Timber Lodge RV Timber Lodge RV Resort " lifetime contract" collection attempt. Problems in terminating our membership w/o being hassled West New Waverly, Texas

Timber Lodge states that their contract is an industry standard. I found that the reputable campground
memberships have built in clauses that allow terminations without penalty. In fact the Timber Lodge
contract has termination clauses that states in affect that if dues are not paid, Timber Lodge has the
right to "terminate" the membership. Timber Lake also refers to "life time membership". However, I
can't find any place in the original contract that uses the term "lifetime". The contract is ambiguous
and doesn't clearly address the issue of having to pay dues for life or subjecting heirs to pay these dues. If this was clearly spelled out or explained by the Campresorts broker in 2000, I wouldn't be writing this complaint.  The advertising on the internet has a question and answer portion and one of the questi0ns is " can I cancel my member at any time" and the answer is "yes" but a $100 reinstatement fee will be charged. So, does Timber Lake have a case? I don't think so and I feel that
Timber Lake Resorts should quietly drop this thing and concentrate on operating a campground
membership program without intimidating it's members, especially as we've been members since 2000.
 

We do not owe anything more on this so called "lifetime Charter membership." If we were aware
and told that this contract could not be terminated and obligated us for as long as we "lived" we
would have been stupid to sign it. Whoever we talked with via phone 13 years ago told us that
a lifetime charter membership locked in the dues at $99 per year and nothing mentioned about
as long as we "lived".

     A "bait and Switch" took place also at the time we contacted CampResorts.  We were under the
impression that they represented several "home Parks" which were necessary to sign up with RPI
allowing us to use Thousand Trails, AOR, CRA, etc facilities. I requested a home park close to Idaho
so we could use it from time to time. After some "checking around", we were told that Timber Lodge
RV Resort in Waverly, TX was the only one available but when something closer comes up, they
would let us know. We found out later that CampResorts, American Campground,etc are part of
the same group, possibly including Monterey Collections.

     This is a giant scam as far as I'm concerned and I intend to spread this around so other senior
citizens don't get scammed. As of this date, Jan.30, we still haven't received a copy of our so called
"lifetime Charter membership" showing that we are obligated as long as we live.  

Our records indicate Phillip and Marie Schnee purchased a membership to our resort in August 2000. That the membership agreement is an industry standard agreement. That no representations were made other than the membership agreement.

That the agreement provides for annual membership dues payments due on the first day of November each year. That monthly statements were sent requesting this payment in October, November and December 2012. That to date the account is unpaid. That is our company policy accounts that become this delinquent are sent to Monterey Financial for enforced collections. That at the present time this is where this account is.

That on January 16, 2013 they requested a copy of their contract which was sent. That many options exist to discontinue membership. That as of this date we have forward these options. That the guaranteed resale and prepayment program options are not provisions of the agreement but were offered in good faith in order to accommodate their request to cancel the agreement.

That additional options will be provided including, but not limited to, advertising the membership on their own using a variety of recommended media methods such as Craigs List, Ebay, RV periodicals and local newspaper classified advertisements or including the membership when selling their recreational vehicle. We provided all the information and methods successfully used by other members in the past. That some of these advertising methods can be done with little or no cost to the member.

That once the account has been settled these options remain open to M/M Schnee, or should they wish to provide a reasonable alternative option we would be willing to consider it.

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