Is ARDA contribution on m-fee bills deceiving?

[gmarine]

I cant help but wonder how many Starwood owners inadvertantly pay the additional $5 contribution to ARDA without realizing it.

It seems to me that a donation is optional and shouldnt be added into the bill. I realize there are instructions to deduct $5 if you dont want to contribute, however it should be an optional add on, I shouldnt receive a bill with it already included.

Thoughts?

 

[Stefa]

I agree with you. Marriott also includes an ARDA contribution with the MFs and I have always felt it should be an extra item where they instruct you to add $5 (or $3) to your total if you would like to make the contribution.

 

[jarta]

[Off-topic/rude remark removed. - DeniseM Moderator]

 

[gmarine]

[Response to deleted post removed - DeniseM Moderator]

 

[gmarine]

I agree with you. Marriott also includes an ARDA contribution with the MFs and I have always felt it should be an extra item where they instruct you to add $5 (or $3) to your total if you would like to make the contribution.

My Marriott Manor Club bill has two lines. One with the ARDA contribution, one without the ARDA contribution. Starwood includes the ARDA amount in your bill.

 

[jarta]

george, ... The instructions with the bill say it is optional. Marriott does it too. ARDA sponsors all the legislation that makes it easier for HOAs to collect and foreclose delinquent annual fees using non-judicial processes (do you want delinquencies to sit on the books?). It's $5 dollars!

[Off-topic/rude remark removed. - DeniseM Moderator]

 

[pedro47]

I agree with you. Marriott also includes an ARDA contribution with the MFs and I have always felt it should be an extra item where they instruct you to add $5 (or $3) to your total if you would like to make the contribution.

I agree with both of you totally. Why include it as part of your MF's.

 

[yumdrey]

That's why ARDA is doing lobby
I always get a Hilton bill which also included ARDA with MF, but I always deduct it and pay $3 or $5 less than the bill.
However, many owners who don't pay much attention to their bills look just the final number and pay it. I think ARDA can collect big number through that way.
I am one of them who have been wondered why that $3 or $5 are included in each of MF bill.

 

[Stefa]

My Marriott Manor Club bill has two lines. One with the ARDA contribution, one without the ARDA contribution. Starwood includes the ARDA amount in your bill.

I don't see much difference in the way Marriott and Starwood handle the ARDA contribution. As I said earlier, I would prefer they simply remind owners that they can add $3-$5 to their MFs if they would like to contribute to ARDA.

 

[DeniseM]

Folks - let's stay on topic here. TUG is an open forum and if you don't like the topic -
Don't read it!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

ARDA represents resort developers. That is their sole purpose for existence. Period.

There are times when the interests of owners and the interests of developers coincide. ARDA is very quick to tout how they are representing the intersts of owners when that happens. That is nothing but spin.

Whenever there is conflict between the interests of owners and the interests of developers ARDA is totally on the side of developers.

***

The $5 contribution is simply a device to get unsuspecting to owners to subsidize the acrivities of developers. It is not $5 contributed to protect the interests of owners. It is $5 contributed to represent the interests of developers.

 

[timeos2]

Keep it on its own

I cant help but wonder how many Starwood owners inadvertantly pay the additional $5 contribution to ARDA without realizing it.
Thoughts?

It is placed so the majority of owners won't notice that its optional. At the resorts I serve on the Board we asked that it be moved to a separate line item, identified as "optional" and NOT included in the total. If someone wants to support them I have no problem with it but making it deceptive isn't fair to owners (but this is timeshare so I supposed its expected, no?)

 

[DeniseM]

ARDA represents resort developers. That is their sole purpose for existence. Period.

Steve/John - remind me - wasn't ARDA is some kind of trouble in the last few years?

 

[gmarine]

george, ... The instructions with the bill say it is optional. Marriott does it too. ARDA sponsors all the legislation that makes it easier for HOAs to collect and foreclose delinquent annual fees using non-judicial processes (do you want delinquencies to sit on the books?). It's $5 dollars!

[Off-topic/rude remark removed. - DeniseM Moderator]

Marriott does not do it the same way. It is not added into the bill.

[Response to deleted post removed - DeniseM Moderator]

 

[gmarine]

It is placed so the majority of owners won't notice that its optional. At the resorts I serve on the Board we asked that it be moved to a separate line item, identified as "optional" and NOT included in the total. If someone wants to support them I have no problem with it but making it deceptive isn't fair to owners (but this is timeshare so I supposed its expected, no?)

I agree. This is how it should be.

 

[l2trade]

Yes, I feel it is deceptive the way Starwood's bills are printed. I noticed it was optional in the past. That kind of annoyed me, but I always paid it anyways because I figured what the heck. It is not much money and at the time I was a happy timeshare owner.

With the jumping maintenance fees and Starwood / II anti-owner changes, I decided not to pay it this year. If ARDA represented owners, I would see them helping us with our complaints. If that were the case, I'd be happy to pay them a lot more than just $5. Sadly, I see that is not what they are about. They exist for developers first and owners second.

 

[Ken555]

I have never contributed the $5 to ARDA. They haven't told me who they are, what they do, and why I should pay for them. While I've answered most of these questions myself by searching online (and reading posts here) it certainly seems as though I don't benefit by their activities, at least as of yet. However, it does seem as though the developers benefit from their actions. If you doubt this, just check out their own page titled A World Without ARDA.

If they are a non-profit organization (I'm not sure) then they should ask me to contribute and state the reasons why, and not ask the developers to do so on their behalf. The entire process of having the $5 added on to each MF rather than not as an option (or even a completely separate process altogether) simply makes me wonder how tightly intertwined they are with the developers. The posts here seem to infer that they are completely in bed with the developers and thus makes me happier for saving the $5 each year. Certainly ARDA's membership options don't even permit me to become a member, yet they want my money. Huh? It seems membership is restricted, and the individual memberships permitted are only for those employed by a corporate member (or did I miss something?). Membership is encouraged for those who:

Whether you represent a resort developer or supplier, university or homeowners association, ARDA membership offers benefits that can save your organization time and money and open doors within our industry.

I suppose if I did represent a HOA I might be interested, but I'm not sure.

When one realizes that ARDA stands for American Resort Developers Association it becomes clear why Starwood (and perhaps others) only list the $5 contribution as going to "ARDA" and not the full name. If they do so, I'm sure they would not receive as much funds from unsuspecting owners.

 

[pointsjunkie]

I always take the $5 off each of my payments. I saved a whole $45