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Rentals offered by non-owners

TamaraQT

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Hello TUG members, I have a question. In the past I have rented timeshares from people I found here on TUG and have used Redweek also on a few occasions. I have always rented from owners. Over the past few years I have rented at Westgate TownCenter/Vacation Villas because my family loves their waterpark. However, being Westgate, they always have some crazy stipulation in use of their waterpark. The waterpark usage is "free"but only for "owners" at Vacation Villas/TownCenter. If you own at any of the other Westgates there is still a daily use fee. If you are a non-owner of any Westgate the daily fee is higher. Even if you are a guest of an owner, there is still a daily fee unless you are "related" to the owner. It's crazy. Anyway the person I usually rent from doesn't have any weeks available for me to use this year so I am on the hunt for an owner to rent from. When I do find decent rates and I contact the person offering the rental I find they are not owners at all but they are saying they can still get what I am looking for. So my question is ......are people allowed to rent a unit to someone when they don't own at that resort. I'm not just referring to Westgate. Can you book using timeshare points or an exchange and then rent the unit to someone else? Is that acceptable? I am afraid to rent from a non-owner. I know TUG members will clear this all up for me so I will have the knowledge I need. Thanks in advance.
 

theo

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......are people allowed to rent a unit to someone when they don't own at that resort. I'm not just referring to Westgate. Can you book using timeshare points or an exchange and then rent the unit to someone else? Is that acceptable? I am afraid to rent from a non-owner. I know TUG members will clear this all up for me so will have the knowledge I need.

There are third party "middlemen", including on this site (and in this very thread) who legitimately rent out weeks on behalf of owners, with the full knowledge and consent (and a commission) from the actual owner.

On the other hand, there are people who acquire weeks via "exchange" and then try to rent them out for profit. Both RCI and II very clearly prohibit such "non-owner rentals" of any such weeks acquired for one time use via the "exchange" process. I for one will not participate in any such prohibited, "under the table" transactions. YMMV.
 
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TUGBrian

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to answer your specific question...yes its absolutely possible and happens.

there may or may not be rules against doing this and or repercussions if caught (ie someone renting out an exchange etc). it is a great question to ask and see proof of before money changes hands!
 

TamaraQT

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There are third party "middlemen" (including on this site) who rent out weeks on behalf of owners, with the knowledge and consent (and a commission) from the actual owner.

On the other hand, there are people who acquire weeks via "exchange" and then try to rent them out for profit. Both RCI and II very clearly prohibit such "non-owner rentals" of any such weeks acquired for one time use via the "exchange" process. I for one will not participate in any such prohibited, "under the table" transactions. YMMV.

Thanks Theo....that answers my question. So it's best for me to continue renting directly from owners rather than cross the invisible thin red line. I know redweek sometimes work on behalf of owners and that may be a safe route if no other direct owner option. Thanks again.
 

TamaraQT

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to answer your specific question...yes its absolutely possible and happens.

there may or may not be rules against doing this and or repercussions if caught (ie someone renting out an exchange etc). it is a great question to ask and see proof of before money changes hands!

Thanks Brian....i knew I could count on my fellow TUG members to steer me in the right direction and keep me on track. Thanks a bunch.
 

jlp879

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There's always good stuff in the Marketplace. Don't forget to check there.
 

TUGBrian

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plus rent wish ads!

lots of owners of points these days and they dont want to just reserve a random week in the hopes itll rent...posting a rent wish ad lets them see you are looking for a specific week at a specific resort and if they can obtain that with their points you are more likely to get what you are looking for!
 

theo

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I know redweek sometimes work on behalf of owners and that may be a safe route if no other direct owner option. Thanks again.

RedWeek does indeed have a "full service" option where affiliated broker / agents represent owners for resales and rentals, but please know in advance that the "agents" are sometimes nearly clueless and unable to answer even basic, fundamental questions in an accurate and timely manner. Then again, since you know exactly where you want to go (and presumably when), maybe that obstacle would be less of an issue for your particular rental objectives.

Personally, I'm no big fan of "middleman" involvement and the additional "layer" they create. I prefer direct communication between owner and tenant (and a clear and specific rental contract), regardless of which side of the rental transaction I'm on. To each their own. :shrug:
 
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TamaraQT

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I agree....i prefer direct contact with a clear contract :thumbup:
 

TamaraQT

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There's always good stuff in the Marketplace. Don't forget to check there.
Yes....i do have a wish add in the Market place here on TUG.
 

TamaraQT

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plus rent wish ads!

lots of owners of points these days and they dont want to just reserve a random week in the hopes itll rent...posting a rent wish ad lets them see you are looking for a specific week at a specific resort and if they can obtain that with their points you are more likely to get what you are looking for!

Yes...i have a wish ad posted. I want Westgate vacation villas for 8/11 to 8/18. There will be 10 of us so I need to rent from an owner who can include waterpark passes with the rental. If not, the charge will be $20 a day for each person. So I have received offers from non-owners. And as a former Westgate owner I know how relentless Westgate will be to deal with. Thanks.
 

theo

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...as a former Westgate owner...

You're a smart lady to have somehow become a former Westgate owner.

Their properties are generally nice enough, but by all accounts "former" has never been an easy status to achieve, largely as a result of their punitive policies on resale owners making reservations. It's apparently easier to "escape" Westgate now with their recent adoption of a "deedback" program (for an additional $900, of course).
 

TamaraQT

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You're a smart lady to have somehow become a former Westgate owner.

Their properties are generally nice enough, but by all accounts "former" has never been an easy status to achieve, although apparently made easier now by their adoption of a "deedback" program (for an additional $900, of course).

I was a happy owner and in the beginning I was happy with my purchase. Although I purchased resale, I didn't find TUG until after I had sent my $$$ to a complete stranger to purchase on the resale market. Anyone remeber Sean Fletcher from the company "Wanted Weeks"? Remember that whole fiasco?? Anyway, thanks to finding TUG I was able to get the purchase/resale thru by the guidance and information I received. The problem was MFees kept increasing but the quality of the resort amenities kept decreasing. Then of course once you are an "owner" and they have you in their web, all bets are off and common courtesy is out the window. When traveling during an exchanged week, I had to fight to get a unit equivalent to the one like I owned my week because it was "occupied". But I discovered it wasn't occupied, it was just being "HELD" for a non-owner for bait. It was a perfect unit overlooking the main activity pool. Thanks to TUG I knew how to check the name on the deed for the unit to see if it was the same person. How did I know who they planned to give the unit to, one of their disgruntled employees told me it was a non-owner and they had already given me the name they had mistaken me for. It took 4 hours of my vacation time to fight to get put into the room I wanted. I deserved to be placed there as an owner if it was "available" and it was. The next time we went back there was another issue with me being displeased with the unit they assigned us. My husband got tired and fed up and we stopped going and started renting units at other resorts. We also stopped paying the annual MainFees. They threatened us and we went back and forth for a few years until they finally agreed to take the deed back for $1200 and I got to keep 2 of my weeks. Now don't think they gave me those weeks. They were 2 weeks I paid MFees for and never used but I had to FIGHT for those too. In the end, yep...all worth it. I like Westgate but I am treated far better by them when I rent than when I owned.
 

Egret1986

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Although I purchased resale, I didn't find TUG until after I had sent my $$$ to a complete stranger to purchase on the resale market. Anyone remember Sean Fletcher from the company "Wanted Weeks"? Remember that whole fiasco??

Yep, I remember my dealings with Sean Fletcher. :wall:
 

TUGBrian

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ah that makes sense!
 
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