If you follow news in the timeshare industry, there’s little doubt that you’ve heard of the Manhattan Club lawsuit. The case came to life in 2011, the crux of issue being that owners were unable to book reservations despite their ownership status. Banded together in a class-action lawsuit, owners alleges that the New York City-based timeshare deliberately oversold ownership and then went on to rent the remaining indeustry to travelers through its rental program. The Manhattan Club denies the accusations, holding that the risks of ownership were disclosed and it’s clearly stated that owners might not be able to obtain the weeks they want. Additionally, The Manhattan Club states their rental program is beneficial to owners as it keeps maintenance fees down.
Since it’s advent in 2011, word of the lawsuit has spread like wildfire and and continues to spark discussion among owners. In July of 2014, New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed his own suit and obtained a court order that blocked any new sales at The Manhattan Club and prevented foreclosures against owners who refused to pay maintenance fees. The case even dipped into mainstream news in November on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” program. Both events only added more fuel to the fire, and the heated discussion around the issue reached fevered levels.
It’s now 2015 and only time will tell what becomes of the lawsuit. RedWeek is committed to informing owners as the case progresses – penning several in-depth articles surrounding the subject and keeping an updated report thread where owners can get quick, easy to read coverage on the subject without the legalese. Now, RedWeek is asking owners to get involved. Since The Manhattan Club will not disclose an ownership list, we’re seeking to compile a record of all owners so we can keep them in the loop with the newest updates on the case, including forum updates and our findings from the Attorney General’s, the resort itself and owner groups. Even if you’re not an owner, you can still opt in to receive the latest news.
Whether you’re an owner, know an owner or are just interested in the lawsuit and what it means for the timeshare industry, we encourage you to help share the Owner’s Page so we can reach every owner! If you’re looking for even more ways to get involved, check out the Yahoo! discussion group (open to owners only) as well as the Disgruntled Manhattan Club Owners’ page on Facebook (request an invite to join). And of course, feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments or on our Facebook page!