Renter Questions??

[allforpooh]

Trying to decide risks of renting....

Once the member makes the reservation in renters name, who can make changes to the ressie?

Once payment and the ressie has been made, can the member reclaim their points and the renter lose their money?


What can a renter do to protect themselves?

Please share any renter problems or successes....

Thanks!

 

[fkj2]

I tell my renters to call Member Services themselves after I give them the ressie number but also make their initial requests as they give them to me. I keep the ressie in my name (usually) until final payment is made but I send them a copy of it so that they can see the time they want is actually booked.

The few times I've rented so far, everything has gone smoothly for both of us. The worst experiences I have had as an owner is doing all the phoning and checking for availability and desired accommodations, only to have the potential renter change their mind or not be as "flexible" on days as they originally said they were. You are correct that the owner could take the money and cancel the ressie but as Doc has noted several times on the board, this is a trust thing and I've not seen reports of anyone doing that. I did see onetime on the DVC Forum a post from someone who had done a rental and then the owner sold the points but I don't remember reading any more about it or how it was resolved. I offer references to the potential renter and I can't begin to imagine how nerve racking it must be to send that much money to some cyber person.

I think if you want, you can place the money in a type of escrow account and I think that is covered under the FAQ section.

Hope this info helps.

 

[** Disney Lover **]

Unfortunately, I do not think that escrow companies will handle the money, at least a friend of mine who is renting has told me that. She said she's contacted several of them and they don't do that. (She's renting from someone on the TUG site which again I believe is also reputable like the DIS here).

Also, unfortunately, the member *can* rent you the points, take the money and yes indeed cancel the reservation and keep the money and the points - but I really think that would lead to legal consequences **if** you had some sort of a contract signed. Which is what my next thought would be, I wouldn't fire money off and have just a "confirm sheet" in my hand without having some sort of binding legal contract. I believe there's sites all over the internet to print those out. I.e., a simple "renters agreement" for instance.

What has really gotten my attention is the fact that when I was looking into this, I had called Member Services and was told that even though the ressie could be in the *renters* name, and you could call and inquire about it, and make your requests etc., etc., - DVC has NO liability to tell you ANYTHING about the reservation (ie that it's been cancelled or altered or what have you) since you are NOT the member. Honestly, that sort of scared me .....

BUT -- the GOOD thing is that this is DISNEY! And we automatically tend to trust people that are DVC Members as their not like some average joe just coming along and renting you an oceanfront condo in Arizona!!!

It makes me feel good that no problems have been reported, let's just hope it stays that way!! And more people should be posting when and who they've rented from to build sort of "public" references on these boards! (Even though the search feature seems to be not functioning STILL).

 

[allforpooh]

Thanks All for you responses........