Is point rental against the DVC policies?

[travelbug]

I've never rented out my points before, but was considering doing so with some of my points. I was just on the phone with DVC member services making a reservation because the online booking tool was not working for me today. In the course of conversation, I mentioned in passing the possibility that I may rent out my extra points. The CM interrupted me and said, "You did not just tell me that." When I asked if renting was against the rules of point ownership, she replied that I am welcome to use my points to allow someone else to take a vacation but that renting is not open for discussion. I was surprised at the reaction and felt a little embarrassed because I didn't know.

Obviously many, many members rent out their points and there are companies that specialize in facilitating those rentals. Is point rental really contrary to the DVC policies?

Hoping you guys can set me straight on this. Thanks!

 

[chalee94]

Bad training

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Total BS. Explicitly allowed for in your DVC contract, in fact. It's in Section 5.1 of the Agreement:

“A Club Member may make a reservation to use a Vacation Home for the Club Member’s own use, make their use available to family or friends or guests, or rent them…. Neither DVD’s, DVCMC’s or the Association’s approval of a rental by a Club Member is required after a reservation has been made in the renter’s own name, and Club Member are permitted to rent their occupancy rights on terms and conditions that they may establish…”

The only restriction is in using your points as a commercial enterprise.

 

[POTCfan]

Per the DVC rules, you cannot transfer points between two contracts for money. But you can rent out the points in the form of making a reservation for someone - you just can't do it commercially. Sounds like the CM was confused (or may have misunderstood what you wanted to do).

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

100% it's allowed and is stated so. That CM needs retraining and you shouldn't feel embarrassed at all.

Now transferring points for payment is prohibited but you can transfer for free.

 

[disneynutz]

I'm sure that Disney doesn't like it because they would prefer that you use your points and that renters book with Disney but as of now, renting is ok. I expect that they will modify the policy in the near future.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I'm sure that Disney doesn't like it because they would prefer that you use your points and that renters book with Disney but as of now, renting is ok. I expect that they will modify the policy in the near future.

Bill

AFAIK this is beyond policy and would be difficult for them to change. They also like to rent and would be restricting themselves I believe.

 

[disneynutz]

AFAIK this is beyond policy and would be difficult for them to change. They also like to rent and would be restricting themselves I believe.

Policy change could be lowering the un-written commercial reservation limit, having the MS CMs question about renting, requiring a renting check box on the reservation, limiting rented access to perks like pool hoping and laundry. Rules for Disney are not the same as the rules for owners. Owners can't get paid for point transfers but DVC does.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Policy change could be lowering the un-written commercial reservation limit, having the MS CMs question about renting, requiring a renting check box on the reservation, limiting rented access to perks like pool hoping and laundry. Rules for Disney are not the same as the rules for owners. Owners can't get paid for point transfers but DVC does.

Bill

They've always had the requirement to be notified that the reservation is not being used by owners and they specifically state that perks may or may not be available - nothing defined but should assume no perks for a renter.

 

[Dean]

Policy change could be lowering the un-written commercial reservation limit, having the MS CMs question about renting, requiring a renting check box on the reservation, limiting rented access to perks like pool hoping and laundry. Rules for Disney are not the same as the rules for owners. Owners can't get paid for point transfers but DVC does.

Bill

Legally they'd have to be on solid ground related to the commercial renting limitations. The current rules are about as much as they can limit from a volume standpoint but that's not to say they couldn't harass people enough to make it more difficult though I don't see them doing so. We're seen enough reports to MS telling people it's against the rules to wonder if they're doing so purposefully and knowingly vs just poorly trained or rogue CM.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It is easy to believe "poorly trained."

 

[Dean]

It is easy to believe "poorly trained."

It really is difficult for me to believe that because it's such a fundamental issue of the system.

 

[bumbershoot]

limiting rented access to perks like pool hoping and laundry.

Pool hopping is already restricted. Yiu need your member card to show them if they ask.

As for laundry, they'd have to have pay machines and a different room to set that up.

It really is difficult for me to believe that because it's such a fundamental issue of the system.

Have you ever been trained in a group setting and then heard what your coworkers think they heard? Mind-boggling, how people can hear such different things.

 

[Dean]

Have you ever been trained in a group setting and then heard what your coworkers think they heard? Mind-boggling, how people can hear such different things.

No I get all that, as a physician I have to guard against it all the time where patients only remembers 10% of what you said. However, this is such a simple and fundamental part of DVC usage/ownership and one that MS needs to be trained on. The main reason I question that it's more than just poor training or the rumor passed down the line issue is that there's a consistent them to this response over the past few years. It may be innocent but there are other explanations that I suspect are actually more likely and more feasible, namely that they are trained to unknowingly give misinformation for a purpose.

 

[disneynutz]

Pool hopping is already restricted. Yiu need your member card to show them if they ask.
As for laundry, they'd have to have pay machines and a different room to set that up.
Have you ever been trained in a group setting and then heard what your coworkers think they heard? Mind-boggling, how people can hear such different things.

Issue is they don't really ask for member cards when you pool hop but tagging your MB as a renter would deny pool access and notify anyone who scans your MB of your status.

Same for laundry room access, require MB for access and deny renters.

Bill

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It's not bad training. It's not giving bad advice.

The contract you sign forbids commercial renting. You decide what that means but if a CM tells you yes than it becomes "look a CM told me I could run a small business here" Disney is NOT in the business of creating competition for themselves with this renting mess so I am sure they have told the CMs it's off limits!

Member Services is not your "renting resource" and I expect they are trained... to throw up road blocks! LOL!

Could they change the rules and shut down the brokers... easy. And I expect that if it hits critical mass they will do it!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I doubt they can truly "shut down" brokers, as brokers are invisible within booking transactions. They could make the booking of units for non-owners more costly by adding non-owner use fees, which would both create DVC revenue and complicate the market, however.

 

[Dean]

It's not bad training. It's not giving bad advice.

The contract you sign forbids commercial renting. You decide what that means but if a CM tells you yes than it becomes "look a CM told me I could run a small business here" Disney is NOT in the business of creating competition for themselves with this renting mess so I am sure they have told the CMs it's off limits!

Member Services is not your "renting resource" and I expect they are trained... to throw up road blocks! LOL!

Could they change the rules and shut down the brokers... easy. And I expect that if it hits critical mass they will do it!

I disagree, the contract expressly allows renting and precludes commercial renting. While there is a gray zone, saying it is not allowed is simply wrong and either ignorant or purposefully misleading, there are no other explanations.

 

[bumbershoot]

The main reason I question that it's more than just poor training or the rumor passed down the line issue is that there's a consistent them to this response over the past few years.

What if it's the SAME CM each time? Alas on the Dis we aren't supposed to name the names of bad CMs or we could track it.

Issue is they don't really ask for member cards when you pool hop but tagging your MB as a renter would deny pool access and notify anyone who scans your MB of your status.

Same for laundry room access, require MB for access and deny renters.

Bill

They would have to build other laundry rooms for those without the cards. I don't see DVC doing that, do you?

They totally COULD check cards, though. If we ever rented out our points I would be sure to tell my renters that they didn't have access to it. I tell my friend and my cousin that WE don't have access to it, when we stay on our points without DH with me!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Same for laundry room access, require MB for access and deny renters.

Bill

Laundry is such small potatoes - lots of visitors never even know there are laundry rooms or where they are. Things like that aren't going to happen.