence. For your
convenience, we will be sending a separate letter to you directly via email
including an additional copy of the document mentioned herein. Please find our
response below.
It is our most sincere regret
to read that you no longer wish to be an owner with Westgate. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have
experienced due to the length of the presentation you attended and if you felt
pressured or uncomfortable in any way. Please remember that in order to receive
the promised gifts, you were only required to attend the presentation for 90
minutes and had no obligation to remain past that time or to purchase. We ask
for you to understand that it would have been at your discretion to inform the
sales staff or closing officer of any discomfort to ensure proper action was
taken and refrain from purchasing if your concerns were not addressed to your
satisfaction. While Westgate is a sales-driven company, at no point were you
forced to stay or to purchase a timeshare.
With regard to your concern
about your age at the time of signing, please be advised that no one is
excluded from taking a tour or purchasing with Westgate. As such, Westgate
firmly denies participation in any form of elderly abuse.
As for your concern about the
alleged investment potential of your timeshare, please be advised that Westgate
requires all owners to complete the Acknowledgment of Representations document
to eliminate the possibility of any misunderstandings with regard to what may
have been presented to you, which may have influenced your decision to
purchase. Your signatures and initials on this document confirm that you
purchased this property for personal use and that there were no representations
made regarding investment or resale potential. Additionally, they confirm your
understanding that Westgate does not have a rental or resale program. As an owner
of an interest in timeshare real estate, you can use, rent, sell, or transfer
any rights of ownership at your own discretion as Westgate does not assist with
these processes.
Regarding your concern about
when and where you are able to use your timeshare, please
be advised that we will be addressing this matter in a separate letter that
will be emailed to you directly for the protection of your private information.
Regarding your claim that it
would be cheaper to book through a third-party company, please keep in mind
that at the time of purchase, you were provided with the costs associated with
travel. Please understand that as the consumers, it was your responsibility to
review the financial obligations associated with the purchase to ensure that
the purchase fit within your financial means.
Please understand also
understand that at each property, there are two allotments of inventory: sold and unsold. Westgate pays the HOA on all unsold inventory just as
owners, such as you, pay the HOA on sold inventory. Because of this,
each of you has control of the usage rights, which will allow you to rent,
sell, or use the property any way you see fit based on availability. That being
said, Westgate chooses to use its unsold allotment toward growth (e.g.,
marketing, 3rd party rentals, etc.), which results in offsetting
resort fees. To be clear, this unsold inventory in no way affects your sold allotment’s availability.
Please also be advised that you
are able to book from an owner-exclusive inventory pool and are entitled to
rights and benefits that are solely offered to our owners. The discounted stays
that you see online are governed by very strict requirements, which include a
limit as to how many a consumer can accept.
Our
research has concluded that you were given full and fair disclosure of the
purchase terms and conditions. As the consumer, it was your responsibility to
review the terms of the purchase to ensure they fit within your financial means
and travel needs. For Westgate’s and your protection, the written documents
signed and initialed by the parties are considered expressions of our mutual
understanding of the purchase transaction. Please know that Westgate too is
bound to comply with the terms of the written documents, which constitute the
only verifiable evidence to establish the terms of your ownership. With that
being said, it is Westgate’s position that your contract is valid, enforceable,
and it will not be cancelled.
While
we are appreciative of your concerns, we remain here to help you. We encourage
you to contact our Owner Benefits Team at 1-800-372-0216 for
further assistance with your account. While they do not provide contract
cancellation services, they are committed to helping you. They will explore
options that may be available to you to assist you with bringing your account
current with your financial difficulties in mind. Thank
you for the opportunity to be of service.
Respectfully,
Connor M., Executive Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Cm/amReview fromS. P.
Date: 04/26/2023
1 starS. P.
Date: 04/26/2023
Do not get swindled by Westgate and their various attempts to get you to sign a Contract! Westgate made us a BUNCH of FALSE PROMISES/HOPES. We were MISLED, LIED TO, MANIPULATED, and DECEIVED. Westgate promised us FREE GIFTS, and it’s all for NOTHING! You can book online at ************ *******.com, etc., and get more bang for your buck! AND you won’t be tied down to a Contract. These ruthless, conniving Salesmen are 1000x WORSE than when going to buy a car. SAVE YOUR TIME, MONEY, and SANITY!!!Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 05/18/2023
May
18, 2023
RE:
Steven ******
********* * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear
Mr. ******,
First
and foremost, please understand we appreciate your ownership and belief in the
philosophy of the many benefits of regular vacations on both health and
personal connections. We do regret that you are dissatisfied with your purchase
and apologize for any misunderstandings you may have experienced.
With
regard to your claim of being able to book cheaper rates online, please know
that at each property, there are two allotments of inventory: sold and unsold. Sold inventory consists of weeks that have been backed by a contracted
sale in which an owner is contractually bound to pay the Homeowners Association
(HOA) dues. Since the Developer pays the HOA dues and taxes on all unsold
inventory, he has the right to and chooses to use it to promote growth and offset
costs by offering discounted vacation packages and rental stays using unsold inventory that he controls. To be clear, this unsold inventory in no way
affects the consumer’s sold allotment’s availability. Additionally, be
advised you are able to book from an owner-exclusive inventory pool and are
entitled to rights and benefits that are solely offered to our owners. The
discounted stays that you see online are governed by very strict requirements,
which include a limit as to how many a consumer can accept.
Mr.
******, for the Developer’s and your protection, the written documents signed
and initialed by the parties are considered the expressions of our mutual
understanding of the purchase transaction. Please know that Westgate too is
bound to comply with the terms of the written documents, which constitute the
only verifiable evidence to establish the terms of your ownership. While you
are entitled to your opinions, Westgate’s position is that the contract is
valid and enforceable. As it is Westgate’s desire to help all of our owners
realize the full potential of their vacationing asset, we encourage you to
contact our Owner Relations Team directly at 1-800-925-9999 / option 4 for
personalized assistance with all account matters. Should any questions or concerns
remain, please reach out to us at the email address furnished below.
Respectfully,
Michaynalda
L., Executive Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Ml/amS. P.
Date: 07/06/2023
LoL - YOU JUST COOKIE CUT YOUR RESPONSE. Look.. dont buy from WESTGATE, they promise you a lot and lie about even more. You CANNOT refi your timeshare with your bank. Something we asked and multiple WG people said it would be able to do to lower your loan interest rate. WG said we can do it once it goes to title at courthouse in NV. Said we could spilt or partial times into 3 or 4 weekend uses...you cant. You can't book or use the interval travel add on - No dates are available....EVER (so another lie) So let's break down your response a few different ways.
(your claim) - "To be clear, this unsold inventory in no way affects the consumer’s sold allotment’s availability." (my reply) Ummm yes it does because nothing is ever able to be booked because you have over sold your inventory of unused/used. We had to move our dates 4 times because nothing was able to be booked as an owner. (WG lied here too)
(your claim) - You can refi your timeshare to lower your interest rate"
(my reply) no you cant. No bank will ever touch a timeshare for a refi. You have predatory lending with WG and no other means to have a lower rate. (WG current interest Rate is 14.99%) This is your best deal but if you dont act today, the deal will be gone tomorrow. (so thats not predatory lending?)
(your claim) - "Additionally, be advised you are able to book from an owner-exclusive inventory pool and are entitled to rights and benefits that are solely offered to our owners. The discounted stays that you see online are governed by very strict requirements, which include a limit as to how many a consumer can accept."
(my reply) This is false and at no point in time are you able to provide any type of inventory pool for Owners. Everyone is first come first serve. There is nothing special about booking through WG vs booking thru travelocity (R); In fact, you were higher is most of the cases when booking a flight or a hotel. One of your "OWNERS ONLY SPECIALS" was actually higher than going through the hotel directly by 41 dollars. So you aren't saving anyone by using your nonexistent travel service. All they ever do is try to get you to upgrade to the next tier level. More bait and switch from WG.
There are way too many false and misleading statements and none of them were addressed in your BBB reply. To all others out there looking at a WG property: Stay as far away from Westgate as you can. This was the worst mistake I have ever made by dealing with WG.
--
Review fromANA Z
Date: 04/24/2023
1 starANA Z
Date: 04/24/2023
¡Westgate es una compañía terrible que ni siquiera merece una estrella! Mi familia se ha convertido en víctima de su estafa de tiempo compartido y, como muchas otras personas aquí, a nosotros también nos mintieron y manipularon para comprar un tiempo compartido de estos vagabundos. Cuando fuimos a su presentación de venta, fuimos sometidos a muchas tácticas de venta de presión y violaciones que eventualmente nos llevaron a firmar un contrato por un tiempo compartido extremadamente caro. Todo comenzó con una villa gratis que se nos fue ofrecida en una de sus propiedades en Orlando, íbamos a asistir a una reunión de ventas que es donde comenzó nuestra pesadilla. Se suponía que la reunión sería corta, pero terminó siendo una prueba de 5 horas. Se dijeron muchas mentiras sobre la propiedad de un tiempo compartido y no se nos reveló mucha información crucial. Te dicen que sus tiempos compartidos son una “inversión” esto es todo lo contrario. Es una gran pérdida de tiempo y dinero. Nunca nos dijeron que teníamos un número limitado de días para cancelar la compra. Ahora estamos atrapados con un tiempo compartido que no podemos usar y una gran cantidad de deuda. Mintieron en casi todo; ¡esto es una estafa! Nunca nos dijeron que las tarifas de mantenimiento aumentarían drásticamente cada año, incluso cuando no usa el tiempo compartido. Antes de que comenzáramos a firmar los documentos legales, el agente de ventas nos dijo que no hiciéramos preguntas ni mencionáramos ciertas cosas al notario. Nos prometieron unas vacaciones de 4 días y 3 noches pero esto también fue mentira. Están vendiendo tiempos compartidos de manera ilegal, horrible. Lamentamos cada participación con Westgate. Mire lo que todos los demás dicen, ¡los tiempos compartidos de Westgate son una estafa!
Translated by BBB Representative:
Westgate is a terrible company that doesn't even deserve one star! My family has become a victim of their timeshare scam and like many other people here, we too were lied to and manipulated into buying a timeshare from these homeless people. When we went to his sales presentation, we were subjected to many high-pressure sales tactics and violations that eventually led us to sign a contract for an extremely expensive timeshare. It all started with a free villa that was offered to us at one of their properties in Orlando, we were going to attend a sales meeting which is where our nightmare began. The meeting was supposed to be short, but it ended up being a 5 hour test. Many lies were told about timeshare ownership and much crucial information was not revealed to us. They tell you that their timeshares are an "investment" this is the opposite. It's a big waste of time and money. We were never told that we had a limited number of days to cancel the purchase. Now we're stuck with a timeshare we can't use and a huge amount of debt. They lied about almost everything; this is a fraud! We were never told that the maintenance fees would go up dramatically every year, even when you don't use the timeshare. Before we started signing the legal documents, the sales agent told us not to ask questions or mention certain things to the notary. They promised us a vacation of 4 days and 3 nights but this was also a lie. They are selling timeshares illegally, horrible. We regret every involvement with Westgate. Look what everyone else is saying, Westgate timeshares are a scam!
Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 05/25/2023
May 25, 2023
Email: *********************
RE: Ana ******
****** ** * ****** * **** * ********* Dear Ms. ******,
Westgate's corporate office is in receipt of your BBB review.
Please know, we are truly sorry for any confusion or misunderstanding that you may have experienced in the course of your recent purchase of a timeshare at Westgate’s resorts.
It is Westgate’s desire to provide our owners with an outstanding vacation experience when they use their ownership, and feel disheartened that you have not chosen to make use of your vacationing asset as contracted. Since we have previously addressed your concerns and in order to protect your privacy, we will be responding to your allegations in your native Spanish language directly to your email address on file.
Respectfully,
Blas P., Executive Team
Owner Relations Correspondence
[email protected]
Bp/acsReview fromElla D
Date: 04/24/2023
1 starElla D
Date: 04/24/2023
Westgate Resorts is one of the most disreputable companies, that is full of dishonest salespeople. They will lure you into a high-pressure sales pitch, while you are innocently attempting to enjoy your vacation. If you think that they will be honest or empathetic you are wrong. If you let them know you can’t afford it, they will simply amend the lie to “suit” what you can “afford”, then try to appease you by simply lying to you by overvaluing their product. Then doubling down by reassuring you that they will buy it back or you can resell, it at a profit, which is the most outlandish lie!
They even ran our credit without our consent and drew up a contract PRIOR to us agreeing. The confusion with maintenance fees and the total amount of debt you are incurring comes from high pressure to purchase with multiple people approaching us. There is no way we can afford this, we are in our 60’s, and we were manipulated, pure and simple. We would never recommend anyone to buy with Westgate moving forward if this is how they treat their "owners." After many failed attempts to speak to anyone at Westgate about our problems, we have not gotten anywhere. We have resorted to writing to the owner of Westgate, in the hopes that he finds it in his heart to help two elderly individuals out of this abusive contract.?Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 05/17/2023
May
17, 2023
RE:
Ella ******
********* * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********Dear Ms. ******,
We
appreciate your continued patience while we researched and reviewed your
concerns. Please accept this as Westgate’s response and additional copies of
the mentioned documents have been sent to you directly for your reference.
Ms.
******, we were saddened to read about your dissatisfaction with Westgate thus
far and we apologize for any lack of quality customer service you may have
experienced during your attempts to contact and get assistance from our team
members. Please be advised that we have previously addressed your concerns
regarding pressure, affordability, buyback, and resale. As such, we are resending
our previous response dated March 16, 2023, directly to you for further review.
With
regard to your claim that the contract was drawn up prior to your agreement,
allow us to clarify that the Proposal and the Proposal Review are
both in fact, agreed to by all parties before the contract is drawn up and
later executed. In reference to your claims regarding your credit being run
without your consent, we kindly ask that you provide us with documentation to
support that Westgate ran your credit on the day of sale, for our further
review.
Ms.
******, ultimately, Westgate’s position remains that full and fair disclosure
of the purchase terms, including the costs and maintenance and tax obligations,
were provided on the day of sale. As such your contract is valid and
enforceable. We continue to encourage you to contact our Owner Benefits Team at
1-800-372-0216 for assistance with your account. Should any questions or concerns remain, please reach out
to us at the email address listed below.
Respectfully,
Executive
Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Ml/amReview fromMark S
Date: 04/20/2023
1 starMark S
Date: 04/20/2023
I am a Navy Veteran, and I served my country with honor and dignity, however I cannot say the same thing for the salespeople at Westgate Resorts. Over a period of 5 hours, we were lied to about so many things. They told us that once we pay off the loan in 10 years there would be zero cost to take vacations for the rest of our lives. Yet, no one bothered to disclose the maintenance fees are perpetual in nature and there are so many nickel and diming fees when you do get to travel (if you’re lucky enough to get a reservation). After declining 6 offers, they wore us down and finally presented a price within our budget, at least that’s what we thought. They told us we could vacation EVERY year for the rest of our lives, yet we discovered they put us on a plan that we can only use every other year. When signing the contract with the notary, we had several questions we wanted clarification on, but she told us she was not allowed to answer any questions, so just sign here and initial there.
If you are reading this review, steer clear of Westgate. They will lie, cheat, and steal their way into your bank account. They will hold you hostage and refuse to accept NO for an answer.Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 05/17/2023
May 17, 2023
RE: Mark *****
****** * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear Mr. *****,
We
appreciate your patience while we reviewed your correspondence. Please find our
response below.
First and foremost, please
allow us to express our most sincere level of gratitude and appreciation for
your service to our country. We deeply regret to read that you no longer wish
to be an owner with Westgate. We sincerely apologize
for any inconvenience you may have experienced due to the length of the
presentation you attended and if you felt pressured or uncomfortable in any
way. Please remember that in order to receive the promised gifts, you were only
required to attend the presentation for 90 minutes and had no obligation to
remain past that time or to purchase.
We ask that you understand that it would have been at your
discretion to inform the sales staff of any discomfort to ensure proper action
was taken and refrain from purchasing if your concerns were not addressed to
your satisfaction. As you have also stated that you felt rushed during the
closing process, please know that had you informed the closing officer of this
concern, they most certainly would have proceeded at a pace with which you were
comfortable. Please be aware that daily, there are hundreds of consumers who
choose not to purchase and are given their agreed-upon incentive. While
Westgate is a sales-driven company, at no point were you forced to stay or
purchase a timeshare.
With regard to your claim that
you were told that the notary was not allowed to answer any of your questions,
please be advised that our review of the closing does not support this. Please
be advised that our review of the closing indicates that the closing officer
asked if you had any questions to which replied that you did not. Please also
be advised that your claim that you were told that there would be no cost to
utilize your timeshare is neither substantiated nor supported by our review of
the closing; however, we can confirm that If you use your deeded week at your
home resort in your occupancy year and season, no additional fees would be due.
While your claim that you were
told that you could vacation every year is unsubstantiated as it is based on a
verbal statement that cannot be validated, we can confirm that there are owner
benefits available to you that would allow you to travel every year. This
includes locking off your unit to split your usage; however, please be advised
that any reservations outside of your contracted usage rights are
considered owner benefits, which are provided through the Westgate
Resorts Internal Exchange and are also based on availability and subject to
additional fees as disclosed in the executed Acknowledgment of
Representations (AOR) document. As for your
concerns regarding availability, please be advised that we will be addressing
this concern in a separate response that will be emailed to you directly for
the protection of your private information.
With regard to your claim that
the additional fees were not properly disclosed, please be advised that all
fees associated with the utilization of the timeshare are outlined between the
executed Contract for Purchase and Sale (Contract), Public
Offering Statement, Closing Disclosure, and AOR documents.
For your convenience, we will be sending you additional copies of these
documents directly via email for you to review.
Regarding your concerns about
the perpetuity of the maintenance assessments, please also be advised that as
disclosed within the executed Contract document, you purchased deeded
real estate in the form of a timeshare which includes the conveyance of an
interest in real property in perpetuity. This means that you will remain
responsible for the financial and contractual obligations associated with the
timeshare unless there is a change in title. Additionally, please be advised
that our review of the closing indicated that you were advised that maintenance
assessments would be due every even-numbered year starting in 2022.
Our review has confirmed that
you were provided full and fair disclosure of all matters pertaining to your
purchase on the day of sale. As no wrongdoing was found that would affect the
validity of your contract, your request for cancellation and refund is
respectfully denied. While this is the case, we understand that individual
circumstances can change over time and wish to assist our owners as best as possible.
To this end, we urge you to contact our Account Services Team at 1-888-999-0101 for
further assistance with your account. While they do not provide contract
cancellation services, they are committed to helping you. They will explore
options that may be available to you to assist you with bringing your account
current with your financial difficulties in mind. If any questions or
concerns should remain, you may also contact us at the email address provided
below.
As you are a respected and
valued owner with Westgate, we thank you for the opportunity to be of service.
Respectfully,
Connor M., Executive Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Cm/amReview fromYanique A
Date: 04/17/2023
1 starYanique A
Date: 04/17/2023
I strongly advise you to be cautious when dealing with Westgate Resorts. I recently had a very disappointing experience with their sales staff that used false urgency tactics to pressure me into making a purchase. The presentation lasted over six hours; it was pure torture. Despite declining the offers multiple times they would just keep pushing their lies on us.
One of the most concerning issues was the lack of transparency about the cost to use the exchange company, as well as inaccurate information about the exchange program. They also lied about the resorts being private and exclusive. To be clear anyone can stay at their resorts, and it’ll be cheaper if you make reservations on Expedia or Hotels.com.
I feel extremely disappointed and misled by this company, and I urge others to be cautious when considering dealing with them. Always ask for transparent and honest information about your investment, and never let yourself be pressured into making a decision.
If you want Westgate to get in touch with you, just fall behind on your payments and your phone won’t stop ringing. I answered one of these calls and told them I had sent a letter of cancellation and to stop calling, They denied I ever sent a letter and were extremely rude throughout the whole phone call.
Don’t let Westgate trick you into one of their “short” presentations. They will keep you there as long as they want and will say whatever it takes to pressure you into buying into their scam timeshares.Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 05/02/2023
May
2, 2023
RE:
Yanique *********
********* * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear
Mrs. *********,
We
appreciate your continued patience while we researched and reviewed your
concerns. Please accept this as Westgate’s response.
First
and foremost, we regret to read that you may feel dissatisfied with your
experience with Westgate thus far and for any lack of quality customer service you
may have experienced while attempting to get assistance from our staff. We
apologize for our delay in response to your previous correspondence postmarked
February 15, 2023. Be assured that your correspondence was received, and we
will also be addressing the concerns raised in that correspondence below.
Please
know we are sorry for any inconvenience you may have experienced due to the
length of the presentation you attended and if you felt pressured or
uncomfortable in any way. Please
remember that in order to receive the promised gifts, you were only required to
attend the presentation for 90 minutes and had no obligation to remain past
that time or to purchase. You were well within your rights to have stopped the
presentation at any time. Additionally,
be advised that the inventory being offered during the presentations is considered
“live” inventory. Because the properties and units available can and do change
depending on what is sold, the representative may have expressed some urgency,
but you were under no obligation to purchase the product or services offered.
We
ask you to understand that it would have been at your discretion to inform the
sales staff or closing officer of any discomfort to ensure proper action was
taken and refrain from purchasing if your concerns were not addressed to your
satisfaction. While
Westgate is a sales-driven company, at no point were you forced to stay or
purchase a timeshare. Daily,
there are hundreds of consumers who choose not to purchase and leave with their
agreed-upon incentive, accordingly. As such, you were well within your rights
to have stopped the presentation at any time.
In
reference to your mention of investments, be advised that your Public
Offering Statement (provided on the day of sale) states “the purchase of a
timeshare should be based upon its value as an investment into a lifetime of
future vacations and not considered for purposes of acquiring an appreciating
investment or with an expectation that the timeshare interest may be resold.”
Additionally, with regard to your claim of having to pay a fee for exchanging,
please keep in mind that exchanges are not contractual in nature and that this
option is provided through a third-party company. Furthermore, exchange fees
and the fact that it is a separate membership is fully disclosed in the Proposal
Review. We have forwarded a copy of this document to the email address on
file for your account, for your further review.
With
reference to your claim of finding availability and cheaper rates online,
please know that at each property, there are two allotments of inventory: sold
and unsold. Sold inventory consists of weeks that have been backed by a
contracted sale in which an owner is contractually bound to pay the Homeowners
Association (HOA) dues. Since the Developer pays the HOA dues and taxes on all
unsold inventory, he has the right to and chooses to use it to promote growth
and offset costs by offering discounted vacation packages and rental stays
using unsold inventory that he controls. To be clear, this unsold inventory in
no way affects the consumer’s sold allotment’s availability. Additionally, be
advised you are able to book from an owner-exclusive inventory pool and are
entitled to rights and benefits that are solely offered to our owners. The
discounted stays that you see online are governed by very strict requirements,
which include a limit as to how many a consumer can accept.
Mrs.
*********, ultimately you were provided full and fair disclosure of the
purchase on the day of sale. As such, Westgate’s position is that the Contract
is valid and enforceable. Westgate’s desire is to help all of our owners
realize the full potential of their vacationing assets. As such, we encourage
you to contact our Owner Benefits Team at 1-800-372-0216 for assistance with
your account. Should any questions or concerns remain, please reach out to us
at the email address listed below.
Sincerely,
Executive
Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Ml/amReview fromDwayne B
Date: 04/11/2023
1 starDwayne B
Date: 04/11/2023
Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort is a complete sham. Their sales representatives are slick and deceitful, and they use every trick in the book to sell you a timeshare. They lure you in with a free vacation and then subject you to an eight-hour sales pitch filled with lies and high-pressure tactics. Their claims of luxurious resorts and worldwide travel opportunities are nothing but hot air, as we were never able to book a single vacation through them. Even worse, they stole over $9000 from us, leaving our family in despair. I would strongly advise anyone considering a timeshare with Westgate to run the other way and not look back.Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 04/24/2023
April
24, 2023
RE:
Dwayne ******
********* ** * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear
Mr. ******,
We
thank you for your feedback and were saddened to read about your
dissatisfaction with your purchase. We
appreciate your continued patience while we researched and reviewed your
concerns. Please accept this as Westgate’s response.
First
and foremost, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have
experienced due to the length of the presentation you attended and if you felt
pressured or uncomfortable in any way. Please
remember that in order to receive the promised gifts, you were only required to
attend the presentation for 90 minutes and had no obligation to remain past
that time or to purchase. We ask you to understand that it would have been at
your discretion to inform the sales staff or closing officer of any discomfort
to ensure proper action was taken and refrain from purchasing if your concerns
were not addressed to your satisfaction. While Westgate is a sales-driven
company, at no point were you forced to stay or to purchase a timeshare.
In
reference to your claim of not being able to book and feeling as though
Westgate stole from you, please allow us to clarify exactly what you
contracted. On June 28, 2021, you purchased usage rights of a timeshare which
provides you annual use of a 2-Bedroom Lock-off Villa at the Westgate
Smoky Mountain Resort & Waterpark during an All-Season Week.
Keep in mind that you purchased under the Floating Use Plan for reservations,
wherein you do not own the use of a specific unit, but of a certain unit type,
based on availability. Therefore, you have the right to occupy your villa at
your home resort during your current year and season of ownership without being
charged additional fees. To improve the likelihood of securing desired travel
dates, Westgate allows owners to book reservations up to eleven (11) months in
advance of their travel dates.
With
regard to your claim of being advised that you would stay at luxurious resorts
and have worldwide opportunities, while this is a verbal allegation that cannot
be substantiated, we can confirm that you are able to utilize your owner
benefits to travel outside of your home Resort to various other locations.As part of the many benefits that
come with being valued Westgate owners, you can utilize your week through Westgate
Resorts Internal Exchange program to travel to other Westgate Resorts.
Additionally, Getaways, which are provided through Interval International (II) and Westgate Cruise & Travel Collection (WGCTC)
allow owners the opportunity to expand their travel options with the
possibility of booking worldwide. Keep in mind, any travel through II or WGCTC is subject to their terms and conditions as they are third-party
entities with memberships separate from your Westgate ownership, and Westgate
neither governs nor controls their processes or inventory.
Mr.
******, Westgate’s position is that the contract is valid and enforceable.
Nonetheless, we do regret to read about any hardships you may be facing. As it
is our desire to be of assistance, we encourage you to contact our Account
Services Team at 1-888-999-0101 for further assistance with your account.Should any questions or concerns
remain, please reach out to us at the email address listed below.
Respectfully,
Executive
Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Ml/amReview fromP. N.
Date: 04/02/2023
1 starP. N.
Date: 04/02/2023
BUYER BEWARE! There is a reason this company doesn’t want to associate with the BBB! We are an owner for over 20 years in Orlando and in the beginning enjoyed our timeshare! Approximately 3 years ago we transferred our ownership to Cocoa Beach since it was closer to home and our children are grown. All was good and we decided to purchase another unit…what wasn’t clearly explained to us when we purchased the second unit is that they lowered our exchange power to get us the price they presented! Making it very difficult to exchange our week to any other resort! Even our home resort has LOTS of blackout dates. I have written two letters to corporate and have not received any response! We are very disappointed! We have been a loyal customer for over 20 years with every payment made on time! Beware of EVER detail of your trade power BEFORE you sign anything! Example: we wanted to trade our two units for Gaitlinburg…it would cost us an additional $500 to exchange our units IF we could get availability!! The resorts are beautiful…I will admit but, dealing with this company takes all the pleasure away!Central Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 04/17/2023
April
17, 2023
Email:
********************
RE:
Pamela *******
********* ** * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear
Ms. *******,
We
thank you for your feedback and were saddened to read about your dissatisfaction
with your purchase.
Please
be advised that we are still in the process of researching your concerns, and
we will respond directly to you as soon as our review is complete.
Respectfully,
Michaynalda
L., Executive Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Ml/amCentral Florida Investments, Inc.
Date: 04/25/2023
April
25, 2023
Email:
********************
RE:
Pamela *******
********* ** * ****** * ******* * *********** * **** * *********
Dear
Ms. *******,
We
thank you for reaching out to Westgate directly and are pleased to have reached
an amicable resolution with you. Westgate owes its success to respected and
valued owners like you, who have embraced our philosophy that regular vacations
can, and do, lead to improvements in health, personal well-being, and family
connections.
We
thank you for the opportunity to be of service to you. Should you wish to speak
with us or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the
email address provided below.
Respectfully,
Executive
Team
Owner
Relations Correspondence
Westgate
Resorts
[email protected]
Ml/amP. N.
Date: 04/25/2023
Westgate reached out to us and we are very happy our issue was directed to the correct department and our issue was addressed. We are in the process of working on a resolution that will solve our complaint. The staff that contacted us was very professional and were very determined to make us happy. It has restored our confidence in the company that we knew 20 years ago. Our family is looking forward to many more fun vacations at Westgate.
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