SECTION 5.2: WITHIN 15 DAYS FROM PURCHASE? TALK TO YOUR BANK
Left the resort? OK, your next best chance at getting your money back is YOUR BANK. Specifically, the one which issued you the credit card you used to pay for the sign-up charges.
(If you paid with cash, skip straight to the next section).
You want to call your bank IMMEDIATELY and ask them to start what is called A DISPUTE.
This is a process by which they will look into the details of the card payment transaction, and your bank will reimburse you THEMSELVES, without having to involve the Privilege Club people at all.
The sooner you start this process, the better your chances.
For example -- VISA cards have a 15-day protection period. You don’t have to ask for it, or have to remember signing up for such a service. The simple fact that you used a VISA card will mean that if you call your bank to start a DISPUTE and you used a VISA, then you are almost guaranteed your money back right away. VISA will NOT care about the reason -- less than 15 days is your “cooling off” period, where you have every right to request your money back without explanations given.
Other cards will start a Dispute of charges if you ask for it as well, not only VISA.
The way disputes work typically will mean the bank will return you your money themselves IMMEDIATELY, and figure things out between them and Privilege Club later.
If, as suggested, you placed a DISPUTE shortly after signing-up with your bank, this means you will place the dispute, get your money, and never hear back from this issue again. If otherwise you took too long, especially over 30 days since signing up, it means you risk having to pay back the bank the money again, because they may rule the purchase as valid.
Make sure to lay out CLEARLY to your bank the reason why you are requesting them to place a Dispute. All reasons as a consumer are valid, but the best ones are:
- NO COOLOFF PERIOD: their contract, to date, does NOT indicate how long you have to think it over AFTER signing-up, before you can ask for your full money back. In SOME countries, States or Provinces this is A VIOLATION of your rights.
- SERVICES DO NOT MEET WHAT WAS VERBALLY PROMISED: simply state the difference between what you were told and what the contract says or customer service / Reservations said.
Other reasons can be presented, your bank will be able to offer you options when opening the Dispute.
After the Dispute is placed, discontinue ALL CONTACT with the Privilege Club. Your bank will normally advise you of the same. The process may take weeks or months, but, once again, they will typically pay you as soon as the Dispute is placed.
If the Dispute is closed in YOUR favor, you would have kept the money paid to you since the moment you placed the Dispute.
If the Dispute is closed in the Club’s favor, you CAN request a SECOND Dispute. MOST consumers will WIN a second Dispute, especially if it has not been too long since you signed up (within 60 days seems to work best).
If you LOSE both the first AND second Dispute, your bank will DEBIT you again (i.e., withdraw the money again from your card) and your situation with the Privilege Club remain the same as previous to you placing the Dispute. What is more, you would now be responsible for late charges if there was any financing unpaid on the contract while the Dispute was taking place.
The Dispute didn’t work? Don’t lose hope, let’s jump to step 3.
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Quick checklist before moving forward:
A) When placing the dispute, make sure to ask for ALL of your money, look for any DOWN-PAYMENT and CLOSING COST charges
B) Make sure to list as MANY reasons as possible
C) Make sure to MONITOR the result of the Dispute, follow up proactively with your bank (remember, that you were reimbursed when you placed the first Dispute DOES NOT MEAN you get to keep the money, if the Club wins the Dispute later) -- open a SECOND Dispute if the first one fails