Owners,
A few owners have been contacted by Festiva and demands for payment of
the assessment have been made with the threat of "loss of usage" if not
paid immediately. I have contacted Attorney Bergman and he has made a
few recommendations and prepared a letter to be sent with any payments.
1. Do not be intimidated by Festiva, the Case is before the Court and
Festiva/Atrium has to answer in court. If you are a litigant you are
protected by the court at this time.
2. Any owner that feels he has to pay the assessment pay "IN DISPUTE"
in writing. Use a return receipt letter. Mail it registered mail.
3. Pay your regular maintenance fee by the due date, January 15. Only
pay the CPI increase of 4% above the 2006 fee. Pay with a letter "IN
DISPUTE" to the 10% fee increase and assessment. Mail it registered
mail.
4. The litigant owners could set up an escrow account in the USA to
hold the assessment and 6% additional maintenance fee funds.
Attorney Bergman has prepared a letter to be sent to Festiva with your
payment. You may have to modify the letter to fit your needs. Bergman
says the court case will be herd the First week of January, the ruling
may take a few weeks. The court will close for Christmas week. Pat and
I will be on a Cruise to Sint Maarten New Years week and will meet with
Bergman on Jan. 4. I know time is getting short and Festiva is
intimidating owners to make immediate payments. Please be patient.
Bergman feels strongly we will prevail in this suit. He feels the
demands by Festiva are illegal under the existing contract and they
cannot refuse you use of your unit if you pay the maintenance fee as
described in the contract.
On #4 setting up an escrow account here in the US by an attorney. This
would be very difficult to do under the short time restraints we have
at this time. This option should be implemented after the injunction
hearing. Bergman recommends we set up this account as a good faith
account, this will be the best method to go with the funds and still
retain control. This escrow account will show to the judge our
intentions to honor his decision in the final pleadings. When and if we
do set up this escrow account it would be handled through an attorney
here in the US. It does not help the owners threatened by Festiva with
dates in January. Everyone will have to make his own decision on how
to proceed.
All the litigants are protected under the court filing. Bergman says
the court will protect our usage for 2007 but it has to rule first.
There is a proposed $500 per day fine in the proceedings if Festiva
violates the injunction. The injunction is our first step in litigating
this assessment and violation of the lease. The actual suit may take
months or longer.
We can add additional litigants to the case. If you are not listed
please join the group.
A copy of the letter is attached in word or this email. Copy and print
the letter and add your name, address and contract numbers along with
your maintenance fee payment. Send it registered mail. Get a receipt.
If you have any questions please email me. Bergman and the court are
on holiday next week. Pat and I will try to keep in touch on our
vacation. We thank all of you again for your support and patience.
Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays - Happy New
Year
Rowie & Pat
COPY OF LETTER TO BE SENT TO FESTIVA WITH MAINTENANCE FEE PAYMENT.
ONLY SEND 4% MORE THAN YOU PAID LAST YEAR. ADD YOUR NAME, ADDRESS
CONTRACT NUMBERS AND DATE. SEND IT REGISTERED MAIL TO ASHEVILLE, NC
SEND IT BEFORE THE DUE DATE OF JANUARY 15.
Festiva Resorts
1 Vance Gap Road
Asheville, NC 28805
Attention: Donald K. Clayton
Re: Pelican Atrium Resort N.V.
In the newsletter of Atrium Resort of October 2006, you announced that
owners were obliged to pay by January 1, 2007 an increase of the
maintenance fees of 10 % and a special assessment. On behalf of us, our
lawyer in Sint Maarten, Rik Bergman, objected against these
unreasonable measures which are in violation with our contracts. Our
lawyer did not receive any response from you about the contents of his
letter, reason why we inform you as follows:
Enclosed herewith funds for payment of Annual Maintenance Fee as
prescribed in our lease agreement paragraph 10, Postmarked and or Due
January 15, 2007
All amounts claimed to be due for Special Assessments and above the NA
CPI for 2006 are "in dispute." and will not be paid pending
confirmation of all records supporting the amounts claimed to be due
and owing.
In the first half of January 2007 a court case is scheduled against you
in Sint Maarten pertaining to the announced increase of the maintenance
fees and the special assessment. We, plaintiffs in the injunction court
case will comply with our contractual obligation to pay the regular
contractual maintenance fees in time. However we have valid objections
against the increase and the special assessment and the Judge will rule
in the matter whether or not these additional payments will be
justified.
Sincerely,