ComplaintsforVacation Internationale Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Almost 1 year ago, my fianc and I purchased a timeshare with Vacation International, believing it would be an efficient way of vacationing. The sales pitch was high-pressure, emphasizing benefits like open availability and investment potential through renting the property. However, after taking out a loan, I realized the promises were empty.I attempted to reserve rooms through the timeshare, but availability was scarce, and the quality of resorts was not as advertised. We have been blindsided with the outrageous costs that are brought monthly. The maintenance fees are insane. I have called numerous times and either get hung up on or someone is really rude and says we will get a call back and we never do. Nobody has been able to help us. In hindsight, I believe I was taken advantage of because I didn't fully understand the system or my ************, I feel trapped in a costly and unfulfilling timeshare agreement.

  Business response

  06/12/2024

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your concern.

  After reviewing this account, we see this account was purchased in October 2023. We don't see any notes from owner services that this owner has called in to request reservations or requesting to cancel within the rescission period. 

  Please call our loan department at ************** to see what options they have for your account. 

  Sincerely,

  ***************************

  Client Relations Manager

• Initial Complaint

  05/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On February 18, 2023, we attended a presentation at Vacation lntemationale (VI) in Vancouver **********. It was supposed to be a "short" 90-minute presentation. We told them we do not vacation much because we cannot afford It and cannot get off work very much. We were encouraged to stay open-minded and make sure to participate during the presentation. The presentation was fast paced and full of hype. There was a point in the presentation when they started saying stuff that made us feel guilty and they said we are "missing out on life." At this point, another man stood up and announced that he had a free 1-week cruise to give away to the first person who joined. Then the pressure to decide turned up higher. It was all so overwhelming. Now we are taken to an office to do the paperwork. There was so much paperwork and in between the paperwork, the rep would get off topic, so it was so hard to focus on what was happening. We did not understand everything or how much it was going to cost. We felt pressured into opening the Interval World Mastercard for the downpayment and financing the balance. We were told someone would reach out to us in a month to follow up and go through everything. NO ONE ever contacted us. The billing for the Mastercard started right away. We started payments for the balance to VI In April and I guess we got our points on July 1st, but we did not know how to use them. We also received a bill dated July 1st for $1,355.20 from VI for maintenance fees. We finally got a call to go back to Vancouver to "learn how to use the resorts and points." On September 9, 2023, we met with the same rep that sold us the timeshare in February. He went on to tell us all the perks and again there was so much to the sales pitch It was overwhelming, and we felt pressured again. By the end of this almost 3-hour visit, we had amended our contract to upgrade. We we're extremely pressured through this process, and we can't afford to pay for something we can't use.

  Business response

  05/10/2024

  To Whom It May ******************* account was cancelled on March 20th 2024 as failure to pay on a financial obligation; forfeiting all money that was paid as they were out of the legal timeframe to cancel the membership. This has been communicated through various emails. In addition, the fee of $43,000 is not accurate - as that was not what was purchased nor paid for. 

  Regards

  ***************************

  Client Relations Manager

• Initial Complaint

  03/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 3.05.24 my husband and I sat through a presentation with a gentleman. When we told him we were not comfortable at this time and we would be happy to revisit in a few months he said no, yelled at us and said to just take our trinket (assuming he meant free trip) and he slammed the door shutting us in his office. We grabbed our things and immediately rushed out. He followed us, we nicely told him we did not want the trip, we just want to leave. He followed us yelling the whole time. I should not have been fearful when leaving this appointment, I should not have been out in a situation where someone slammed the door trying to force me too stay somewhere I didn't want to be. I had every right to say no to his sakes pitch without feeling threatened. They have my personal information and my husband on file and I am extremely uncomfortable with that. I would like that information shredded or sent to their corporate office where they w will have no access.

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  Thank you for your candid feedback, as it will continue to help us get better as a company. We will be following up with the representative regarding your experience. Rest assured we have removed you from our database, as well as discarded and shredded your information. 

  Customer response

  03/18/2024

  Hi ******, 
    I needed a little time to get my response to you because I wasn't really sure what I needed to say. While I saw the response saying that they were going to dispose of our personal information, they made it very clear at the beginning of our appointment that they keep all of that information and they do it for very specific reason and it's so people can't come in and get multiple free trips because that's what comes along with sitting through these things I guess. I'm having really hard time believing that that is going to happen. Even if I leave that part of it alone the more important issue was not addressed. The person we were sitting with became aggressive when I said I didn't think he was hearing me out and that we weren't prepared to buy anything from him that day and he's and I told him that he was being aggressive and he said he's just trying to sell something and I'm just mad about it and I should allow him to sell it to me and how dare I come in just to get a trip, it blew my mind. I've never sat through one of these before and the fact that he could slam a door and trapped me in an office yell at me throw papers and act like a complete fool was unacceptable. I worry that in the future there will be people who are maybe younger than me that will be scared to say no because of this behavior. I should have read more reviews and I should have looked into this more because I didn't know what it was and if you can look a little further into not just the BBB issues, but looking into Yelp and ****** this isn't the first time this has happened and as many times as you see them saying we're going to address this it obviously has never been addressed. This type of aggressive selling is abusive and I felt abused in this situation. He even chased us out the door to try and throw this trip at us that we said we no longer wanted because we didn't want them to have any type of hold on us. That's ridiculous. I did not find their answer to this acceptable I would love to know how they hold people accountable for this type of behavior. I don't need to know about this specific person I am sure that is private and I am sure they cannot share that. But they have done nothing to say what they do to hold these people accountable when they are threatening and yelling and essentially attacking customers. Do they write them up, do they have a sit-down conversation with them, do they mention to them when they slam a door in their face and make him sit in an office when they don't want to it's a little bit of entrapment if not holding someone against their will? I need to know that this will not happen to somebody else.
  
  Thanks,
  *******
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On Mar.6/23, I booked online with the *** website a vacation for Dec.25-30/23 using ***** *** points converted from VI points. I completed the transaction Mar.6/23 and paid the fee of CAD347. However in Jan./24, I received a bill from VI charging me USD636 for 53 rental points. I then called them for an explanation. The VI agent told me that the number of *** points used for the Mar.6/23 booking were wrong and insufficient due to an error in the ***/VI conversion system. According to **, a voicemail message after the completed transaction and a letter sent April 13/23 advised me of the USD636 charge. However, the voicemail message and letter did not mention the charge for USD636 was due to the error in the ***/Vi conversion system. Also the letter dated April 13/23 indicated it was not a bill. There were no instructions on the voicemail message/letter to cancel/change my original booking to avoid the extra charges. The agent from VI customer relations claims that *** often loads wrong points onto members' accounts. *** has denied this claim. The fact that VI members can book with *** using *** points converted from VI points shows that *** works on behalf of VI to book vacations. Both *** and VI are legally responsible for any unfair charges to the members. According to the Consumer Protection Act, any charges after a completed transaction without prior disclosure and consent contravene the code of fair practice. The consumer cannot be held responsible for any charges due to error in the company's business system.It is the legal responsibility of VI to delete the charge of USD636 in my VI account.

  Business response

  02/14/2024

  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond to this concern. 

  We have removed the charge on the account. Thank you.

  Customer response

  02/14/2024

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

• Initial Complaint

  02/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I went. To a presentation were he compared the prices to motel 6 and it all a lie prices dont reflect that and he verbally told me my points were yearly and on paper is every two years I was never informed about 150 dollars maintenance fee I was told you pay this total prices in payments no interest and it charges a lot of interest. You guys are a scam dont explain anything and you say one thing verbally and in paper is something else

  Business response

  02/07/2024

  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond to the concern regarding the ************** Assessment. We have reached out to this owner and believe this should be resolved as satisfied. 

  Client Relations Manager

  ***************************

   

  Customer response

  02/07/2024

   
  Complaint: 21254261
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  Customer response

  02/09/2024

  what was missed in discussion was the down payment was going to incur an additional fee outside of their ONE monthly payment, paying a whole of a lot more than what we were told & expecting. The only communication was regarding the ONE monthly payment fee (+ maintenance fee). Trips arent free trips, everything either comes with a deposit, or some sort of fee.We felt like we were misrepresented, omitting a material fact. Now, there would have been TWO monthly payments made + maintenance fee, had we actually known that, would not have been an option wed choose because excess monthly payments. These tactics are a poor representation of integrity and we dont want to give our money to those who take advantage of others.

• Initial Complaint

  01/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Vi resorts sold us a time share and was all a lie and misleading. Was told one thing and author was done. The charges are beyond what's was described, when we went in they said that we were never told that and that's not how it works. We were *** they would buy it back with was a lie. Unable to use . As well as for months we have been put off and keep getting the run around. There was never a 3 week meeting , keep getting told we will get contacted ect it's a big joke

  Business response

  01/15/2024

  To Whom It May ******************** you for allowing us to respond to this complaint. We see ******************** purchased our program in October 2023. She received all documents that described the credit card she applied for and how the down payment would be applied; along with the monthly in-house financial obligation, as well as the annual operating assessment. ******************** also received information about her right to rescind the purchase within the 7 days allowed by **************** Law. 

  ******************** came into our office again in December 2023 upset with receiving bills that they did not expect. Did not allow for further explanation and review of the program and documents.

  The VI account has now been closed per the request of ********************. All funds paid will be kept as liquidated damages pursuit to paragraph 15 of the VI Purchase and Security Agreement that is signed by ********************* 

  Sincerely, 

  ***************************

  Client Relations Manager

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

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

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In March of 2023 we signed up with this company because we were told we can cancel at any time. After 7 months and constantly looking we have not been able to find anything that isn't already booked. This has costed us thousands of dollars at this point and much more of a headache then it's worth. We initially signed up for the 7 year plan thinking that we can cancel and when we call to do exactly that we were transferred to their loan department saying we can defer up to 3 payments or pay 40% of the loan. I have recently been informed that my company is closing down it's office and that I'm being laid off at the end of December, so we can't afford a little of three thousand dollars right now to cancel a service that we thought we could cancel at any time. As of right now the only option that they are giving us to do this, is to stop paying the loan which will make the loan go into default and go against our credit. This has been the worst thing that we could have ever purchased and would never recommend this to any one else.

  Business response

  12/08/2023

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your concern. Our sales office has been in touch with this consumer and we believe this has been resolved. We were able to help schedule a vacation for March **** with their program, as well as offer some assistance with their financial obligation. We believe this case should be closed as satisfied. 

   

  Thank you,

  ***************************

  Client Relations Manager

• Initial Complaint

  11/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have solely received delinquent notices and late fees from their company, with no attempt to address our concerns. The absence of communication on service-related issues is unacceptable. Despite being labeled as "valuable customers," our dissatisfaction persists.We're frustrated and appalled by their unethical sales tactics, exposing numerous lies. The inability to reach representatives compounds our distress. Deceived at the time of purchase, we find such practices unacceptable. The belief that we could sell the timeshare has been false. The reservation system was told to us as being easy, but nothing is available and the website crashes and is poorly made. We demand the immediate cancellation of the timeshare and a prompt refund of any owed funds.

  Business response

  11/22/2023

  Thank you for your inquiry. We see that you have had four different purchases with our company over the years. This account was closed for loan default back in April 2023. You no longer own a vacation ownership with VI Resorts.

   

  Sincerely

  ***************************

  Client Relations Manager

• Initial Complaint

  09/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In September of 2021 we signed up with VI Resorts. I truly feel like they are taking advantage of people. I understand it is my responsibility to read the fine print and understand the finances before signing anything. However, how they explained it felt very tricky and since I was told my pricing would add up to under $200 a month and that was not the case. We were told our pricing for a lifetime membership would be around $11,000. **** they were showing us numbers with a loan and credit card, they were showing us the numbers if we paid it all off early which was not explained to us very well. In the end we signed up for over $22,000 with all the interest fees. On top, there is a maintenance fee every month. I take responsibility that I should have read and understood everything better, however, they are very aggressive and intimidating to the point where you truly feel like you can't say no. They write down numbers and on paper then throw them away quickly so it all goes too fast. After reading reviews I can see that we were not the only ones to fall for this scam. We are drowning and can't afford to pay over $600 a month for credit card, loan and maintenance fees. This company should be regulated and should have much higher restrictions on the wording and aggression that nearly forces you to agree to insane amounts of money. I feel truly fooled. This has set me back more than I can manage at this time as I am a caregiver for my mother who suffered from a stroke and has MS. **** I have called them to explain my hardship, they told me to quit paying the maintenance fee but they couldn't do much more due to the loan I have out with them. They also told us we would pay less and have more if we signed up for Platinum Membership, however with all the mail and wording, we are confused because it says our Platinum Membership is expiring, yet they tell us its not. Everything is meant to confuse you, until you make a decision you extremely regret. Can email pictures.

  Business response

  09/20/2023

  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to response to this concern. We have reached out to this owner and offered, what we believe to be, a fair resolution to their concerns. We believe this matter is resolved. 

   

  Sincerely, 

  ***************************

  Customer response

  09/20/2023

   
  Complaint: 20615407
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have not been contacted due to the complaint. I've made many calls regarding issues and I have not had any calls back. I was told to talk to the loan department and they seem to be unable to get a hold of. I've called and left messages twice to see if we can come to a resolution as I am quite literally going broke trying to pay the close to $600 a month in credit card, maintenance fee and loan payments ALL created through them. I would appreciate a call with hopes of a response. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************************

  Customer response

  09/20/2023

  Please disregard my initial response as my emails did not come in the correct order. VI has offered a manageable resolution. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  09/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Property Information: The Oasis Resort ***************************************************************************** Vacation Stay booked on hotels.com The stay was for Aug *****th 2023, 3 rooms under 3 separate reservations and Names. *******************: Itinerary#************** ***************************: Itinerary#************** *********************************: Itinerary#************** I was in attendance with my service animal ********, a golden retriever trained to administer deep pressure therapy. I was assured my attendance would be ok with ******** as the property ad on hotels.com permitted service animals:*********************************************************************************************************** departure all 3 rooms were charged a pet fee of $350, My service animal was with me as I visited friends in all 3 villas but primarily the top 2, this is to be expected as he is a service animal. When calling to negotiate with the on site staff the Manager ***** was rude and unhelpful stating that we needed special clearance or would have been put in a special room with an animal, per the *** this is not allowed. She recommended I contact hotels.com and ************** Vacation Internationale Inc.Hotels.com was just the advertiser and booking agent, had no authority to ***** a refund. Vacations internationale **** Stated my we were charged a pet fee for my service animal and that a supervisor would follow up this week. I'm waiting on that response but wanted to share this experience with the BBB as other reviews have shown this is a pattern at this property. Additionally I feel targeted and embarrassed by the situation. This business is operating outside of *** guidelines for service animals and discriminating against disabled individuals in doing so.

  Customer response

  09/08/2023

  This matter has been resolved as a result of the complaint ***************** reached out directly and assured me the property had been reached out to, the charges have been dropped, and he will be doing a training on service animals at the management summit this year. 
  

  I am very satisfied with the action the business is taking to resolve this matter. 

*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. ↩