how easy to rent out points?

[SnowWhite12]

I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask, but I didn't see where it would go on the renting thread. This may sound dumb, but how easy is it to rent out points? Are most people able to most of the time? I'm asking b/c we are considering buying a resale with a lot of points for good price. Some years we would use all (if family goes with us), but the years that we only need to use half, how difficult is it to rent out around 150 points? I'm just scared we'll end up with wasted points some years.

 

[disneynutz]

There is no guarantee that members will continue to be allowed to rent their reservations. Disney can change the rules at any time.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

It is not hard at all. Get yourself a good contract, communicate with your customers, and you will be fine. Renting is an intricate part of everyone's DVC ownership and should not be made to think otherwise. Enjoy your points!

 

[DVC Mike]

There is no guarantee that members will continue to be allowed to rent their reservations.

While there isn't a guarantee, I think the possibility of that occuring is slim to none.

 

[crisi]

It depends on your perspective....

It isn't without its downsides. There have been a few times when members haven't managed to get paid for points (if you rent, treat it like a business and if you don't get paid, cancel when your points are still usable - and ask for half up front). Sometimes members make multiple phone calls for a renter, then the renter finds points from someone else cheaper. There is some risk (I think its low) that you will be held responsible for damage your renter does to the room. Some people think its a lot of bother.

Right now, there are a lot of points available and fewer takers - people are choosing to skip this year due to the economy and Disney - and the deals for going with cash have been good (lots of free dining). But I haven't heard of too many people who have been unable to rent their points. And if you were going to hear "stuck with points I can use and can't rent" stories, this would be the year.

You do need to plan in advance - its hard to rent points on short notice.

Myself, I'd buy a smaller contract and then when you take your large family trips, rent points from someone else and have them transferred into YOUR contract. Less bother and easier to resell a smaller contract.

 

[Coach81]

Not too dificult.. but there is some risk involved. Go check out the Rent board.. there are occasionally some horror stories. Be careful.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Another thing, renters are getting a little more savvy and make their request at 11 months out to get some of the primo locations at the DVC resorts - Grand Villas, Concierge at AKV, MK view at BLT. If you don't have points with what the renters want and can only use your points at that location at 7 months out, you may not be making reservations at 11 months out for a good price. You may be stuck with almost giving your points away at three or four months out and getting anything available.

And there are the shoppers. They post a points wanted thread and shop the offers they get. You make calls, you confirm availability and then they tell you sorry, they have someone else making the reservation for them at a cheaper price.

Or you get the needy renters, they want this, they want that, they need to add this, they need you to remove this, can they get a XX view, what about that resort - is it available? They treat you like Disney Central Reservations and then decide, nah, this isn't what they really want to do.

Or the ones seeking all kinds of payment plans. Will you take 10% now, and $100 a month until the day before the trip and then they will send you the balance. Or they want to use Paypal and they want to put the money into an escrow account until after they return from the trip to guarantee that they will have the best trip ever. Once they return, they will release the escrow funds to you.

If you have friends or family who can use the extra points and understand how it works, that's probably the best way to rent out a reservation.

But it can be a lot of work.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Another thing, renters are getting a little more savvy and make their request at 11 months out to get some of the primo locations at the DVC resorts - Grand Villas, Concierge at AKV, MK view at BLT. If you don't have points with what the renters want and can only use your points at that location at 7 months out, you may not be making reservations at 11 months out for a good price. You may be stuck with almost giving your points away at three or four months out and getting anything available.

And there are the shoppers. They post a points wanted thread and shop the offers they get. You make calls, you confirm availability and then they tell you sorry, they have someone else making the reservation for them at a cheaper price.

Or you get the needy renters, they want this, they want that, they need to add this, they need you to remove this, can they get a XX view, what about that resort - is it available? They treat you like Disney Central Reservations and then decide, nah, this isn't what they really want to do.

Or the ones seeking all kinds of payment plans. Will you take 10% now, and $100 a month until the day before the trip and then they will send you the balance. Or they want to use Paypal and they want to put the money into an escrow account until after they return from the trip to guarantee that they will have the best trip ever. Once they return, they will release the escrow funds to you.

If you have friends or family who can use the extra points and understand how it works, that's probably the best way to rent out a reservation.

But it can be a lot of work.

All of these issues can be circumvented very easily. You set the terms as the owner. The more work you want to do is up to the owner. It does not have to be this difficult, and frankly, this is a scare tactic.

 

[Deb & Bill]

All of these issues can be circumvented very easily. You set the terms as the owner. The more work you want to do is up to the owner. It does not have to be this difficult, and frankly, this is a scare tactic.

But until you get the hang of it with multiple rentals, you are going to encounter these types of problems.

There are a lot of newer owners who think it's their responsibility to make a non-owner's vacation "magical" and don't realize it's just a business deal.

 

[crisi]

But until you get the hang of it with multiple rentals, you are going to encounter these types of problems.

There are a lot of newer owners who think it's their responsibility to make a non-owner's vacation "magical" and don't realize it's just a business deal.

On the other hand, there are a lot of owners who rent and LOVE doing it. They LOVE helping someone plan a Disney vacation. They love being able to figure out a way to make it work - if that is an alternate payment plan, they are up for it. They don't mind multiple phone calls or questions. For them, it isn't a business - its an opportunity to share their love of WDW.

The gotcha's aren't so difficult that someone who bothers to learn what they are doing can't do successful rentals out of the gate.

Its probably, however, worth figuring out what kind of person you are before you buy a contract that you believe you'll be regularly in the position of needing to rent out points. And its probably worth knowing that there are pain in the back end renters, and people who become friends beginning with a rental relationship. There are people who rent their points and it takes maybe half an hour out of their year to make a few phone calls and put a confirmation in the mail....and there are people who spend HOURS for each of many reservations. Because both people with little patience for renting points rent - and don't find it worth the bother....and people for whom it isn't a business at all, but something that brings them joy (with a side of cash). And there are people who rent points who are a joy to work with - and those that it takes all the patience of someone for whom helping others get to Disney is a calling to deal with.

 

[chalee94]

All of these issues can be circumvented very easily. You set the terms as the owner. The more work you want to do is up to the owner. It does not have to be this difficult, and frankly, this is a scare tactic.

nah. but posting these threads might be a scare tactic.

Points Rented, now I am stuck with the bill!

My Brother changed my Ressie while onsite at VB!

 

[disneynutz]

While there isn't a guarantee, I think the possibility of that occuring is slim to none.

I agree, but I also didn't think that some of the other recent rule changes would happen. My point is that it could happen and prospective members need to know this.

 

[disneynutz]

Another thing, renters are getting a little more savvy and make their request at 11 months out to get some of the primo locations at the DVC resorts - Grand Villas, Concierge at AKV, MK view at BLT. If you don't have points with what the renters want and can only use your points at that location at 7 months out, you may not be making reservations at 11 months out for a good price. You may be stuck with almost giving your points away at three or four months out and getting anything available.

And there are the shoppers. They post a points wanted thread and shop the offers they get. You make calls, you confirm availability and then they tell you sorry, they have someone else making the reservation for them at a cheaper price.

Or you get the needy renters, they want this, they want that, they need to add this, they need you to remove this, can they get a XX view, what about that resort - is it available? They treat you like Disney Central Reservations and then decide, nah, this isn't what they really want to do.

Or the ones seeking all kinds of payment plans. Will you take 10% now, and $100 a month until the day before the trip and then they will send you the balance. Or they want to use Paypal and they want to put the money into an escrow account until after they return from the trip to guarantee that they will have the best trip ever. Once they return, they will release the escrow funds to you.

If you have friends or family who can use the extra points and understand how it works, that's probably the best way to rent out a reservation.

But it can be a lot of work.

I think that all have happened to me along the way as someone who occasionly plays landlord. My record for emails from a renter is 62.

 

[nunzia]

It looks like I'll be in this position too I'll cancel my reservation, bank the points I can for an added time at VGC and then try and rent the remainder (at short notice since they have to be used by end of Feb) Sooo...where is the advice thread and sample contracts? I looked at the stickies on the Rent/Trade board and didn't see anything much.

 

[DenLo]

There is no guarantee that members will continue to be allowed to rent their reservations. Disney can change the rules at any time.

There is lots of gray area in the renting and transferring points. The Vacation Planner you receive after buying from Disney Direct indicates that you cannot transfer points for money. Then the next section says you cannot rent points or the use of your vacation home for commercial purposes. Currently it is defined as not making more that 20 reservations per Use Year in the name of other persons.

So at the present time you'd be okay renting points out yearly as long as you're under 20 reservations per year.

However, don't forgot you can bank points that you don't plan to use and then use them the following year. You will be an unusual member that always banks versus those who usually borrow.

 

[MollyMcDaniel]

My parents have been DVC members for about 15 years. They used it heavily the first 10 years and then their health started to decline and they basically have 'given' it to my husband, myself, and our 5 year old. They have no interest in using it again. We have been paying the annual assessment for a couple of years but they don't want to transfer it to our name. Everytime I want to make a reservation, I call member services, say I am my mother, give them the last four digits of her ssn and request what we need.....I feel a bit sneeky doing it this way. This is a bit off topic, but what is involved in transfering membership?

So, back to the topic. We are planning 8 nights at VWL for spring break. We have friends that are interested in coming along. We have no points available for them as my sister is using the points that are available to borrow. I am looking into renting some points for our friends. I see some people say rent or transfer. What is the difference? Would we be better off having points transfered into my parents account and going about it that way, or should our friends make a seperate rental transaction? Thanks for sticking with me in regards to my rambling question.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...So, back to the topic. We are planning 8 nights at VWL for spring break. We have friends that are interested in coming along. We have no points available for them as my sister is using the points that are available to borrow. I am looking into renting some points for our friends. I see some people say rent or transfer. What is the difference? Would we be better off having points transfered into my parents account and going about it that way, or should our friends make a seperate rental transaction? Thanks for sticking with me in regards to my rambling question.

You'd probably be better off letting your friends make their own reservation. Give them the info on how to rent a reservation from a member or give them 1-407-WDISNEY and they can take care of their own reservation.

 

[DVCGeek]

Everytime I want to make a reservation, I call member services, say I am my mother, give them the last four digits of her ssn and request what we need.....I feel a bit sneeky doing it this way. This is a bit off topic, but what is involved in transfering membership?

Not sure how involved transferring is; I think technically it would work mostly like a sale or any other real estate transaction because of the deed modification. Since you are family I believe Disney waves ROFR but there is a special form to fill out... Hopefully someone with more experience on this can clarify!

A quick and easy solution would be to make you an associate member. Then you don't own it (No membership card or perks) but you would be allowed to make reservations under your own name.

 

[crisi]

You'd probably be better off letting your friends make their own reservation. Give them the info on how to rent a reservation from a member or give them 1-407-WDISNEY and they can take care of their own reservation.

The reason behind this statement is that a LOT of us have been left holding the bag on points because someone wants to come along - and then backs out. Since rentals and transfers are final, its probably best to let your friends make their own arrangements so they are the one that makes the commitment. Especially since the way you phrased it "we have friend's who are interested in coming along" sort of indicates that this is their idea not yours. "We've invited friends along" is a different situation. And often when its the friend's idea, its their idea because they hear "we use my mother's timeshare" and don't understand that there are costs involved to you. In this case, significant costs and risks since you'd be out more than just dues.

Ending up with two people in a two bedroom - or an extra studio - because your friends backed out at the last minute is not fun.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Your friends would probably feel more comfoertable dealing with you. Have your friends pay for the points up front to you, then get the points transferred into your account. You will only be out a little time and if they back out oh well. They have paid for it up front, and make the stipulaion of no refund. If they cancel all you can then do is try to rebook.

My parents have been DVC members for about 15 years. They used it heavily the first 10 years and then their health started to decline and they basically have 'given' it to my husband, myself, and our 5 year old. They have no interest in using it again. We have been paying the annual assessment for a couple of years but they don't want to transfer it to our name. Everytime I want to make a reservation, I call member services, say I am my mother, give them the last four digits of her ssn and request what we need.....I feel a bit sneeky doing it this way. This is a bit off topic, but what is involved in transfering membership?

So, back to the topic. We are planning 8 nights at VWL for spring break. We have friends that are interested in coming along. We have no points available for them as my sister is using the points that are available to borrow. I am looking into renting some points for our friends. I see some people say rent or transfer. What is the difference? Would we be better off having points transfered into my parents account and going about it that way, or should our friends make a seperate rental transaction? Thanks for sticking with me in regards to my rambling question.