Encore Parks - Customer Friendly?, Does the big corporation really care about their customers? Options

[MiamiSteve]

Wonder if anyone else has had a bad experience with Encore. I have heard and read from other RV owners that Encore does not care much about the RV rental side of the business. My personal experience is like an episode from the twilight zone; lies, fabrications and fiction.

I was entering their Sunshine Travel Vero Beach Fl park late at night and had to stop halfway into the gate. The entrance had a garden with a decorative rock that I got hung up on. So, I stopped to assess and figure out how to back up and re-enter. While stopped, the gate came down hitting one of my kids and scratching the heck out of my 42' foot RV. The repairs were $600 and they refuse to pay. To me, stopping halfway thru the gate should not be a reason for them to say it was my fault. What if I stalled? What if the car in front of me stalled. Still my fault?

In the morning I went to the office but the manager Ms. McCourt was not there. The maintenance man (Wayne) was helpful and came out and saw the damage. He said its happened before. Told me the gate was on a timer. We also discussed how the gate is not set up to bounce back and is not protected with foam or padding. This gate is strong. I am a big guy and could not lift if off my RV. I talked to Ms. McCourt after the fact and she was rude. Said it was my fault and that since I left before filling out an incident report with her that she could not authorize payment. No one told me to wait or to fill out anything. Imagine if this gate hit someone and hurt them? This manager didn't even ask how my kid was. She told me to contact their insurance carrier. Uh Oh. I knew I was in trouble then. Insurance company contact wouldn't return my call until I refused to hang up with the receptionist. When she finally picked up, the VP told me that I had called her the previous week and said that I would address it with my insurance company. She also said that 2 witnesses said it was my fault. There were no witnesses and I had never spoken to her previously. To me its amazing the lies they go through to take advantage of a guest. The insurance company then closed the case based on these fabricated notes in the file. I finally spoke to the Encore regional manager Mr. Leeds that is responsible for this park, but he was lame. Said he had no authority to override. If he doesn't have authority, who does?

So, how many others have been through other unfriendly customer experiences with Encore parks? Any suggestions how I can get them to own up?

[joez]

Encore is part of Reserve America Holdings, Inc., 40 South St.,Ballston Spa, NY 12020. President's name is Seth Rosenberg. IMO, at this point you can post your dissappointment on every rv forum, file an insurance claim with your carrier and let them subrogate, go some legal route (small claims?), and/or petition the home office. My guess is that since they have alrealdy dug their heels in the sand locally and their insurance, their response will not be favorable. Or you could just admit you should not have stopped where you did and just pay for the repairs. I have been to that park a dozen times or so and for the life of me cannot remember a decorative garden at the entrance causing a problem. Good luck.

[MiamiSteve]

Encore is part of Reserve America Holdings, Inc., 40 South St.,Ballston Spa, NY 12020. President's name is Seth Rosenberg. IMO, at this point you can post your dissappointment on every rv forum, file an insurance claim with your carrier and let them subrogate, go some legal route (small claims?), and/or petition the home office. My guess is that since they have alrealdy dug their heels in the sand locally and their insurance, their response will not be favorable. Or you could just admit you should not have stopped where you did and just pay for the repairs. I have been to that park a dozen times or so and for the life of me cannot remember a decorative garden at the entrance causing a problem. Good luck.

I have paid it. Yep I stopped in the gate. Most gate systems have bounce back reflex or are wrapped in foam (like a pool noodle). This thing was heavy duty. The garden is to the right of the entrance.