Consumer complaint received 2016-09-19
Company: Zealandia Holding Company, Inc.
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
We have owned XXXX XXXX bedroom timeshare units at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for a number of years. We have always paid our maintenance fees in a timely manner. As usual in XXXX we paid our fees in the late fall for the 2015 year. After we made those payments we were informed that the buildings were condemned and would be demolished. 

We received a letter that informed us of the decision to raze Buildings XXXX to XXXX that stated that we could walk away from a unit even if we had " past due maintenance fee balances ''. We gave the situation serious consideration and my wife spoke with XXXX on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. During that conversation she requested that the maintenance fee for XXXX of our units be refunded and we would walk away from that unit, and we agreed to exchange the other unit for XXXX in XXXX XXXX or XXXX. We signed the form ( see attached ) and sent it to XXXX XXXX XXXX as listed on the bottom of the form. In the cover letter attached to the form she stated that the exchange was contingent upon the return of the maintenance fee of {$630.00}. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX called and spoke with XXXX and requested the refund of maintenance fee we were promised when we deeded over the XXXX unit. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX she followed up with XXXX and again requested the return of the maintenance fee. During those conversations she stated that it would be acceptable to apply the {$630.00} we were due to the XXXX assessment for the new unit in Phase XXXX or XXXX. She was under the impression that was going to be done. 

Before we had the time to use our week XXXX in XXXX the building was condemned. It is my belief that the management company knew or should have known that the buildings in Phase XXXX were in serious need of repair and we were sold on accepting a transfer so that we could adsorb some of the {>= $1,000,000} cost of the needed repairs. It is my opinion that management at XXXX XXXX XXXX was acting in a fraudulent manner when they offered us the exchange. 

We did not receive a deed to our replacement Unit until XXXX XXXX, XXXX. We went on the web to the member portal and there was a ZERO balance due ( I have a printout ). We assumed our maintenance fee paid in advance was credited to our account. We have now received a past due notice with a {$50.00} late fee and {$190.00} in interest and collection fees. On top of that we are being billed for a special assessment of {$560.00} spread over 3 years for the repairs to the building in Phase XXXX. 

We are very disillusioned with XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX. Management at XXXX has taken {$1200.00} in maintenance fees for XXXX for 2 weeks of vacation which we were unable to use or exchange. They have coerced us into signing the Consent Order by threatening to name us in as a Defendant in a lawsuit before the Bankruptcy Court. They have sent us a collection letter with substantial fees for maintenance that is not due according to their website at the time. They have fraudulently induced us to exchange our week for a week in another building which was quickly condemned. 

We are now getting regular calls from a collection agency calling to collect maintenance fees and a special assessment. We are not getting any answers to emails to the company seeking resolution.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation