You can make sure you get a confirmation of a reservation BEFORE you fork over any cash.
You can make sure you get a confirmation of a reservation BEFORE you fork over any cash.
If someone is in the business of ripping off renters, there is little that you can do to protect yourself. The owner may own points but that doesn't mean that you won't have problems.
Your best bet is to verify references and stick with someone who has a history of renting.
Bill
Flip side of that is 'Are there people who would rent their points before getting at least some of the cash?'
Very naive suggestion....and one which will provide you ZERO protection.You can make sure you get a confirmation of a reservation BEFORE you fork over any cash.
If the owner accepted PayPal, wouldn't that offer the renter some protection and ultimately a level of comfort? If the owner cancels the transaction after accepting the PayPal payment, the renter can make a claim of not getting what they paid for. Wouldn't PayPal then open up an investigation with the owner?
I don't know how much using PayPal would help, but it certainly couldn't hurt.
Illini Al said:If the owner accepted PayPal, wouldn't that offer the renter some protection and ultimately a level of comfort? If the owner cancels the transaction after accepting the PayPal payment, the renter can make a claim of not getting what they paid for. Wouldn't PayPal then open up an investigation with the owner?
I don't know how much using PayPal would help, but it certainly couldn't hurt.
. . . seeing your name on a page on a website (even an "official" one) means NOTHING.
Those are valid points, but they still don't offer much protection. Seeing the ressie online tells you two things:While I agree that seeing your name on an official disney reservation page doesn't prevent someone from scamming you or cancelling your reservation, I don't agree that it means nothing. I still think there is some utility in being able to confirm that your reservation is there. A few years back on another board someone was having problems contacting the DVC owner they were renting from and when they checked online the month before their arrival date they saw their reservation had been cancelled. Since they already had their flights booked, they at least had time to make alternative hotel arrangements. Not a great outcome, but they made the best of it. For me, I would also be worried about someone's financial state. They could be a very trustworthy person, but then fall on hard times and have to declare bankruptcy and lose their DVC timeshare. Rare, but it has happened.