We own 2 wks at Sapphire and as of today we have NOT received any notice of this. One is a villa and the other is in Bldg 3. I wonder if there is any kind of action we can all take. Saying we can forfeit our timeshare if we don't pay $ with such short notice? It's outrageous, but typical for the Sapphire.

Lots of interesting scenarios here....

If y'all band together, and don't pay, the threat is that you lose your "time" ?

Then they have to re-sell your time and bleed someone else, right?

So far, the only thing that is glaringly apparant is that the management/ownership of the Sapphire have failed miserably in keeping satisfied customers/tenants.

Just another reason why we are so happy we did not ever "invest" in a time share type thing.

DONT STOP THE CARNIVAL !!

What is this notice of accessment due October 15th? I have not heard anything about this at all.

It seems that the Sapphire Beach Club is sending out assessment notices asking for $$ (average is $2000) to it's timeshare owners for 'overhauling' the resort. This includes new furniture, painting units and exterior, new water system, upgrade pool area, more security, internet service, flatscreen TVs, etc. You would have thought that our annual maintenance fees would be covering that but, alas, we are dealing with Phillipe who does NOT know how to manage his sock drawer! Check out SXM People Talk over at www.traveltalkonline.com

Considering that they have never kept any promises they have made over the last 12 years that I have owned there.....why should anyone believe them now?

Maybe you think I am being glib or trying to be funny.....

But tell them you'll pay on "Island Time".

Took 12 years to (maybe) to clear up the Mullet Bay mess

Took 1 1/2 years to grant a permit to complete the Caravanseri mess

Took too many hmmmms n ahhhhs to move the BBW plant mess

And now they want the money right NOW ? HA HA HA

If we owned at the Sapphire, we'd send a registered letter, "check's in the mail", and maybe (just maybe) they'd get paid in 2009 (AFTER the so-called improvements were done)

DONT STOP THE CARNIVAL !!

We are going there on the 14th. This is the first I have heard of such an assessment and I fear it will be presented to us upon check-in. This doesn't sound remotely legal, even for SMX! Any lawyers out there with any comments?

I'm sure, if you carefully read the contract, it will probably be legal. It might not be right, but it will be legal.

I have spoken with someone in "collections" at Sapphire and she told me I could make payments......so maybe, they are backing down some. I told her that this would not be legal in the US, also they should go online and see all the bad publicity they are getting from this. I also asked why wasn't our maintenance fee enough...she had no answer for me. I told her to have management call me, we will talk about this issue. Why weren't more people aware this was going down??????? Yes, we should all pay on "island time". Everyone should contact them and view their concerns. She says it was the owners decision....sure, we knew all about it, right?

Louise do you recall the telephone number or the name of the person you talked to regarding making payments?

Thanks.

Never mind the maintenance fees, what is with this $600+ assessment for each unit. No warning, must be paid in 30 days or late fees will incurr..Received it on 10/2/06...Due 10/15...Where did all the maintenance fees go??? They sure did not go the upkeep of the property..

Never mind the maintenance fees, what is with this $600+ assessment for each unit. No warning, must be paid in 30 days or late fees will incurr..Received it on 10/2/06...Due 10/15...Where did all the maintenance fees go??? They sure did not go the upkeep of the property..

Just received notice from the Artium they also have the same scheme in mind. Our assessment is going to be two times the yearly maintenance fee. Read the full story at:

[atrium-resort.com]

JMB wesite has lots of news about all the scams going on and quote a St Maarten attorney, Stefan Fox:

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 lease agreements with the Atrium have no provision for assessment and do address the maintenence fee increases. Our fees are linked to the St Maarten CPI and our increases can not exceed this index, Ha, Ha, Ha......

I hope the Sapphire and Atrium owners all stick together and do not pay this scam fee. Maybe just once Island law is on our side.

Did anyone else have topay a $500 resort fee transfer on top of the closing fee when they bought or sold a unit or have I been scammed. I am still in closing and they (SBC) want the $500 before closing. Closing is today or tomorrow so a quick reply is appreciated.

Gloria

I will be honest - I have never felt that timeshare investment is a good move. Given the initial investment and the commitment to support maintenance charges, you can actually find accomodation of your choice that closely matches the maintenance cost alone. This is especially true these days with on line info readily available.