ComplaintsforSteele Hill Resorts, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  05/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My partner and I were on auto-pay for years. His card was comprised. He called Path Vacations on 1/29/24 to give them his new card information to continue the auto-pay that we've had for years and to pay the yearly dues. He never really paid attention to make sure the monthly charges were coming out. (shame on us). Well we finally figured out what happened when they called us but they won't take our payment because they say it went to a collection agency. (including all fees) So I called today because I am normally calmer. ******** explained to me that although a call was received from us with his card information they did not receive "explicit authorization" from him to take the payment and that he rushed her off the phone. We checked our records and the call lasted 10 minutes and 48 seconds. I don't even understand this. He called to make the payment and actually gave you the card information so what other authorization would be needed? To be fair I was told they emailed me. Did it go to spam?? Then sent 2 letters on 3/25. We received 1 in late April while we were trying figure out what happened. We just want to make our payment minus the late fees and whatever else fees as we feel we gave them authorization on January 29, 2024 to take the payments. I asked to speak with ********** boss and I was told there was no one higher than her.

  Customer response

  05/07/2024

  Last night after I filed this complaint we were talking about the phone call on January 29th between **** and ********. I was in the room for that conversation. **** remembered that he had asked about what our payoff would be. It was $3000 something so he mentioned it would be cheaper to pay off the balance in the future in the next few months than to continue with the auto payments. We find it very suspicious that after that phone call none of our payments were taken out. 

  Customer response

  05/08/2024

  I spoke with ***** from ****************** which I was advised is their in house collection agency. She gave me a breakdown of charges. Not only did ******** continue our payment plan, she never authorized the payment for our yearly dues and fees.

  Mortgage : ****** Fees/Dues: $706.21

  Total: $1321.23

  We feel we owe:

  Mortgage: $444.60 (4 payments of $111.15)

  Fees/Dues: $539.99

  Total: $984.59

  We do not feel we should be responsible for the interest and collection fee ($175.22) or any other fees. The difference is $336.64.

  Business response

  05/10/2024

  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to ************** and ******************** complaint.  On January 22, 2024, the loan autopay that ******************** and ************** had on their account declined.  Per protocol, they received an automated email the same day, an email from a representative on January 23 and a phone call on January 26, 2024.  On January 29, 2024, ******************** called back and had questions on the Annual Member Dues and terms of the loan.  ******************** stated he would be paying off the loan on February 29, 2024.  Mr. needed to end the call, but provided a card to put on file prior to hanging up the phone.  The agent followed up via the email on file on the same day to confirm that an autopay was not set up, when late fees would be assessed, and to please call us to address.  On February 5, 2024, an agent emailed the members a notice of being delinquent.  Another email was sent to the members on February 21, 2024 regarding the delinquency.  Notices of the delinquency on both the loan and Annual Member Dues were mailed to ******************** and ************** on March 25, 2024.  ************** received a call from a representative on April 12, 2024 checking in on a payment as the account was slated to go to a third-party collection agency.  ************** stated that ******************** handled the bills and he would call in within a few days.  Representatives gave additional time to ******************** and ************** and did not forward the account off to the third-party collection agency for further collection efforts until April 25, 2024. ******************** called in on April 29, 2024 to ask why he didnt have an autopay set up.  The agent informed him of the status of his account and that he would need to pay collections.  ************** called in on May 6, 2024 to discuss the account.  After reviewing the details and timeline of what transpired on the account, she stated that all the emails probably went to spam and they did receive one of the letters.  ************** told the agent that they do not keep track of payments so they didnt know the monthly autopay hadnt been running.  The agent explained that we did not have explicit confirmation to set the card provided on January 29, 2024 up on an autopay.  ************** also stated that if the representative did not take her payment during the call, she would file a report against the organization.  We are sorry that ************** is upset regarding the collection fees on her account; however, the information was provided via mail on the letters dated March 25, 2024 and nine attempts to reach ******************** and ************** were unsuccessful.  If ************** and ******************** have any further questions, representatives can be reached Monday through Friday, 8:30a to 6:00p at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I would like to received a copy of my contract with this resort for my review

  Business response

  08/01/2023

  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr. ******’s request.  Upon receiving the request from the Better Business Bureau, a representative of the contracted management company emailed the contract to Mr. ****** and left a message on his phone to give member representatives a call if he has any further questions or requests.  Representatives can be reached Monday through Friday, 8:30a to 6:00p at ###-###-####.

• Initial Complaint

  04/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My husband and I have been members in good standing with this business since for many years. Our membership dues fell behind. I made a call to the membership team to set up a payment arrangement. I had made a payment, asked them to automatically debit the reminder. They stated they couldn't do this. I became very ill and unable to call to make the payment. I was immediately transferred to collections without as much as a follow up call. I was not informed this was happening and when I attempted to pay my balance it was refused. We don't find this to be good faith customer service to value members of their resort.

  Business response

  04/20/2023

  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mrs. *******’s complaint.  We certainly appreciate Mrs. *******’s membership with us and strive to provide stellar customer service to our members.  Mrs. ******* spoke with a representative of the contracted management company on March 10, 2023 after she received a Final Pre-Collection Notice to discuss payment on her Annual Member Dues. This notice stated all payments were due by March 12, 2023 or the account would be forwarded to a third-party collection agency.  A representative and Mrs. ******* worked out a payment plan and Mrs. ******* would call on March 16, 2023 to pay the remaining balance.  Representatives did not hear from Mrs. ******* until April 20, 2023.  To give Mrs. ******* the benefit, representatives did not forward the account to a third-party collection agency until April 11, 2023.  If Mrs. ******* has any further questions, representatives can be reached Monday through Friday, 8:30a to 6:00p at ###-###-####.

  Customer response

  04/20/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because: 

  This customer service is far from “stellar” from this business. Had a true benefit been given they would made a phone call to myself or my husband-who is co-owner, where they would have been informed of a medical emergency involving an ICU stay, stokes, seizures and ruptured body parts. Had they accepted the auto debit they also would have received payment on time. 

  I personally made all contact with this business directly in good faith to clear up debt. People don’t make partial payments to avoid debt! Had I not called them I would have no idea this was forward to collections.

  I am more then happy to take a call from them directly to pay debt in full.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *******

  Business response

  04/27/2023

  We have worked with Mrs. ******* to come to a solution that works for all parties.

  Customer response

  05/11/2023

  BBB spoke with this consumer who indicated that the business has resolved this complaint to their satisfaction.  

• Initial Complaint

  04/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Called and emailed about a promotion I won. When I responded to the call they went through a process of various deals they would throw in and asked for a card. I was not aware the fee was non-refundable and mentioned I would calling back to confirm. Found out that my girlfriend, who was not part of the call, could not make the date or any of the dates in the time range that was offered as a possible solution. First person asked me if I was 28 which I responded I wasn't then proceeded to say that was fine after finding out my girlfriend who was no party to the call or anything else was 28. Based on that I answered yes to the second time my age was asked to expedite the call. Based on their sites terms I am not eligible to be a part of their promotion and therefore could not make the agreement in the first place and I asked to cancel for a refund. They refused.

  Business response

  04/11/2023

  In scheduling promotional stays for guests, we are required to comply with the fulfilling hotel’s reservation polices; this would require a nonrefundable deposit provided to the resort in exchange for the provided inventory. We are required to clearly relay these terms and conditions to guests upon booking a reservation with Path Vacations as well as provide the same terms and conditions in a written document.
  

  Customer response

  04/12/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because: This consumer did not indicate to BBB why they did not accept the business's response to their complaint. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  02/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I stayed at Steele Hill in room 46A. I checked in on 2/3/23 with a check out date for 2/5. I spent a total of $431.84. Shortly after checking in, my guest and I discovered that the outlets by the bed did not seem to be working. We tried unplugging the lamps and re-plugging them in. After we got the lamps working, my friend got a little electrical shock from the outlet. I informed the front desk. We were both electrocuted when flipping light switches on and off several time, and also noticed that the jets for the whirlpool tub in the room did not consistently work, as well the TV would randomly stop working and that it appeared that the minifridge was not currently on. My friend called down to the front desk and a handyman was sent up. He was there for a total of less than five minutes and all he did was press on the outlets and flip a few switches. After failing to replicate the shock we both had received, he left. The following day, Saturday, we were once again shocked several times and had to keep moving our phone chargers around the room because the outlets would seemingly stop working periodically. At one point, I had to charge my phone in the bathroom because the outlets in the room were not working properly. Saturday night my friend got shocked again, this time extremely loudly. I called the desk again to inform the desk and once again they offered to send someone. When checking out on Sunday, I informed the girl at the desk of everything and she simply said "someone would look into it and get back to me". On Monday I spoke on the phone with a manager named Jamie. She was very nice but once again I was simply told that maintenance hadn't found anything while checking the room, and that was that as far as she was concerned. Regardless of what was or wasn't found, I and my guest were shocked SEVERAL times over our stay and nothing was done about it. That is unacceptable. The basics of the room I paid for did not work either. This room is not safe.

  Business response

  02/20/2023

  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr. *****’s complaint.  Representatives of the contracted management company have been in face to face and phone contact with Mr. ***** to discuss his concerns.  Mr. ***** checked in with us on February 3, 2023 at 3:41pm.  At 6:45pm, Maintenance was dispatched to Mr. *****’s room to check for a potential electrical issue.  The call was cleared at 7:09pm when the technician was unable to replicate the issue.  Mr. ***** called on February 4, 2023 to further discuss the electrical issue and asked that Maintenance come by after 3pm.  Based on the notes we have on file, it appears the call was canceled. Upon check-out on February 5, 2023 at 9:51am, Mr. ***** did share the issues he encountered and we did send a Senior Maintenance Technician to the room to assess the situation.  The Technician was unable to replicate the issues described.  A follow-up call was placed to Mr. ***** letting him know that we were unable to replicate the issues and was asked if there was anything we could do for him and he declined.  After receiving notice of the Better Business Bureau complaint, the Vice President of Operations and Maintenance Assistant Manager were dispatched to the room to investigate the issues further and were unable to replicate the issues.  Ensuring our rooms are safe is of the utmost importance and we are happy Mr. ***** voiced his concerns to us.  We are sorry that Mr. ***** was disappointed with his stay, but hope he gives us a try again soon. 

  Customer response

  02/21/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because: this is bold false lie. I did cancel any call for someone to look at my room. I told the desk about the issues and when they offered to second someone, I told them I would check in with my guest to make sure they were awake and dressed before a strange man came into the room I was paying for. When he did come and failed to find the source of the issues. we are not offered anything to change the situation. Not a single solution was offered, so it a lie to tell me I declined because I wasn't offered an solutions. Not a single staff member offered any solutions and only told us to call if it happened again. Which it did, and no one offered us a solution again. The only time I declined anything was when my guest got shocked again when we were heading to bed, and that's because it almost 2:00 AM, we didn't want a man to come in and do nothing again when we were already exhausted, and frustrated this business's lack of action to assist us.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

  Business response

  03/03/2023

  Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr. *****’s complaint.  As stated in our prior response, we sent four individuals (Maintenance Technician, Senior Maintenance Technician, Maintenance Assistant Manager, and Vice President of Operations) to review the issues Mr. ***** presented.  Unfortunately, we were unable to replicate those issues.  Again, we are glad Mr. ***** voiced his concerns and allowed us the opportunity to investigate.  

  Customer response

  03/04/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because: this does not resolve the fact that my guest and I were still shocked multiple times. Regardess of your attempts, it does not negate the fact that we shocked and no one was able to offer any proper accommondations at the time of service to make us feel safer or that anyone even remotely cared. And at this time I still feel you do not care for our, or perhaps guest's, safety seeing as how poorly this has been handled. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This company used a bait and switch tactic. They promised a refund of an $89 if we went on this “walk” around the property. With that promise in hand, we tried to book for the weekend we wanted. They did not book out that far, they they said to bool sooner then move it. We did, and I called today to move the date. They said the at that’s a weekend rate instead of weekday (which is fine) but said I can no longer get my walk money back which was promised. I would have never booked in the first place. I finally gave up and said I’ll pay the additional money for the weekend time, but I was going to file a complaint for sketchy business practices with you guys. They then said I (threatened) them and cancelled my whole res and refuse to give me back my deposit of $89. If they cancelled instead of me, I should be getting back that money. This is theft .

  Business response

  10/17/2022

  On 9/23/22 at 11:29 AM, Mr. ******** had returned a call left for him by a Representative regarding an entry he had submitted at a Fisher Cats event. During this call, Representative had offered Mr. a 3 day, 2 night promotional midweek stay for $89. Mr. was informed that there would be an informational walk and talk as part of this promotion and upon completion of the walk and talk his $89 would be refunded. Mr. asked if he could call back later on, to which the Representative set up a time to call Mr. back regarding the offer. 
  
  On 10/3/22, Mr. returned a call from Representative following up on the promotional offer. During this conversation, it was explained again to Mr. that the promotional offer was a midweek stay. Mr. stated to Representative that he would like to stay on the weekend. Representative explained to Mr. that promotional weekend rates are $239, non-refundable. Representative explained to Mr. that they could set up the $89 stay tentatively and Mr. could call back later to reschedule to a weekend stay, and at that time the resort would “minus” the $89 from the weekend promotional rate, resulting in Mr. only having to pay the difference. 
  
  On 10/11/22, Mr. called in to reschedule to a weekend. Supervisor quoted Mr. an additional charge of $110 for the rate of $199 total for a promotional weekend stay. At this time, Mr. expressed that he got “screwed” on the deal and claimed that this was not explained to him. Supervisor explained to Mr. that the $89 rate is for midweek only and that the weekend promotions do differ. Mr. asked if the $89 would still be refunded, at which time Supervisor explained to Mr. that the $199 is completely non-refundable and he would not receive the $89 back. Mr. claimed that Representative told him that he would still get his $89 back if he moves it to a weekend. Supervisor explained that this is not something the resort offers. Mr. reiterated that he was told he would still be refunded the $89 if he were to move it to the weekend and stated he was told he would get the $89 back “no matter what” and would not be interested in a weekend if he does not get that back. Supervisor offered to review recordings and get back to Mr. Mr. Accepted and they disconnected the call. 
  
  Later that day at 12:49 PM, Supervisor called Mr. back regarding his claim. Supervisor explained what their findings were on the recordings, and that the representative was clear with Mr. about the weekend being non-refundable. At no time during either of their conversations did Representative explain to Mr. that he would still be refunded $89 for completing the walk and talk, should he change his reservation to a weekend. Supervisor suggested that it was a misunderstanding since the Representative did relay the correct information to Mr. Mr. and Supervisor went back and forth for some time before Mr. decided to move forward with rescheduling to a weekend for the non-refundable rate. Mr. reiterated again that he was told the refundable $89 was for any trip up there. Supervisor explained that none of this was on the recording. Mr. then stated to Supervisor that he would come but would not attend the walk and talk. Supervisor explained that if Mr. does not attend the walk and talk, he would be charged the retail rate for his room, per promotional terms and conditions. Mr. then said he would call back and immediately disconnected the call. 
  
  At 12:56 PM, Mr. called in again. He told Supervisor that he would like to go ahead and provide the card info needed to “just get this done” and then stated this was the “shadiest thing [he] has ever done in [his] life.” Supervisor continued with the process of charging Mr.’s additional deposit for rescheduling to a weekend per Mr.’s request. Mr. commented on the resort getting $200 out of him “really quickly.” Supervisor reminded Mr. that the resort has been very transparent with him about everything, to which he replied that the Resort has not been transparent and he would be reporting this to the BBB. Mr. had been very hostile during each of the conversations this day. At this time, Supervisor notified Mr. that the transaction that had just been processed would be voided as he will not be rescheduled. Supervisor also let Mr. know that at this point his reservation would be canceled. Mr. expressed that he would like his $89 refunded, Supervisor declined the refund as all deposits are non-refundable prior to completion of promotional obligations. Mr. said he would be reporting the resort for sketchy business practices, and at this time the call was ended.
  
  

  Customer response

  10/17/2022

  
  Complaint: 18198069
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because: [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution. If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.]
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

  Customer response

  10/18/2022

  
  Complaint: 18198069
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because: [You must provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution. If you do not enter a reason for your rejection, your complaint will be closed as Answered.] I have not received the $89 refund. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

  Business response

  10/19/2022

  The refund has been processed successfully as of 10/18/2022 to the card on file. It can take 5-7 business days for the refund to reflect on the cardholder's account.

  Customer response

  10/19/2022

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 18198069, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  They have issued the refund. 
  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  5/1/22 stayed at Steele hill and the staff were very helpful and pleasant. UNFORTUNATELY—they only allow you to use the main pool with the tot area and water slide for 90 minutes and then ask you to leave. I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT HAD I KNOWN THAT. imagine paying for a vacation hotel and being told you can only use the prime pool for 90 minutes absurd. This was not the situation when I purchased and at a minimum I should be grandfathered.

  Business response

  05/12/2022

  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr. ********* complaint.  We are writing as representatives of the management company that services Mr. ********* trust interest.  Per the Rules and Regulations, when Mr. ******* stays at his home resorts, he is subject to any and all rules and regulations of that resort.  At Steele Hill Resorts, the West Indoor Pool is the most popular pool.  In 2020,  management put an occupancy limit in place with the West Indoor Pool for the safety and enjoyment of all guests.  Mr. ******* should note that the West Indoor Pool is the only pool onsite with this policy needed to comply with the required occupancy code restriction currently. We are certainly sorry for Mr. ********* disappointment.  If Mr. ******* has any further questions, we would encourage him to reach out to representatives at 603-242-2861 (Monday - Friday, 8:30a to 6:30p).

• Initial Complaint

  11/17/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We signed up for Steele Hill Vacation Club and an RCI Membership on October 23, 2021. Three weeks later we received our information and included were details including various hidden fees (hundreds of dollars worth) associated with using our member benefits. We have not used any of our member benefits yet and requested a refund stating that had they disclosed these fees to us up front, we never would have signed up for it. They are telling us that since it has been past five days (we just got the info on these hidden fees this week) that we cannot get a refund or get out of this. Basically, they are telling us we are locked into this program that costs $148/month, plus over $500 annual fee, plus all of these hidden fees for any use of the membership. We were given a FAQ sheet that speaks to the points exchange fee, but that is it. We made a $990 deposit up front and need to get this money back. We were also told that last calls were $200 for a week, but looking at the website the cheapest one is $289 and I have no idea what H/S means, but we were shown a beautiful two bedroom and told $200 a week and on the fee list a 2 Bedroom is $349. That is a big difference! We were lied to on multiple occasions during the sales pitch that we are just now realizing and they are telling us that we are locked into paying them for the next 460 months because they lied to us up front, gave us 5 days to back out and three weeks later finally disclosed all of these hidden fees. Please help us!

  Business response

  01/13/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/18) */ Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr. and Mrs. ******'s complaint. Representatives of the contracted management company have been in e-mail contact with Mrs. and Mr. ****** to discuss their concerns. After corresponding with Mrs. ****** and investigating her claims, we did not find any wrong-doing. Mrs. ****** is able to book vacations with no additional costs at our Vacation Club, is able to utilize complimentary services through our Member Advocate team, and can utilize the external exchange company's optional membership program at the costs outlined and provided in the third-party's universal network documentation. Representatives are always happy to assist Mr. and Mrs. ****** with making vacation plans and maximizing their membership. Those representatives can be reached Monday through Friday, 8:30a to 6:30p at XXX-XXX-XXXX. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/11/23) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The entire presentation was based on RCI. It was very confusing. They even had us watch a video on RCI. So, it was not clear to us that RCI was a 3rd party with their own set of fees. That information should have been revealed up front, since that is really what they are "selling" you in the pitch before they have you sign a contract that is really for Steele Hill with RCI simply being a benefit you can access with their own set of fees. I accept that despite the pressure we felt to sign and read later over the next 5 days, that we could have made the choice to not let them rush us and to take the time to read first and sign later. However, we still would not have known about the RCI fees until 3 weeks later, well after the 5 day rescind date, so I am not sure that would have made much of a difference. We feel that we were deceived. The company could easily let us out of this contract, but refuses to do so. This has left us feeling trapped and angry. I have never experienced anything like this with a company. To be locked into a lifetime financial commitment based on half-truths and not be given all of the facts up front feels awful. It is hard to understand how this is legal. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2021/12/08) */ Thank you again for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr. and Mrs. ******'s Inquiry. Representatives of her homeowners association's contracted management company have been in phone contact with Mrs. and Mr. ****** to discuss their concerns. Via legal vehicles established by the state of New Hampshire the ******'s purchased personal property ownership rights in a trust which is governed by an association of owners. This transaction is a purchase of real personal property within the framework of the association's regulatory compliant bylaws and network rules. As such, the contracted management company does not have discretion over the disposition of transfer of the asset in question. Legally this is the sole right of the property owner within the framework of the homeowner's associations rules established for all individuals and legal entities holding rights to the trust. Fortunately, representatives from the management company have been in contact with the ******'s via phone and believe that they **** be able to assist in a manner that **** satisfy the ******'s concerns. Conversations continue and the matter has been situated outside of this forum.

• Initial Complaint

  09/21/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  "Path Resorts" charged an unauthorized amount on my credit card. They claim to have told me about this over the phone and through email, both of which are false.

  Business response

  11/02/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/23) */ On 8/6/21 at 9:26 am, Representative had reached out to Ms. and left a voicemail letting Ms. know it was in regard to her attending an event that we partnered with and asked Ms. to return Representative's call as soon as possible. At 9:47 AM, Ms. returned the call and left a voicemail. At 10:03 AM, Representative returned Ms.' call. Representative introduced themselves and informed Ms. that she had gone to one of the events that the resort partners with. Representative describes Steele Hill to Ms. and confirms her information. At 3 minutes and 20 seconds, Representative informed Ms. that she had been selected for a promotion at Steele Hill from an entry form Ms. had submitted with us at the event she attended recently. At 3 minutes and 55 seconds, Representative informed Ms. that she had been selected for a two- night stay for $59 at Steele Hill. At 6 minutes and 8 seconds, Representative let Ms. know that they would be required to attend a 90-120 membership introduction tour as part of their stay to introduce Ms. to Steele Hill's Vacation Club. It was stated to Ms. that there were no obligations to buy or join. In order to maintain the promotional rate, it is resort policy that the 90-120 minute introduction does need to be attended, which is written in the terms and conditions. At 6 minutes and 58 seconds, Representative informed Ms. that her $59 deposit would be refunded at the end of the introduction tour. At 7 minutes and 55 seconds, Representative informed Ms. that this promotional offer was valid for mid-week reservation only. At 8 minutes and 55 seconds, Representative explained to Ms. the resort policy, which gives the guest until 14 days prior to make changes to reservations. Representative suggested the dates of 9/15/21-9/17/21, and explained that with those dates she would have until September 1st to make changes to her reservation per the resort's 14-day cancellation policy. After September 1st, Ms. would not be able to make changes to the reservation per the cancellation policy. At 9 minutes and 2 seconds, Ms. stated, "Okay, yes, let's do that." Representative confirmed dates and reiterated that Ms. would have until September 1st to make changes to the reservation. At 9 minutes and 25 seconds, Representative informed Ms. that they would also receive a free round of laser tag at the resort during their stay. Representative confirmed the amount of people that would be on the reservation, Ms.' email, and Ms.' billing address. At 10 minutes and 58 seconds, Representative reiterated once more that Ms. would have until September 1st to make changes to her reservation. At 11 minutes and 42 seconds, Representative confirmed Ms.' credit card information. At 12 minutes and 58 seconds, Representative let Ms. know that she would be transferred to the Supervisor to finish confirming the reservation. On 8/6/21, at 10:19 AM Supervisor introduced themselves to Ms. and then explained that they would be confirming Ms.' information once more before setting up the reservation and sending Ms. her confirmation email. Supervisor re-confirms Ms.' information. Approximately 2 minutes into the conversation, Supervisor confirms the dates of Ms. reservation; checking in September 15th and checking out September 15th, Wednesday to Friday, and confirmed with Ms. that these dates would work for her as of right now. At 2 minutes and 14 seconds, Supervisor explains to Ms. that with the dates she had chosen, the resort offers a 14- day cancellation period. Due to the resort's 14-day cancellation policy, Supervisor informs Ms. that she will have until September 1st to make changes to her reservation. At 2 minutes and 30 seconds, Supervisor informs Ms. that if she were to make changes inside the 14 day cancellation period, the resort policy for this action would be to charge her the retail rate for her room and emphasized to Ms. the importance of calling no later than September 1st to make changes. At 2 minutes and 46 seconds, Supervisor also extended to Ms. the option to add Trip Protection to her reservation for an extra $30; this would exempt any guest from paying the full retail rates for reservations up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled check-in date. Ms. declined Trip Protection. Supervisor informed Ms. there would be more information about the Trip Protection in the confirmation email and offered Ms. up until 6 pm the following day to add the Trip Protection if Ms. happened to change her mind. At 3 minutes and 27 seconds, Supervisor informs Ms. that the membership introduction tour would take place one of the following days after check-in. Supervisor explains to Ms. that couples are required to attend the introduction tour together, as well as anyone else that were to come with them. Supervisor explained that the introduction tour would last 90-120 minutes depending on interest, and that there are no obligations to buy or join into the Vacation Club. At 3 minutes and 53 seconds, Supervisor explains the importance of attending the introduction, and also explains to Ms. that the resort policy for not attending the introduction is to charge her the retail rate for her room. Supervisor emphasizes to Ms. that she needs to attend the introduction tour in order to receive the deposit back for her stay, and to collect the gifts that Representative had added to her promotion. At 4 minutes and 12 seconds, Supervisor informs Ms. that the confirmation email being sent to her will be coming from a no-reply sender and may end up in her Spam folder. Supervisor recommends that Ms. look over the email to make sure all of the information looks correct. At 4 minutes and 25 seconds, Supervisor informs Ms. that the promotional terms and conditions that were discussed during their call would be in the confirmation email in writing, and recommends that Ms. reviews those as well. Supervisor then directs Ms. where in the email to find her tour date and time, her referral code, and detailed directions to the resort. Supervisor then informs Ms. about the resort's incidental hold and that she will also find information about that in her email. Supervisor directs Ms. to make sure she brings her confirmation email to the introduction with her, along with two forms of identification. At 5 minutes and 43 seconds, Supervisor informs Ms. that the $59 deposit is only refundable upon completion of the introduction tour, and that the $59 does remain non-refundable up until this point. At 5 minutes and 51 seconds, Supervisor asks for Ms.' verbal authorization to charge Ms.' card for her stay. Ms. provides her verbal authorization for her card to be charged. Supervisor confirms with Ms. that she has the phone number to reach the promotions department in case she does not receive her email, or has any other questions. On 9/14/21, a Representative reached out to Ms. to confirm her upcoming reservation. Representative left Ms. a voicemail asking Ms. to return the call to confirm the reservation and left the phone number to reach back out. On 9/20/21 at 2:42 pm, Ms. called in to the promotions department regarding a charge on her card. Representative takes Ms.' name and phone number and informs Ms. that the supervisor will return her call as soon as possible. On 9/20/21 at 3:04 pm, Supervisor returns Ms.' call. At 20 seconds into the call, Ms. explains to Supervisor that she had checked her credit card statement and saw a charge from Path Vacations for $440. At 40 seconds, Supervisor explains to Ms. that she was charged retail rate for being a "no- show" for her reservation. At 54 seconds, Ms. informs the supervisor that she was told that her $59 would not be refunded if she did not go to the resort for her stay and that the $440 was never mentioned during any prior conversation. At 1 minute and 5 seconds, Supervisor explains to Ms. that it was explained at the time of reservation that if Ms. were to not attend the membership introduction, or if Ms. were to try to make any changes to the reservation inside the 14- day cancellation period, the resort policy is to charge the guest the retail rate for their room. The Supervisor then reminds Ms. that this is also outlined in the confirmation email that was sent to her. At 1 minute and 22 seconds, Ms. informs Supervisor that she will be disputing the charge and claimed that this information was not explained to her during the reservation. Supervisor explains to Ms. that the same promotional terms and conditions are communicated to everyone who makes a reservation through the department before guests give authorization to be charged for their reservations. Supervisor explained to Ms. that being charged retail rate for not attending the introduction is one of the terms that are explained during the process. At 1 minute and 37 seconds, Ms. informed Supervisor that the resort should expect a dispute. Supervisor accepted this information and at that time Ms. ended the call. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/09/24) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The "retail rate" was never given to me at the time I put a deposit down. $440 is what Steele Hill just decided to charge me, without my authorization. They WERE authorized to charge my card $59, nothing more or less. I also never received this email they're referencing. Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2021/10/28) */ As previously mentioned, on 8/6/21, at 3 minutes and 53 seconds, Supervisor explains the importance of attending the introduction, and also explains to Ms. that the resort policy for not attending the introduction is to charge her the retail rate for her room. Retail rates for rooms are dependent on which room has been reserved for the guest, and the retail rates for all of the resort's rooms are listed in the confirmation email for reference. A confirmation email was sent to Ms. on 8/6/21 at 10:30 am. Before the email was sent, Supervisor confirms with Ms. that she has the phone number to reach the promotions department in case she does not receive her email, or has any other questions. On 9/14/21 at 4:24 pm, Representative had reached out to Ms. to confirm her upcoming reservation, at which time another confirmation email was sent to Ms. The Representative provided the phone number to reach the promotions department in a voicemail at this time as well. There was no return call back from Ms. We have reviewed all policies and practices with regards to this case and have found that all policies had been adequately and clearly disclaimed to Ms. verbally as well as in writing.

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid in full for a time share and have paid all maintenance fees required. When I call to get a week there is none available. I then asked if there were days I could take and they said there is none available. They said I should call earlier in the year, meaning race against others to grab limited units available. Then they desire me to pay a maintenance fee. I'm so frustrated that I purchased vacation times that they can not produce. And then they want me to pay a fee to up keep a facility to be sold to others. I asked can you carry the vacation over to the next year? I thought that was a fair compromise. They said no. How is this even ethical or legal? I would like a vacation or have them purchase my time share back. It's like purchasing a car from a dealer but you can't drive the car because they rented it to someone else. I hate doing business like this. I think they should purchase back my time share. This is criminal.

  Business response

  10/06/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/07) */ Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr. *******'s complaint. We are responding as representatives of the association's contracted management company. Mr. ******* spoke with a representative at the end of May regarding a week as Mr. ******* believed a week was automatically booked for him. The representative placed Mr. ******* on the waitlist as the eight (8) remaining weeks out of sixteen (16) weeks in his season had already been booked by other members. The representative also reviewed the Calendar of Weeks with Mr. *******. All member weeks do open up 350 days in advance of the check-in date. Members have access to the Calendar of Weeks via the member portal which specifies the earliest call in dates for any particular week. Mr. ******* remains on the waitlist for any weeks in his season for the rest of the year and the Central Reservations team will reach out to him if a week does open up. He currently sits very high on the waitlist for weeks in his season. If he has any questions, we would encourage Mr. ******* to reach out to us at XXX-XXX-XXXX, Monday through Friday, 8:30a to 6:30p.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩