When are points taken out of my account?

[tinkerbell 766]

Sorry if this sounds thick, but I am new to this so please bear with me. I bought into AKV this year and my use year is August. What I was wondering was are the points debited from your account when you book or when you check in? So if I was to book in January to go home in December 2008, I would have my points from August 2007 and could borrow from August 2008 points. If, however the points are debited at check in I would have both 2007 and 2008 points in my account and could borrow from August 2009 points. Does that make sense?

 

[Sue's Mum]

The points are debited as soon as you book.

 

[wilma-bride]

As Sue's Mum says, the points are debited when you book. However, you are able to borrow forward one year and, if you are talking about booking for December 08 (with an August UY), you would be able to use your 07-08 points, 08-09 points and 09-10 points. You would need to bank your 07-08 points though.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Sorry for the delayed request for info, but do you mean that for a trip home in December 2008 (which I would be looking to book at my 11 month window in January 2008), I could use banked points from Aug 2007, points from my allocation in Aug 2008 and borrowed points from my allocation Aug 2009. Sorry to be a thickie but I am really confused Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanx guys

 

[Claire L]

Points and booking is irrelevant really as the crucial point is when the points are actually being used. December 2008 would use the current year's points ie those allocated in August 08 but you could bank the August 07 points and use them first then the 08 points and borrow from August 09 as well if needed.

HTH

Claire

 

[wilma-bride]

Sorry for the delayed request for info, but do you mean that for a trip home in December 2008 (which I would be looking to book at my 11 month window in January 2008), I could use banked points from Aug 2007, points from my allocation in Aug 2008 and borrowed points from my allocation Aug 2009. Sorry to be a thickie but I am really confused Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanx guys

Yes, basically. If you are planning a trip within your 2008 use year (so between 1 Aug 08 and 31 July 09), you can use banked points from 07 (you will need to bank them first though) and your 08 allocation, plus borrowed points from your 09 use year. Bear in mind, though, that once you have borrowed points you cannot return them to their original use year, nor can you bank them - so make sure you use your 07 and 08 allocation of points first.

To give you a brief example, we have 164 banked points from our September 06 use year. We have a trip booked for April 2008, for which we are using our banked 06 points, all of our 07 points and borrowing 142 of our 08 points.

It is great that you can use them like this as it gives you flexibility to have larger accommodation or try the higher-point resorts

Feel free to ask away if you have any more questions.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Thanks everyone. I understand now. I only joined the DVC family in August and it can all seem a bit complicated at first. It's great to have some 'e' friends who can help out. Thanks again

 

[Boss Hogg]

nor can you bank them - so make sure you use your 07 and 08 allocation of points first.

That wouldn't be an issue Joh as member services will not allow you to use a later years points until the current ones are exhausted.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Boss Hog, are u saying that if I try to book at my 11 month window(Jan 2008) for a trip in Dec 2008, that with my having an Aug use year, I would only be able to use my banked points from Aug 2007 allocation and points from my Aug2008 allocation and NOT borrow from my Aug 2009 allocation? Okay Mrs Thickie is confused again

 

[Boss Hogg]

Yes, I think that is what I am saying

If you needed more than 1 years points, you would use your 2007 (naturally these would be banked), then 2008 and then 2009 in that order. You could not (as I understand it) use 2007 and 2009 points and leave your 2008 points untouched.

I tried to do something similar, which I won't confuse you with, but was told that you need to use them in a chronological order.

 

[jharrowell]

It can get a bit confusing can't it?

Ok, let's do an example using some of your info:

Say you want to book a vacation costing 500 points in December 2008 and your use year is August.

You have:

100 points left from 2007 (that run out in July 31 2008)
250 points from 2008 (August 1 2008 - July 31 2009)
250 points from 2009 (August 1 2009 - July 31 2010)

Now as your use year is August, the December trip will be out of your 2008 allocation. (well, in December, that's a given) and you have 250 to spend in 2008.

So firstly you bank your 2007 points, this leaves you with 350 in your 2008 allocation (these can't be transfered back, but they'll be used first so no biggie).

Then you borrow 150 points from your 2009 allocation, this gives you your 500 points (These can't be transfered back and will be used last so only transfer what you need).

The points are used in order so first the 100 banked, then the current year, and then the borrowed.

This means that if you borrowed 200 points fron your 2009 allocation, you'd have 50 points left in your 2008 allocation that could not be banked or otherwise transfered back to you 2009 allocation.

Whenever you are booking, the points come out of the relevant use year for the date of arrival, not the date of booking which is why you need to bank the 100 spare points from 2007 as they are not part of the use year you want the room for, even though they are still live at the time of booking.

As far as I'm aware this is how it works, though I'm fairly new to DVC myself so someone else could have better info than I.

Only other thing to remember is to make sure you bank your points in time, if you leave it too late they may not let you transfer them. I think it's a blanket 4 months before the end of your use year now (that rule of 4 thing they put in the latest magazine) but don't quote me on that.

Hope that doesn't make it more confusing!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Thank you, all of you. I understand now ( Ithink ). As I said before it's so nice to have so many people willing to help out with queries etc. I know that I am really going to enjoy being a DVC member and taking part in these forums. It makes you feel quite 'at home'. Much love to you all.

 

[irenep]

I am new to DVc also and this is really complicated.
From what I've read so far - this means that say I needed 1 point from 2009 to add to 200 points from 2008 to give enough points for a particular booking, and I then had to cancel the trip, then I would be unable to then bank ANY of the 200 2008 points because I have ONE 2009 point there?
Is that right?

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I think that you wouldn't loose all your points if you cancel, you would maybe loose the 1 point you borrowed. Depending on when you cancelled, your points may have to go into a holding account I'm not too sure. I am sure that somebody out there will know.

 

[Claire L]

I am new to DVc also and this is really complicated.
From what I've read so far - this means that say I needed 1 point from 2009 to add to 200 points from 2008 to give enough points for a particular booking, and I then had to cancel the trip, then I would be unable to then bank ANY of the 200 2008 points because I have ONE 2009 point there?
Is that right?

Cancel more than 30 days in advance and you can rebook the points and if in banking period can bank any current years points. You cannot move any borrowed points back to the original use year they came from though. If you cancel less than 30 days then the points all go into a holding account and have to be either used within 60 days or another booking made, I can't quite recall which it is.

Claire