516% Fee Increase!

So, on Thursday night I talked about the new fee structures for the FairShare Plus Program. Last night I talked about my "first comment". Forgive me, I must have been sleep-typing, because that seemed very strange, even for me, when I just went back and read it. Haha. But I did locate that misspelled tag and correct it. I hate when something I wrote has errors in it -- but it rarely bothers me when I read typos from others. Remember, I've got adult children - they STILL don't know how to spell anything. Unbelievable!

So, lets talk about those fees.

To recap; Wyndham gave owners under a week's notice about new fees for all who own within the FairShare Plus Program. Increased fees are always a bummer, but these are double-bummers at 100% jump and, and in one instance, a quintuple bummer!!! Here’s what I mean:

Referring back to the chart in Wyndham’s letter, which I received in my mailbox on October 13, 2008, they notified me that two days later the following fee increases would take effect for all owners:

Reservation Transaction went from $25 to $49 – a 100% increase.
Points Credit Pool went from $30 to $39 – a 33% increase.
Express Window Point Rentals went from $5 to $10 – another 100% increase.
PIC deposits went from $50 to $89 – a 78% increase
Guest Certificates went from $25 to $129 – a fricking 516% increase!!!!!

Can you imagine two days notice to tell owners about a 516% price increase? Since then, we’ve also learned that if it takes two reservations (they call it a split-reservation), then the fee is doubled. This sometimes occurs when you have to book over weekends. You might have to book two nights in one unit and one night in another to get a three-night stay. So, now to do that, it is $258 to add a guest’s name, which is a 1032% increase from prior to October 15, 2008.

“Bargain hunters beware….. this is one blue-light special from hell. Thank you for your patronage with Wyndham, where your money is now ours!”

So, you’ve watched the video about the cessation of transferring excess points…and you’ve seen the fee increases from October. I wonder what’s next! They'll just want me to turn over my American Express Card number and randomly charge whatever they feel. Same difference, there's just not much I could do about it either way.

Bed time for me again….it seems like I have to do that every night!