I just want to conclude that this is a major issue regarding the assessment that they are applying to all owners. It is affecting everyone, whether you own or want to sell it. This is bad publicity. I am certainly lost as to what to do with my two weeks. I don't know whether to pay or just let them go. I am sure there are thousands in the same boat.

A lot of people don't realize that when Wyndham took over, that is when the real problems started. The workers were hostile and didn't want to help people. I am sure something internally went wrong. But as for the units, I own in building 3, they are certainly not as bad as people are making them out to be. Yes, alittle dated, but certainly better then a lot of hotels that I have been in, and I have been in a lot of them.

Indeed, they are in need of repair. You would think this would be a constant with the maintanence fees coming in, repairs would always be occuring. Somehow, that did not happen. They are going to be doing a lot of revamping, that is, if they can collect the monies they want. I fear they won't. It is up to the owners to figure out and stick to it, to oppose the threats that they will repo the units if the fees are not paid for. They certainly do not want all of them back!!! There must be a solution, but I alone, am unable to figure it out. Feel free to write to me personally.

Louise,
How about this to make you think. Just supposing there are 12 units per floor @ $630 a pop x 10 floors x 3 buildings x 52 weeks = over $11 million dollars
This excludes penthouses and villas. This is also on top of the regular maintenence fee's. I wonder if they will hire pest control for cockroach control in that #11 mill?
We are going to pay up and sell our 3 weeks.

We still have not gotten our 'letter' for the assessment and are still mulling over whether to pay it. Our weeks have been up for sale for almost a year with the Sapphire (useless) and with a TS reseller. We haven't gotten any feedback from either. Sapphire is well known for it's problems and we doubt we'll be able to sell them.
The problems started long before Wyndham lent it's name to the resort. Remember when the Sapphire use to be a Gold Crown Resort with RCI? Why did they lose their status? Phillipe is the problem. He doesn't know how to manage his sock drawer.
Maybe the Sapphire is hoping the majority will 'forfeit' their weeks and they'll have more inventory. We have to stand together on this one.

Replying to both. Yes, I have indeed calucated what they are bringing in. A large sum of moeny I might add. Right now the name "Sapphire" has such a bad name I don't see anyone selling their units, and you are right, they won't help. Foreclosing on all those units will be a long process and costly. They would be better rethinking this over. And who will buy? We all know what has happened to the Pelican. I don't think that any timeshare down there has the right to impose these assessments without consent of the owners. I never received a proxy, did any of you? Did they offer to change you over from weeks to points? That is another issue. The value has gone way down considering how much we paid for them. This is a no win situation and I agree, it is no longer a "Five Star" resort and management is to blame. Can't even trade the darn weeks. I was a owner at Pelican, no longer, and soon may not be an owner of Sapphire. I will still return to St. Maarten, have been going for over 25 years. Love it, and the people. But the people there will also suffer because of lack of business. People staying on the island spend way more money then the ones on cruiseships. That is sad for all of us to pay the price. Spend more time cleaning up the island, figure out a form of public transportation and it will be a more "friendly" island to get around on. Too much growth. No one is thinking in their right minds. All adds up to money one way or another.

We just received our assessment letter today -- I might not be that upset to pay $600 for assessment but our assessment fee is $5,800 and we only OWN ONE week that is a small two bedroom. This is NOT IN OUR CONTRACT -- I have no idea how to proceed with this. How can it be legal to pay an assessment so large when we only paid $12,000 for our week to begin with. Has anyone had any success in figuring out what to do? This sounds like a scheme to get us all to be foreclosed on and they will then re-sell the units at an outrageous price. Are there any lawyers out there that can help with Netherlands laws?

Our assessment was not that high, but we do own two weeks. There is a new website coming online where all the timeshare owners can voice their opinion. Brough to us by Jeff Berger. Try his website and look for a new one that should either be online now or very soon. I am not paying just yet. Going to wait and see what else we hear from Sapphire.

I just received the assessment bill yesterday and it was due the day before!! What a shocker!! I am very diappointed and angry at Sapphire. When I was there in July, my room was in such bad shape, I inquired to see if any renovations were going to happen soon and none of the employees could offer any info. I asked Marcia and she was such a snob about it, she acted like she was too busy and walked away. I had a right to know at that point what was being planned, ESPECIALLY since a whopping amount of money will be coming out of my pocket. I own another timeshare in addition to Sapphire and they are honest and just raise our maintenance fee gradually when they know extra money is needed; a much fairer way to handle it. This separate assessment fee is too high and was sneakily thrown on us!! From other's feedback, I am not the only one who received it late!!! Sapphire has a lot of nerve to spring this on us and do it at the last minute. People just don't have that kind of money to pay a bill like this immediately without any warning!! I am seriously thinking of selling my week...Sapphire has been a disappointment for many years now...service, accomodations, maintenance, etc. Wyndam did nothing to improve the resort, they actually have made it worse!


Have any owners talked about grouping together to fight this?? If so, count me in. I have no intention of paying it. They can take their threats and shove them! I even emailed them yesterday to ask them to explain this assessment bill and why the due date was before I received it, etc. and they never emailed me back. They are rude and disorganized...bad management!!! We all need to stay together on this one. Don't let them get away with this!!

Where is this assessment?? Lost in the Mail??? I live in IL and still have not received this darn thing. I also have friends out East who have not received anything also??? This is absolutley ridiculous!!!!
I think their e-mail is so jammed packed that no one can get thru to them!!!!

Debra,

I don't understand your assessment of $5800 for 1 week. I have the newsletter from Sapphire in front of me and the highest assessment I see is $977 a week for a 2 bedroom penthouse in bldg. 3. Sapphire certainly made a huge mistake on your bill!!!!

We contacted Sapphire via fax and got a new assessment total, our first bill said $5,800 -- which was an obvious mistake. Our new bill is for $690.00. We are not paying it yet. If anyone is pursuing legal action let me know. I did email a lawyer in Saint Martin but have not heard back yet. I will keep you all posted.

Nothing here yet ...They are always late with mailings to Canada. Anyone banking their weeks for 2007 ?
Forward planning on Sapphire's part would have been less painfull to all !

I also just received my assesment notice, although I was following the various postings. I also saw a posting on the same topic at the Atrium and saw this note from one of the local attorneys:
There is a bright side maybe, JMB has a lot of information on their web site and quotes Stefan Fox a St Maarten

attorney:

Stefan Fox is a St. Maarten attorney. (American attorneys really can’t file suits in St. Maarten. It’s a foreign

country with totally different laws, and court proceedings are all in Dutch.)

We wrote to Stefan about this mess. His reply:

“Time share rights are considered lease rights under the laws of the Netherlands Antilles. A sudden increase in

maintenance fees is unlawful, as long as the 'owners' have not signed up to same, in the very same lease / time

share agreement or in the association documents. So the content of the time share agreement is of essence.”

Our agreements only allow an increase in maintenance fees up to the St Maarten consumer price index, there is no

provision for any special assessments."

I agree that we should all stick together on this and act as one voice. I thought I'd share this with anyone that wasn't looking at the other posting of the Atrium.

We paid our assessment on Monday - not happily but after what I've read on traveltalkonline, even if you can find a lawyer in SXM and he reads your contract and says there is provision for an assessment, that's only his opinion. In order for his opinion to be upheld, it would have to go to court. Guess what - it's another Mullet Bay fiasco all over again. That's been what - 11 years in the courts???

All I can say is there had better be some significant upgrades/changes at Sapphire.

I left out the key word in my prior post - duh. It should have said no provision for an assessment. Sorry.

I had posted an estimate of about $11,000,000 in special assessments, would anyone know how close that is?
My unit particular unit comes complete with a rusty fridge, ten year old bed spread, wood rot hole on the balcony wall, 747 jet engine hot tub and last but not least German cockroaches.Pass the Vasoline please!
OH Where would I be without a sence of humor!!!!!!!

My post is friendly and constuctive