BBB Issued Alert About Westlake Travel Company

A Westlake company has found itself the subject of numerous Better Business Bureau complaints.

Now or Never Travel, a Westlake business that sells travel club memberships, has had more than 40 complainants filed at the BBB since the beginning of this year.

The company’s address is listed as 159 Crocker Park Blvd - Suite 400 in Westlake.
In an issued alert, the BBB reported that Now or Never Travel has not lived up to promises and owes members tens of thousands of dollars in promised refunds and rebates.

According to the alert, Now or Never Travel first came to BBB’s attention in 2011 when it began pitching its travel club membership. Consumers were offered two free airline tickets and a $100 gas voucher to attend sales presentations held at local hotels.   

Some complainants noted high pressure sales presentations lasting up to two hours where consumers were offered membership in a travel club that, according to company representatives, would save them hundreds of dollars on hotels, airfare, etc.  

Prices started at $7,000 - $9,000 and were discounted down to as low as $2,000- $3,000 to reluctant buyers who joined on the spot. Initial complaints to BBB indicate the “free” items were not “free” and were only available after paying fees.

More recently, complaint on file at BBB state that Now or Never Travel has failed to provide promised “rebates” of $100 for each airfare purchase and 25 percent on hotel expenses. Some complainants also told BBB that the business has not honored its promise of a refund of their membership fees if they didn’t use the club for one year or requested to cancel for any reason.

Owner Richard Keney did not respond to requests for comments by either Patch or the Better Business Bureau.

BBB has referred consumers to the Ohio Attorney General for assistance.

The BBB has reported that nationally, it received more than 200,000 inquiries nationwide in 2012 from consumers checking travel clubs. Last year, it received more than 2,000 consumer complaints on travel clubs during the same time.   Now or Never Travel was the subject of a complaint at ripoffreport.com as well as a Plain Dealer Consumer Complaints column in January.