Using multiple contracts for one reservation

[ars13]

I just bought multiple contracts directly from DVC with my in-laws and siblings. We all went on the same deed in order to take advantage of the incentives but since we all have different familieswe all have different contracts. However, we do like to go on vacation together from time to time.

My question is- is there a way there a way to book a vacation using points from different contracts under the same membership?

if not, is there a way to transfer points from one contract to another within the same membership (same home resort and use year).

What do you guys think would be the best way to handle a multiple family stay when we only want one unit like a studio or 1 bedroom?

 

[DonMacGregor]

I don't understand. Each contract should represent a separate deeded interest so each contract should be on a separate deed.

 

[ars13]

I don't understand. Each contract should represent a separate deeded interest so each contract should be on a separate deed.

We have one deed - 6 people on that deed and 5 total contracts.

We all have the same membership number I believe and everyone has access to everyone’s points (we are very trusting people lol)

 

[Sandisw]

You can book using all the contracts in a single membership for one reservation. The key is they are all under the same membership...which sounds like they are?

If they are all the same resort, they function as "one big set of points" at 11 months. You simply check all the contracts when booking. If they are different resorts, you can then only use them at 7 months or less to make one reservation.

The only time you can not combine points easily is if you have different memberships and that only happens when the membership is a different UY or different owners. For example, I own 2 contracts with my adult children in my Aug UY. We have SSR and RIV.

I also have SSR and RIV points in my Dec UY, but only in the name of DH and I. I can not use points from both Aug and Dec to book one reservation unless I transfer. But, normally, I use them for different trips because we do a lot of split stays when we go.

 

[Marionnette]

We have one deed - 6 people on that deed and 5 total contracts.

We all have the same membership number I believe and everyone has access to everyone’s points (we are very trusting people lol)

If the contracts are both under the same membership then using the points together is pretty easy. If they are for different resorts, the points cannot be combined during the 11-7 month home resort booking window. But ar 7 months or less they can be used together.

 

[ars13]

They are all the same resort with the same use year.

the issue is we want to track our own points. If I’m contract 1 I want to make sure I am using contract 1 for my stays… I want to bank and borrow contract 1 and only use contract 1.

However, if I go on a trip with my brother, I would like to pull from both contract 1 and contract 2 because he is splitting the vacation with me and contract 2 are his points. Can I book a 5 night stay and use points from both contract 1 and points from contract 2?

 

[Marionnette]

They are all the same resort with the same use year.

the issue is we want to track our own points. If I’m contract 1 I want to make sure I am using contract 1 for my stays… I want to bank and borrow contract 1 and only use contract 1.

However, if I go on a trip with my brother, I would like to pull from both contract 1 and contract 2 because he is splitting the vacation with me and contract 2 are his points. Can I book a 5 night stay at say and use points from both contract 1 and points from contract 2?

If you wish to use Contract #1 and only Contract #1, it's just a simple matter of not selecting Contract #2 when you book the reservation online.

Using two contracts becomes more complicated because as of right now, you cannot dictate how many points to use from #1 and how many from #2 when booking online. It might require a call to Member Services and a CM who knows how to do it.

 

[Sandisw]

They are all the same resort with the same use year.

the issue is we want to track our own points. If I’m contract 1 I want to make sure I am using contract 1 for my stays… I want to bank and borrow contract 1 and only use contract 1.

However, if I go on a trip with my brother, I would like to pull from both contract 1 and contract 2 because he is splitting the vacation with me and contract 2 are his points. Can I book a 5 night stay at say and use points from both contract 1 and points from contract 2?

Yes, you can. However, be aware, that banked and borrowed points in the account are taken first, even from different contracts. There could come a time when you are all going to run into issues with this because that is how the system is set up.

I believe as long as the other contracts are not checked, it should not take them, but you need to be prepared for that if it happens.

 

[RoseGold]

You're going to need a shared spreadsheet. This is a mess.

If these are multiple member numbers, you pick the member number you want from the drop down. Those points never cross, and are like different people.

It sounds like you are on the same member number with multiple contracts (deeds). You choose which to pull from when you book. The system will automatically pull borrowed or banked points, but if they're in another reservation, it can't get to them. It also doesn't show you which contract you have borrowed points in, so you have to keep track of it to make sure you're pulling from the right one. You need to work together to make sure you pull correctly.

Example: Sister borrows 50 points from Contract #2, then cancels the reservation. You book using Contract #1 and a little Contract #3, because you didn't know Contract #2 had borrowed points in it. If you go back and change the booking (just modify and don't change anything else), you can apply the Contract #2 borrowed points to it instead, but you have to know Sister canceled to know to do that. The system won't show you.

Example 2: You book using Contract 1. Sister books using Contract 2 and borrows points. She cancels, but you're within 30 days of your Contract stay. You can't change the allocation without putting Contract 1 points into holding, even though you'd like to use Contract 2 borrowed points first.

The banking/borrowing and holding rules are strict and complicated. Everyone will need to know them.

You can transfer points to another member number, but it sounds like you only have one.

This means you own joint real estate with a bunch of people who could be sued or declare bankruptcy or I can keep going. Heck, maybe you get to probate multiple real estate interests in Florida a few times. I would have put this in a trust or an LLC with clear rules.

I would definitely be talking to a local attorney about how this would be handled if something happens.

 

[DonMacGregor]

It sounds like you are on the same member number with multiple contracts (deeds).

But OP says it's multiple contracts for ONE deed, which still confuses me.

 

[GoingSince1990]

This could get very messy and complicated indeed, especially when you start to do things like banking points. For example, if one family member does not travel one year, you would want to bank the points from “their” contract into the following year. And then whoever makes the next reservation the following year should use those banked points first so they don’t expire, even if this is a different family member travelling. Instead of worrying about which contract “belongs” to which person, I would look at the membership as a whole (total points over all of the contracts) and keep track of who has used how many points each use year.

 

[EM Lawrence]

I would treat it like a joint vacation home that one family member is put in charge of managing and scheduling. It's probably better to have one person who is very versed in the way the DVC point system works who makes and modifies all of the reservations for everyone. Let them keep track of how many points each party is allowed to use and book for them accordingly. Otherwise, it could get complicated!

 

[Narcoossee11]

You have a good idea about contract 1 is mine....BUT.... as mentioned above. TERIBLE in reality. The family should look as a big pile of points which you "own" x amount.

 

[ars13]

Thank you guys for all of your help. After speaking to many MS agents, our sales rep, and a supervisor or two, we finally came to the conclusion that we should probably retitle our deed and separate all of our contracts.

we can track the individual contracts online but (as you guys pointed out) it gets hairy when people bank, borrow, or cancel. Seems to be too many “what if” situations.

It would be great if we could use them as a giant pool of points but there is just too many of us spanning in-laws and different nuclear families. As it is, for our first welcome home we are going to have to book a split stays in order to use two different contracts.

Thank you guys again! I’v been a watcher of the boards but hadn’t participated until buying into DVC. I really appreciate everyone’s help and hopefully I can pay it forward in due time.