Westgate Resorts the biggest ripoff Kissimmee Florida

I  purchased a time-share at Westgate just 3 days ago and when I called them to cancel it yesterday, they told me every lie under the moon that I cannot or they have to get me to my closing officer or they have to mail me my contract and it will take over a week to get to me. They even offered me a lower price on my time-share and told me I have 24 hours before the offer expires.. Now can someone tell me why they are negotiating price with me if they say I cannot cancel.  Now that I have stated tennesse law to them chapter 1260-6 that i have fifteen days to cancel since I was not shown the property.  Now nobody wants to talk to me.  I am mailing them a letter via certified mail with notice to cancel. I also paid a lawyer to hand deliver the notice of cancellation to them. You better believe i will be getting my deposit back as well.  I do not like being lied to. I will never stay at a Westgate property again no matter how nice it is.

The timeshare industry has been into the lion’s mouth for the last couple of years, and it has generated lots of controversy and discussions in many forums and blogs on the web. However, since we’re living an economic downturn, anyone would expect that the timeshare sales collapse, but instead of that the sales seem to be increasing… but this comes with a trap timeshare scams are increasing too. That leads us to the question: then, why keep people investing on timeshares? 

Hi ex employee and others who have been lied to,

I bought back in 2001, realised that I was misinformed and tried to get out, but I was 1 day too late.

I decided to pay the mortgage.  I paid maintenance a few times, tried to use the thing once but to no avai, after banking that year.  I decided to stop paying maintenance, they had lied to get me to sign and it was not easy to use when I bothered to try. 

I dont live in the States so Wgate has only just gotten hold of me.  Can anyone tell me what has happened to those who have stopped paying the maintenance?  I havent read anywhere that Wgate actually has foreclosed, only that they could.  Have any of you been successful in getting out of the contract with Wgate, or had success in court cases?  If it does go to court and theres a judgment for the money owed, what happens to foreigners they cant track down, when they next enter the States?

I owe 3 yrs of maintenance from over 6 yrs now, and they are offering to take it back if I pay what is owed.  I dont even know I believe they will do that with all the lies they tell.  Their collections advises that Wgate is very patient in no hurry to take it to court, and that they dont want to foreclose.  So what happens then?  Will they foreclose in 10 yrs time possibly?

Any advice on what has happened to others who stopped paying would be appreciated

Unfortunately, I'm a Westgate Owner too . . . one of the biggest mistakes of my life! When we bought the timeshare we were not told about the recission period. I found out about it by looking through the packet after we returned home from vacation and it was too late. The time had expired. I think that's a critical piece of information and feel the salesperson didn't mention it because she didn't want us to cancel. In addition to the week we purchased, she said we could stay extra weeks by buying getaways for $130/week. To this date, I have not found a getaway for $130 and can't get a reservation for an extra week at my home resort unless I pay the regular nightly rate which is available to anyone. What advantage does that give me? If a class action suit is filed, please count me in.

I too purchase a Westgate Timeshare in Park City, Utah in 2004 and I can say it has been the biggest mistake of my life as well. We purchased it in hopes of having at least a vacation every other year, since ours is a float year, but have failed to be able to use it in the way the sales people tell you at the high pressure sales meeting. Every time I go to use this horrible thing, Westgate has another reason to hate them even more. You can't even sell it for what you paid for or even give this thing back. I would love to give it back to Westgate and lose what I've already invested just so I can really take a vacation instead of paying on the maintaince and the remainder of the balance. I HATE THIS TIMESHARE and WESTGATE!!!

Westgate does nothing but lie and lie and lie. And the reservationist do nothing to help you as well. When I banked my week I was told that I could use it for the 2009 and 2010 year as a exchange with Interval. I was called earlier this year by a resrvationist on how I was going to use my week, but when I called back the number that the reservationist left on my phone message, went to number that just had a busy signal. Is there really a Doug Savage at Wesgate? So when I did go to exchange my week, I was told that I couldn't exchange it because it is an old year (2009). All I ask from these jerks is to tech me how to use it and not do the run around everytime I talk to someone. When I bank my week, please ask if I'm banking it with westgate or Interval as an exchange, and ask if I have ever done this before and if not show me how to use it the way I intended to use it. I gets pretty frustrating!

Is there anyway of getting out of this horrible thing at this point? Is it possible to just stop paying them and forefiet this worthless property back to Westgate? You mentioned your in the middle of a legal issue, is this because they brought in their attorneys or yours?

I am an ex employee from westgate, sad to say! I' have worked in the corporate office for about 5 yrs and know exactly what all of the owners are upset about. They are out to get every and any penny you have by telling and selling lies. If you were an owner that purchased and tried to cancel and they told you they did not have your information because you were such a new owner and only your closing officer can get information to you, they are lying! they do this so you can be pushed past your rescission period so when it is time to cancel you are screwed. Imagine you are calling a corporate office and they tell you that they do not have a fax number, mailing address or any way for you to send a letter of cancelation? They even go as far as firing employees for giving owners information that they request. I am seeking employees and owners to come together and put and end permanently to their fraudulent ways of conducting business. PLEASE  email me with your contact info so we can get the ball rolling on this one!

 Owners Guests at Westgate Towers in Kissimmee Fl...Just to let you know....The entire maintenance staff of the Towers was laid off October 2008 leaving only a pool tech as maintenance staff...therefore any "maintenance fees" you have paid in the interim have been wasted. I have been informed by a friend who still works there that for emergency situations..staff will be called in from the Villas, but there is no ongoing maintenance staff.

 I Have horror stories I could add LOL, concerning maintenance in the property.

If you have questions I will assist if I can

edwinmeyer at hotmail dot com

We have been owners at Westgate Lakes since 2001 and have never had a problem trading or obtaining a timeshare for vacation. Interval International has been wonderful when we decided to trade and we spend every Christmas at Westgate Lakes. One year we did not like our accomendations and they gave us a new unit within the hour of our complaint. We do own a RED week, but as far as how we have been treated and our availability to trade to other places, it has been easy. Our family has traveled to Cabo, Puerta Vallarta, Sedona, Maine and more...Give them a chance...we have been very pleased with Westgate....Rich